Public Schools - School Mapping Data - Radius of School Grounds
Summary
HB1000 amends Maryland’s school mapping data law to require that mapping products funded through the School Mapping Data Program include additional site-specific labeling for bodies of water within a one-mile radius of school grounds. The bill keeps the existing requirements that school mapping data be compatible with public safety software, printable and digitally usable, verified by walk-through, oriented true north, overlaid on aerial imagery, and labeled for school structures and grounds such as rooms, hallways, roads, parking areas, and neighboring properties.
The new requirement applies beginning July 1, 2026, and is intended to improve the completeness and usefulness of school maps for emergency response and school safety planning. By expanding the mapped area beyond the school campus to nearby water features, the bill adds another layer of geographic detail that may be relevant to first responders and school officials.
Impact
The bill amends Section 7-1510.1(d)(4) of the Education Article in the Annotated Code of Maryland. Its practical effect is to expand the minimum content standards for school mapping data produced with state program funding, requiring inclusion of labeled bodies of water within a one-mile radius of school grounds starting July 1, 2026. This affects school systems, mapping vendors, and public safety agencies that use these maps for emergency preparedness and response.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support. It passed the House unanimously on third reading, 125-0, and the bill file shows a favorable committee report with amendments. No committee transcript or recorded floor debate was provided, but the vote suggests little to no opposition to the measure as amended.
Contention
There is no recorded substantive controversy in the provided materials. The only notable issue is the scope of the new mapping requirement: the bill extends labeling beyond school property to bodies of water within a one-mile radius, which may raise implementation questions for school systems and mapping providers about data collection and verification. However, the unanimous vote indicates that any such concerns were not politically divisive.