Maryland legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Maryland HB396: Residential Child Care Programs - Education of Children and Training of Child and Youth Care Practitioners
Status: Signed into law, May 26, 2026
Repealing the maximum age for children in certain residential child care programs who receive educational support; requiring operators of certain residential child care programs to provide certain educational opportunities to the children for whom they have legal custody or care and control; requiring that applicants to be child and youth care practitioners undergo certain training; prohibiting an individual who holds a certificate as a residential child and youth care practitioner from being required to complete certain training; etc.
What the bill says
An act concerning Residential Child Care Programs - Education of Children and Training of Child and Youth Care Practitioners FOR the purpose of repealing the maximum age for children in certain residential child care programs who receive educational support; requiring operators of certain residential child care programs to provide certain educational opportunities to the children for whom they have legal custody or care and control; requiring that applicants to be child and youth care practitioners undergo certain training…
From the enrolled text, June 3, 2026:
AN ACT concerning Residential Child Care Programs - Education of Children and Training of Child and Youth Care Practitioners FOR the purpose of repealing the maximum age for children in certain residential child care programs who receive educational support; requiring operators of certain residential child care programs to provide certain educational opportunities to the children for whom they have legal custody or care and control; requiring that applicants to be child and youth care practitioners undergo certain training; prohibiting an individual who holds a certificate as a residential child and youth care practitioner from being required to complete certain training under certain circumstances; and generally relating to residential child care programs. BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, Article - Education Section 7-309 Annotated Code of Maryland (2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, Article - Health Occupations Section 20-302.1 Annotated Code of Maryland (2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, Article - Human Services Section 8-704(8), (10), and (11) Annotated Code of Maryland (2019 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: Article - Education 7-309. (a) (1) In this section, "residential child care program" means a program that: Ch. 640 2026 LAWS OF …