Public Schools - Individuals With Disabilities - Accessibility and Emergency Planning
Summary
HB694 requires Maryland county boards of education and local school systems to add new public reporting and oversight related to accessibility for students, staff, and visitors with disabilities. The bill directs each county board to publish on its website, and report to the General Assembly, the number of public school main entrances that are not accessible for individuals with disabilities and are not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It also requires each local school system to send its emergency plan to the Maryland State Department of Education each year, and requires the Department to review those plans and report to the General Assembly on whether each system is complying with state emergency-planning guidelines.
The bill further amends existing school safety and emergency-planning law to make disability accessibility part of regular safety evaluations and emergency reporting. Local school systems must identify accessibility issues in their safety evaluations and include in annual reports any instance in which a school facility became inaccessible for a student with a disability in a way that could impede evacuation or emergency response. The bill also reinforces existing requirements that individualized education program (IEP) and Section 504 teams address evacuation accommodations for students who need them. The act takes effect July 1, 2025.
Impact
HB694 adds new reporting duties to the Education Article, including a new Section 7-136 and amendments to Sections 7-435 and 7-1510. It does not create a new private right of action or directly mandate immediate physical renovations, but it increases transparency and state oversight regarding ADA compliance and emergency preparedness in public schools. County boards, local school systems, and the State Department of Education would all have recurring annual obligations to collect, submit, analyze, and report accessibility and emergency-planning information to the General Assembly.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support. It passed the House on third reading with 137 yeas and 0 nays, indicating unanimous approval among voting members. The bill’s focus on disability access, school safety, and emergency readiness aligns with generally noncontroversial public-school compliance and student-protection goals.
Contention
No committee transcript or recorded floor debate is provided, and the vote history shows no opposition, so there is little evidence of active controversy. Any potential points of concern would likely center on the administrative burden placed on county boards and local school systems, the feasibility of tracking inaccessible entrances and emergency-plan compliance, and whether the reporting requirements will lead to future capital improvements. However, the available record does not show organized opposition or substantive disagreement.