Child Health and Safety bills --- post-session summary

A variety of bills involving child health and safety were filed in the General Assembly this year. From a variant of Erin's Law (requiring the development of age-appropriate curricula focusing on sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention), to legislation specifying penalties for youth sports coaches who fail to follow concussion awareness and prevention protocols,  and even a bill requiring elementary students to get more physical activity during school hours!

The Student Diabetes Management Program bill was also back this year - a bill to allow students with diabetes more autonomy to manage their diabetes in school, and would also provide the opportunity for school staff who volunteer to be trained to assist diabetic students.

Here is a summary of the fate of the child health and safety bills I blogged about in February:

HB29  Youth Sports Programs - Concussion prevention – coaching – sponsor Del. Chang

This bill would expand current law on concussion prevention in youth sports programs by requiring the suspension of coaches who violate concussion protocols by allowing an athlete to return to play or practice after a suspected concussion injury without adequate medical clearance. For school sports programs the Act would require the State Board of Education to establish this policy; and all local boards of education to follow it.  The Act also requires non-school based youth sports programs to institute and follow this policy.

Of interest, the fiscal note cites MCPS policy as state-wide best practices that already embody the substance of this bill.

Here is a link to the bill’s page on the GA website:

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=billpage&stab=01&id=hb0029&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS

I thought this bill embodied some pretty good, evidence-based policy --- but it went nowhere this year -- didn't even get a vote in committee.  Hopefully it will be back next year, with more vigorous advocacy.  Sometimes making good law is a marathon, not a sprint! 

HB72 Sexual Abuse and Assault Awareness and Prevention Program - sponsor Del. Luedtke

The bill would require the State Board of Education and specified nonpublic schools to develop and implement a program of age-appropriate education relating to the awareness and prevention of sexual abuse and assault.  This information would be incorporated into the health curriculum and taught by teachers specially trained to deliver the content.

Here is a link to the bill’s page on the GA website:

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?id=hb0072&stab=01&pid=billpage&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS

This bill was back after having a tough road in 2015 - but second time was a charm, and the bill passed both the House and Senate.  As of yet the governor hasn't signed it, but he won't veto it either ---- and if the governor takes no action on a bill passed by the General Assembly, it goes into effect the same as if the governor signed it.
 

HB198 – School Resource Officers -   sponsor Del. Cluster

The bill would require every school district to hire and staff a School Resource Officer for every Maryland public school.

Here is a link to the bill’s page on the GA website:

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?id=hb0198&stab=01&pid=billpage&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS

This is one of those bills that reasonable minds can seriously differ about, and that local school systems really chafe at on 'local control' and budgetary grounds.  Not all counties are as adept at sharing services between entities as Montgomery.  Here, different government agencies and offices often work together to provide services -- in the schools we see that with community partners like DHHS providing social and wrap-around services in some schools, and the police department providing SROs in high schools.

But I digress.  This bill went nowhere this year.

HB 245/SB310 – Child Abuse and Neglect – Failure to Report -  Del. Dumais

The bill specifies penalties when, during the course of an investigation into a case of suspected child abuse or neglect, an investigating agency suspects that an individual or organization legally required to report suspected abuse failed to do so.

Here is a link to the bill’s page on the GA website:

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=billpage&tab=subject3&id=hb0245&stab=01&ys=2016RS

Both the House and Senate versions of this bill passed both the House and Senate, and the governor signed the bill into law on May 10. On the surface not surprising, seems like a pretty straightforward, commonsense bill ---- but, traditionally getting a bill through the House Judiciary committee is no easy thing.... so kudos to Del. Dumais!

HB409/SB564 – Providing alcohol to minors - penalty– Alex and Calvin’s Law Del. Fraser-Hidalgo & Sen. Feldman
This bill increases the penalties for adults who obtain or provide alcohol to minors.

Here’s a link to the bill page on the GA website:

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=billpage&stab=01&id=hb0409&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS

Two MoCo legislators from District 15 sponsored this bill (Del. Fraser-Hidalgo in the House, Sen. Feldman in the Senate) - which arose from a tragedy in the Wootton community last summer.  Advocates in the Wootton cluster very effectively spoke out in favor of this legislation, both versions of which passed both the House and Senate. As yet the governor hasn't signed the bill, but hopefully it will be part of the governor's final 2016 bill signing ceremony next week. 

HB474 – Elementary Schools – Daily Physical Activity – Del. Walker

The bill would require that all elementary school students be provided a daily program of physical activity totaling 150 minutes each week, a minimum of 90 minutes of which must be physical education.

 

Here’s a link to the bill page on the GA website:

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?id=hb0474&stab=01&pid=billpage&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS

I think everyone agrees physical education, and daily physical activity, are incredibly important for kids --- it helps every aspect of their well-being, and makes it easier for them to do the intellectual work of school.  But -- there's almost always pushback from the local Boards of Education and school systems when the state tries to add something mandatory to school curricula.  This bill didn't even get a vote in committee.

SB71 – Student Diabetes Management Program – Senator Young

This bill requires the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH), to establish guidelines for volunteer school employees to become trained diabetes care providers. Each school system would create a Student Diabetes Management Program that includes training volunteers to become diabetes care providers. Students requiring diabetes care at school must provide a Diabetes Medical Management Plan to the school. If a student’s plan states that the student may independently monitor and treat their diabetes while at school, the student may perform the authorized tasks wherever the student considers necessary, and possess and carry any necessary supplies and equipment.

Here is a link to the bill’s page on the GA website:

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?id=sb0071&stab=01&pid=billpage&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS

This was the second go-around for this piece of legislation, which had a tough go in 2015.  The Senate version of the bill passed the Senate last year, but didn't even get a vote in the House -- and the House version of the bill didn't even get a vote in committee last year. But - again, second time's a charm --- both the House and Senate versions of the bill passed both chambers, and the bill was signed by the governor on April 26.