The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Maryland Authorizes State Superintendent to Declare School Emergencies for Virtual Learning
Last action · May 26, 2026: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 598
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Does
Senate Bill 218 authorizes the State Superintendent of Schools to declare a for any public school or school system prevented from holding regular in-person classes for at least 14 consecutive school days due to disasters, public health emergencies, or security threats, effective July 1, 2026.
Shifts the authority to trigger emergency virtual learning plans from the Governor to the State Superintendent of Schools for events impacting specific schools or local systems for more than two weeks.
- Maryland previously relied on gubernatorial emergency powers under Title 14 of the Public Safety Article to address prolonged disruptions affecting public schools. context
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
State Superintendent of Schools
Gains the authority to independently declare a prolonged state of emergency for public schools and must handle consultation, documentation, and termination notices.
County Boards of Education
Must implement virtual education plans, update them every 2 years, submit adjustments to the State Board, and publish current plans on their websites.
Public School Students and Staff
Subject to mandatory transitions to virtual education when a prolonged state of emergency causes the cessation of regular in-person attendance.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can declare a prolonged state of emergency for a public school?
What conditions allow the State Superintendent to declare a school emergency?
How can a prolonged state of emergency be terminated?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
19 actions- May 26, 2026Governor of MarylandEnrolledApproved by the Governor - Chapter 598
- Apr 10, 2026SenateFloorPassed Enrolled
- Apr 10, 2026SenateFloorThird Reading Passed (34-8)
- Apr 10, 2026SenateFloorSenate Concurs House Amendments
- Apr 10, 2026HouseFloorThird Reading Passed (96-37)
- Apr 8, 2026HouseFloorSecond Reading Passed with Amendments
Show 13 earlier actions
- Apr 8, 2026HouseFavorable with Amendments { 123624/1 Adopted
- Apr 8, 2026HouseCommitteeFavorable with Amendments Report by Ways and Means
- Mar 25, 2026HouseHearing 3/25 at 1:30 p.m.
- Mar 25, 2026HouseHearing canceled
- Mar 16, 2026HouseHearing 3/25 at 1:00 p.m.
- Feb 25, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred Ways and Means
- Feb 24, 2026SenateFloorThird Reading Passed (39-6)
- Feb 20, 2026SenateFloorSecond Reading Passed with Amendments
- Feb 20, 2026SenateFavorable with Amendments { 553729/1 Adopted
- Feb 20, 2026SenateCommitteeFavorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment
- Jan 16, 2026SenateHearing 2/04 at 2:00 p.m.
- Jan 14, 2026SenateIntroducedFirst Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment
- Sep 29, 2025SenateIntroducedPre-filed
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Transfer of Emergency Authority
The statute shifts the primary authority to declare school-related prolonged states of emergency from the Governor to the State Superintendent of Schools.
Connected Entities
Sources
mgaleg.maryland.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools