MD HB1418

Prohibits public and nonpublic schools in Maryland from hiring or retaining employees who have been charged with (not just convicted of) certain crimes, including sex offenses, child sexual abuse, crimes of violence, crimes of moral turpitude, drug distribution crimes, federal crimes targeting schools, and any felony.

Requires school contracts to prohibit contractors and subcontractors from assigning employees charged with these crimes to work on school premises with direct, unsupervised access to children.

Employees charged with a covered crime must notify their school or school system within 2 business days of learning of the charge.

Allows rehiring of individuals whose charges are resolved by acquittal, dismissal, or nolle prosequi, but employees who fail to report charges face a 5-year ban on rehiring from the date of case disposition.

Effective date: July 1, 2026.