Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program Services - Reimbursement (Youth Psychiatric Rehabilitation Parity Act of 2026)
HB0071 establishes the Holocaust Education Assistance Grant Program within the Maryland State Department of Education. The program is designed to help local school systems strengthen Holocaust education in public schools by providing grants that may be used only for Holocaust-related teacher training or teaching materials.
The bill directs local school systems to apply to the Department of Education for funding and requires the Governor to include an annual appropriation for the program in the budget bill. As enacted, the appropriation is set at $50,000, and no individual local school system may receive more than $50,000 in a fiscal year. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and adds a new section to the Education Article of the Maryland Code.
The bill creates a new state grant program in education law and adds Section 7-136 to the Maryland Education Article. It authorizes state funding for Holocaust education initiatives in public schools, specifically teacher training and instructional materials, and establishes a budgetary obligation for the Governor to include funding in the annual budget. Local school systems are the direct beneficiaries and must apply to the Department of Education to receive grants, subject to the per-system cap.
Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to have been treated as a straightforward education and remembrance initiative rather than a controversial policy change. No committee transcript or vote record is available in the provided context, and the bill was ultimately enacted, suggesting it had sufficient support to pass. The limited funding level and narrow use of funds also indicate a targeted, consensus-oriented approach.
No specific points of contention are reflected in the provided materials. The bill is narrowly focused on Holocaust education and limits spending to teacher training and teaching materials, which may have reduced disagreement. The only notable policy choice visible in the text is the size of the appropriation and the $50,000 cap per local school system, but there is no evidence in the record provided of opposition to those provisions.