Maryland legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Maryland HB531: State Department of Education - Public Schools STEM and Robotics Program - Study
Status: In committee, March 26, 2026
Requiring the State Department of Education to study existing STEM and robotics programs in public schools in the State to determine the feasibility of establishing competitive extracurricular STEM and robotics programs throughout the State; and requiring the Department to report the results of the study and recommendations to the General Assembly by January 1, 2027.
What the bill says
From the chaptered text, March 19, 2026:
HB0531/173529/1 BY: Ways and Means Committee AMENDMENTS TO HOUSE BILL 531 (First Reading File Bill) AMENDMENT NO. 1 On page 1, in the sponsor line, strike "and Wims" and substitute "Wims, Feldmark, Hornberger, Miller, Mireku-North, Vogel, and Young"; in line 2, before "Public" insert "State Department of Education -"; in the same line, strike "Task Force - Establishment" and substitute "- Study"; strike beginning with "establishing" in line 3 down through the first "and" in line 4 and substitute "requiring the State Department of Education to"; in line 5, strike "and in other states"; in line 6, after "competitive" insert "extracurricular"; and in line 7, strike "the Public Schools STEM and Robotics Program Task Force" and substitute "extracurricular STEM and robotics programs". AMENDMENT NO. 2 On pages 1 and 2, strike in their entirety the lines beginning with line 10 on page 1 through line 30 on page 2, inclusive, and substitute: "(a) The State Department of Education shall study the existing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and robotics extracurricular programs currently in place in high schools throughout the State. (b) (1) In the course of its study, the Department shall (ii) the requirements for participation in existing programs; (iii) funding sources for existing programs; and HB0531/173529/01 Ways and Means Committee Amendments to HB 531 (iv) impediments to establishing …
Sponsors
- Chao Wu (D, 9A) · primary sponsor
- Eric Ebersole (D, 44A)
- Catherine Forbes (D, HD-042A)
- Terri Hill (D, HD-012)
- Aaron Kaufman (D, HD-018)
- Jeffrie Long (D, HD-027)
- Moreno (D)
- Julie Palakovich Carr (D, HD-017)
- Edith Patterson (D, HD-028)
- Matthew Schindler (D, HD-002)
- Gary Simmons (D, 12B)
- Ryan Spiegel (D, 17)
Latest actions
- : Hearing 4/07 at 1:00 p.m.
- : Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment
- : Third Reading Passed (125-7)
- : Second Reading Passed with Amendments
- : Favorable with Amendments {173529/1 Adopted
- : Favorable with Amendments Report by Ways and Means
- : Hearing 2/18 at 1:00 p.m.
- : First Reading Ways and Means
Votes
- Third Reading Passed (125-7) (March 20, 2026): 125 yea, 7 nay, passed
Common questions
- What is HB531?
- HB531 is a bill in the Maryland Legislature (2026 Regular Session): State Department of Education - Public Schools STEM and Robotics Program - Study.
- What does HB531 do?
- Requiring the State Department of Education to study existing STEM and robotics programs in public schools in the State to determine the feasibility of establishing competitive extracurricular STEM and robotics programs throughout the State; and requiring the Department to report the results of the study and recommendations to the General Assembly by January 1, 2027.
- What is the status of HB531?
- In committee as of March 26, 2026. Latest action: Hearing 4/07 at 1:00 p.m. (March 26, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB531?
- Chao Wu (D, 9A), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB531?
- On the Maryland Legislature website: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0531?ys=2026RS
Source: official Maryland record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.