Motor Vehicles - Special Registration Plates - Old Line Plates (Old Line Plate Program Act of 2026)
HB0068, titled the Student Protection Act of 2025, would prohibit a child from attending a public school in person if law enforcement has identified the child as a suspect in a crime of violence, as defined in the Criminal Law Article. The prohibition would remain in place until the investigation is complete and the child is no longer identified as a suspect. The bill is aimed at creating a temporary separation from the school setting during an active violent-crime investigation.
The bill also requires each local school system to provide alternative educational options for affected children, and those options must be separate from other students. The alternative placement must align with existing county board policies developed under current law for students who are registrants or juvenile registrants, which already addresses nontraditional educational settings for certain students. The bill would take effect July 1, 2025.
HB0068 would add a new Education Article provision requiring public schools to exclude certain students from in-person attendance during an active violent-crime investigation and to provide separate alternative education services. It would also tie those alternative services to existing county board policies under Criminal Procedure Article ยง 11-722(e), creating a cross-reference between school attendance rules and existing student education policies for registrants and juvenile registrants. In practical terms, the bill would affect local school systems, county boards, and students identified by law enforcement as suspects in crimes of violence.
The available record does not include committee testimony or recorded votes, so there is no direct evidence of support or opposition from hearings. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears to reflect a public-safety-oriented approach that prioritizes school security and separation of students under active violent-crime investigation while still requiring educational continuity. The absence of voting history or transcript discussion limits any firm conclusion about broader legislative sentiment.
The main point of contention likely concerns balancing school safety and due process against the rights of a child who is only a suspect, not necessarily charged or convicted. Critics could argue that automatic exclusion from in-person attendance may stigmatize students, disrupt education, and raise fairness concerns if the investigation is prolonged. Supporters would likely emphasize protecting other students and staff and giving school systems a clear rule for handling serious violent-crime allegations. The bill also raises implementation questions for local school systems about how to provide separate alternative education and how to determine when a child is no longer identified as a suspect.