Maryland House Bill 525

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Completed Legislative Action
Sponsorship: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 13-4)
Status: Passed on May 26 2026 - 100% progression
Action: 2026-05-26 - Approved by the Governor - Chapter 596
Text: Latest bill text (Chaptered) [PDF]

Requiring each county board of education to develop and implement, by the 2027-2028 school year, a policy prohibiting the use of certain electronic communication devices by a student during the academic school day; and prohibiting the policy from restricting the use of an electronic communication device for purposes of accommodations related to a disability, including for any purpose in a student's individual education program, to address a documented health issue, to access language translation tools, or to meet caregiving responsibilities.

County Boards of Education - Student Electronic Communication Device Use Policy - Establishment (Joanne C. Benson Maryland Phone-Free Schools Act)

Del. Adrian Boafo [D]	Del. Chao Wu [D]	Del. Sarah Wolek [D]	Del. Aaron Kaufman [D]
Del. Gabriel Moreno [D]	Del. Matthew Schindler [D]	Del. Jared Solomon [D]	Del. Kym Taylor [D]
Del. Eric Ebersole [D]	Del. Michael Griffith [R]	Del. Wayne Hartman [R]	Del. Kevin Hornberger [R]
Del. Bob Long [R]	Del. Bernice Mireku-North [D]	Del. Edith Patterson [D]	Del. Joe Vogel [D]
Del. Greg Wims [D]

2026-04-11 - House - Third Reading Passed (Y: 130 N: 1 NV: 4 Abs: 6) [PASS]
2026-04-09 - Senate - Third Reading Passed (Y: 41 N: 0 NV: 3 Abs: 3) [PASS]
2026-03-23 - House - Third Reading Passed (Y: 135 N: 1 NV: 3 Abs: 2) [PASS]

Date	Chamber	Action
2026-05-26	House	Approved by the Governor - Chapter 596
2026-04-11	House	Passed Enrolled
2026-04-11	House	Third Reading Passed (130-1)
2026-04-11	House	House Concurs Senate Amendments
2026-04-09	Senate	Third Reading Passed (41-0)
2026-04-08	Senate	Second Reading Passed with Amendments
2026-04-08	Senate	Favorable with Amendments {403029/1 Adopted
2026-04-08	Senate	Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment
2026-03-23	Senate	Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment
2026-03-23	House	Third Reading Passed (135-1)
2026-03-21	House	Second Reading Passed with Amendments
2026-03-21	House	Favorable with Amendments {293220/1 Adopted
2026-03-21	House	Favorable with Amendments Report by Ways and Means
2026-02-04	House	Hearing 2/18 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-01-27	House	First Reading Ways and Means

HB630 (Carry Over) 2025-01-29 - Hearing 2/12 at 1:00 p.m.
SB928 (Crossfiled) 2026-03-23 - Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m.

Chapter	Article	Section	Citation Type	Statute Text
Education	7	137	(n/a)	See Bill Text

Type	Source
Summary	https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0525?ys=2026RS
Text	https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0525f.pdf
Text	https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0525t.pdf
Text	https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0525e.pdf
Text	https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_596_hb0525e.pdf
Amendment	https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/amds/bil_0005/hb0525_29322001.pdf
Amendment	https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/amds/bil_0005/hb0525_40302901.pdf
Supplement	https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/votes_comm/hb0525_w&m.pdf
Supplement	https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/votes_comm/hb0525_eee.pdf
Roll Call	https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/votes/House/0826.pdf
Roll Call	https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/votes/Senate/0956.pdf
Roll Call	https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/votes/House/1438.pdf