LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Policy Success
Maryland Essentials for Childhoods works tirelessly with our partners, community groups and other leading coalitions championing legislation and executive action that works to address our policy goals. We are proud of the work that Maryland has done and look forward to continuing to build on these successes.
This timeline reflects legislation passed in the Maryland General Assembly.
2012: Home Visiting Accountability Act of 2012 SB 566
Requires the State to fund only evidence-based and promising home visiting programs for improving parent and child outcomes; and, requires regular reports by home visiting programs and the Governor's Office for Children.
2016: Sexual Abuse and Assault Awareness and Prevention Program - Development and Implementation HB 72
Known as Erin’s Law, it requires age-appropriate education for school-age students on awareness and prevention of sexual abuse and assault.
2017: Maryland Healthy Working Families Act HB 1
Requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide employees with earned sick and safe leave; and employers with 14 or fewer employees to provide unpaid earned sick and safe leave.
2018: Child Sexual Abuse Prevention – Instruction and Training HB 1072
Requires all schools that receive state funding to provide annual training on the prevention, identification and reporting of child sexual abuse to all employees.
2018: Medical Director for Child Welfare HB 1582
Establishes a State Medical Director for children receiving Child Welfare Services and the establishment of a centralized, comprehensive healthcare monitoring program.
2019: S.E.S.A.M.E. (Stop Educator Sexual Abuse Misconduct and Exploitation) HB 486 / SB 541
Establishes requirements for school personnel that identify applicants who’ve been the subject of sexual abuse or sexual misconduct involving a child.
2019: Workgroup to Study Child Custody Court Proceedings Involving Child Abuse or Domestic Violence Allegations SB 567
Established a Workgroup to study child custody court proceeding involving child abuse of domestic violence allegations.
2019: Payment of Wages - Minimum Wage HB 166
Known as the "Fight for $15", proposed an annual increase in the state's minimum wage to reach $15 per hour in 2025. Note: The Fair Wage Act of 2023 SB 555 accelerated the timeline.
2019: Child Advocacy Center – Expansion
Requires the Governor’s Office on Crime Control and Prevention to provide every child access to an accredited child advocacy center.
2020: Guidelines on Trauma-Informed Approach HB 277
Requires the Maryland Department of Education to establish guidelines on a trauma-informed approach and distribute them to school districts.
2021: Trauma Informed Care Commission and Training (Healing Maryland’s Trauma Act) HB 548 / SB 299
Establishes a commission to coordinate initiatives that prioritize trauma-responsive and trauma-informed delivery of State services.
2021: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Surveys – Revisions HB 771 / SB 548
Requires the State Department of Education, with the Department of Health, to include at least five questions on ACEs / PACEs in the Youth Behavioral Risk Survey (YRBS)
2021: State Child Welfare System – Reporting HB 258 / SB 592
Requires the Maryland Department of Human Services and Department of Education to provide disaggregated data on outcomes for children and youth in the child welfare system.
2022: Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program SB 275
The Time to Care Act establishes an insurance program to provide 12 weeks of paid leave per year to employees who provide care to a newborn or family member with a medical condition.
2022: Child Custody – Cases Involving Child Abuse or Domestic Violence – Training for Judges HB 561/ SB 17
Requires the Maryland Judiciary to develop a training program for judges presiding over child custody cases involving child abuse and domestic violence.
2023: Child Sexual Abuse - Definition, Damages, and Statute of Limitations (The Child Victims Act of 2023) HB 01 / SB 686
Repeals the civil statute of limitations in cases of child sexual abuse and provides for retroactive application of the act.