Text of MD HB 627 (2026)

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW. [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law. *hb0627* HOUSE BILL 627 F1 6lr0936 HB 875/25 – W&M By: Delegates Acevero, Alston, Amprey, Fair, Fennell, Hornberger, Lewis, Martinez, Mireku–North, Roberson, Ruff, Simmons, Taylor, Terrasa, Turner, Woods, Woorman, and Young Introduced and read first time: January 30, 2026 Assigned to: Ways and Means A BILL ENTITLED AN ACT concerning 1 Commission on History, Culture, and Civics in Education – Establishment 2 FOR the purpose of establishing the Commission on History, Culture, and Civics in 3 Education to make recommendations to the State Board of Education and the State 4 Department of Education to further the discovery, interpretation, and learning of 5 the history, culture, and civics of the United States and Maryland and to provide 6 equitable learning outcomes consistent with certain provisions of the Blueprint for 7 Maryland’s Future; and generally relating to the Commission on History, Culture, 8 and Civics in Education. 9 BY adding to 10 Article – Education 11 Section 7–137 12 Annotated Code of Maryland 13 (2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16 Article – Education 17 7–137. 18 (A) IN THIS SECTION, “COMMISSION” MEANS THE COMMISSION ON 19 HISTORY, CULTURE, AND CIVICS IN EDUCATION. 20 (B) (1) THERE IS A COMMISSION ON HISTORY, CULTURE, AND CIVICS IN 21 EDUCATION. 22 2 HOUSE BILL 627 (2) THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMISSION IS TO: 1 (I) MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE STATE BOARD AND THE 2 DEPARTMENT TO FURTHER THE DISCOVERY, INTERPRETATION, AND LEARNING OF 3 THE HISTORY, CULTURE, AND CIVICS OF THE UNITED STATES AND MARYLAND; AND 4 (II) PROVIDE EQUITABLE LEARNING OUTCOMES REGARDLESS 5 OF A STUDENT’S FAMILY INCOME, RACE, ETHNICITY, DISABILITY, OR OTHER 6 CHARACTERISTICS CONSISTENT WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE BLUEPRINT FOR 7 MARYLAND’S FUTURE IN § 1–303 OF THIS ARTICLE. 8 (C) (1) THE COMMISSION CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS 9 APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR FROM A LIST OF NOMINEES: 10 (I) TWO MEMBERS REPRESENTING MARYLAND’S INDIGENOUS 11 AMERICAN TRIBES, WHICH INCLUDE THE LENAPE, NANTICOKE, PISCATAWAY, 12 CONOY, POWHATAN, ACCOHANNOCK, SHAWNEE, SUSQUEHANNOCK, TUTELO, AND 13 SAPONI TRIBES, NOMINATED BY THE MARYLAND COMMISSION ON INDIAN AFFAIRS; 14 (II) TWO MEMBERS REPRESENTING THE MARYLAND 15 LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY, ONE OF WHOM IDENTIFIES AS TRANSGENDER, 16 NOMINATED BY THE MARYLAND LEGISLATIVE LGBTQIA+ CAUCUS; 17 (III) TWO MEMBERS REPRESENTING THE MARYLAND DISABLED 18 COMMUNITY, NOMINATED BY THE SECRETARY OF DISABILITIES; 19 (IV) TWO MEMBERS WHO ARE TEACHERS OR HOLD A TEACHING 20 LICENSE IN THE STATE: 21 1. ONE OF WHOM IS NOMINATED BY THE BALTIMORE 22 TEACHER’S UNION; AND 23 2. ONE OF WHOM IS NOMINATED BY THE MARYLAND 24 STATE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION; 25 (V) TWO MEMBERS REPRESENTING THE MARYLAND LATINO 26 COMMUNITY, NOMINATED BY THE MARYLAND LEGISLATIVE LATINO CAUCUS; 27 (VI) TWO MEMBERS REPRESENTING THE MARYLAND AFRICAN 28 AMERICAN COMMUNITY, NOMINATED BY THE LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS OF 29 MARYLAND; 30 HOUSE BILL 627 3 (VII) TWO MEMBERS REPRESENTING THE MARYLAND ASIAN 1 AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY, NOMINATED BY THE MARYLAND 2 LEGISLATIVE ASIAN–AMERICAN AND PACIFIC–ISLANDER CAUCUS; 3 (VIII) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION, TWO 4 MEMBERS REPRESENTING HIGHER EDUCATION: 5 1. ONE OF WHOM IS NOMINATED BY THE CHANCELLOR 6 OF THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF MARYLAND; AND 7 2. ONE OF WHOM IS NOMINATED BY THE PRESIDENT OF 8 THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES; AND 9 (IX) THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, OR THE STATE 10 SUPERINTENDENT’S DESIGNEE. 11 (2) THE INDIVIDUALS CONSIDERED FOR NOMINATION BY THE 12 CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF MARYLAND UNDER PARAGRAPH 13 (1)(VIII)1 OF THIS SUBSECTION SHALL INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS WHO REPRESENT 14 HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN THE STATE. 15 (D) (1) TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE 16 COMMISSION SHALL REFLECT THE GENDER, RACIAL, ETHNIC, AND GEOGRAPHIC 17 DIVERSITY OF THE STATE. 18 (2) A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION SHALL HAVE 19 CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE OR EXPERIENCE IN DEVELOPING EDUCATIONAL CONTENT 20 STANDARDS. 21 (E) (1) THE TERM OF A MEMBER IS 4 YEARS. 22 (2) THE TERMS OF MEMBERS ARE STAGGERED AS REQUIRED BY THE 23 TERMS PROVIDED FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION ON JULY 1, 2026. 24 (F) THE COMMISSION MEMBERS SHALL ELECT A CHAIR FROM AMONG THE 25 MEMBERS. 26 (G) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE STAFF FOR THE COMMISSION. 27 (H) A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION: 28 (1) MAY NOT RECEIVE COMPENSATION AS A MEMBER OF THE 29 COMMISSION; BUT 30 4 HOUSE BILL 627 (2) IS ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES UNDER THE 1 STANDARD STATE TRAVEL REGULATIONS, AS PROVIDED IN THE STATE BUDGET. 2 (I) THE COMMISSION SHALL: 3 (1) EXAMINE THE HISTORY, CULTURE, AND CIVICS OF THE UNITED 4 STATES AND MARYLAND, INCLUDING: 5 (I) THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF NATIVE AMERICANS, LATINOS, 6 AFRICAN AMERICANS, AND ASIAN AMERICANS; 7 (II) THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, 8 TRANSGENDER, AND QUEER INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE MINORITY GROUPS; 9 (III) THE INTERSECTIONALITY OF SIGNIFICANT SOCIAL AND 10 CULTURAL FEATURES WITHIN THE MINORITY COMMUNITIES; 11 (IV) THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND PERSECUTION OF RELIGIOUS 12 MINORITIES; 13 (V) THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE MARYLAND DISABLED 14 COMMUNITY; AND 15 (VI) THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF WOMEN; 16 (2) MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE STATE BOARD REGARDING 17 THE ADOPTION OF STANDARDS AND PROGRAMS THAT ACCURATELY REFLECT THE 18 DISCOVERY, INTERPRETATION, AND LEARNING OF THE HISTORY, CULTURE, AND 19 CIVICS OF THE UNITED STATES AND MARYLAND; 20 (3) MAKE ALL ACTIVITIES AND MATERIALS OF THE COMMISSION 21 AVAILABLE ON THE DEPARTMENT’S WEBSITE, INCLUDING: 22 (I) LIVE AND ARCHIVED VIDEO STREAMING OF EACH 23 COMMISSION MEETING; 24 (II) MEETING AGENDAS, MATERIALS, AND NOTES; AND 25 (III) COMMISSION REPORTS; AND 26 (4) USE MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS METHODS TO PROVIDE 27 UPDATES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS RELATED TO THE COMMISSION. 28 HOUSE BILL 627 5 (J) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 30 EACH YEAR, BEGINNING IN 2026, THE 1 COMMISSION SHALL REPORT ITS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE STATE 2 BOARD, THE GOVERNOR, AND, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE 3 GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 4 (K) ON OR BEFORE JULY 1 EACH YEAR, THE STATE BOARD SHALL: 5 (1) REVIEW THE COMMISSION’S FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS; 6 AND 7 (2) MAKE ANY APPROPRIATE CHANGES TO THE EDUCATIONAL 8 STANDARDS FOR PREKINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE 12. 9 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the terms of the initial 10 members of the Commission on History, Culture, and Civics in Education shall expire as 11 follows: 12 (1) the eight members representing the indigenous American tribes, 13 Maryland Latino community, African American community, and Asian American and 14 Pacific Islander community in 2028; and 15 (2) the eight members representing the LGBTQIA+ community, disabled 16 community, teachers, and higher education in 2030. 17 SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 18 1, 2026. 19