# Maryland HB 0856: Local School Systems - Educator Screening - Educator Identification Clearinghouse (School Personnel Vetting and Hiring Transparency Act)

Maryland HB 0856, Local School Systems - Educator Screening - Educator Identification Clearinghouse (School Personnel Vetting and Hiring Transparency Act), is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Eric Ebersole (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-12 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 362) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0856-2026RS
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland HB 0856
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Local School Systems - Educator Screening - Educator Identification Clearinghouse (School Personnel Vetting and Hiring Transparency Act)
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-02-04
- Last action: 2026-05-12, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 362
- Sponsor: Eric Ebersole (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Primary and Secondary Education, Criminal Background Investigations, Education -see also- ContEd; DrvEd; HigherEd; etc., Education, State Department of, Fees -see also- Attys' Fees; Devt Fees & Taxes, Identification -see also- Biometrics; Fingerprinting; DrLics, Intergovernmental Cooperation -see also- AdmAgn; Cmts; etc., Interstate Affairs, Licenses -see also- AB Lic; Certifications; DrLic; Permits, Public Schools -see also- Primary Schools; Secondary Sch, Records -see also- Land Records; Vital Records, Recruitment and Hiring, Registration -see also- Motor Vehicle Registration, Safety -see also- Occupational Safety, Teachers, Work, Labor, and Employment -see also- JobTrn; Leave; etc.
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (174 yes, 1 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- State enrolls school systems for vetting: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, the Maryland State Department of Education registers each local school system with the national group that runs the Educator Identification Clearinghouse. The Department pays any membership fees and dues. This gives every local school system access to the Clearinghouse to ch…
- Pre-hire check and license for educators: cost, low. The law takes effect July 1, 2026. For offers dated on or after August 1, 2026, local school systems must use the Educator Identification Clearinghouse to screen you if the job requires a license. After you get an offer, you must apply for the right license and get that license before your first da…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Eric Ebersole (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-08 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 43 | 0 | 1 |
| 2026-03-13 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 131 | 1 | 4 |

## Actions (12)

- 2026-05-12: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 362
- 2026-04-08: Returned Passed (House)
- 2026-04-08: Third Reading Passed (43-0) (Senate)
- 2026-04-03: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-02: Favorable Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2026-03-16: Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Third Reading Passed (131-1) (House)
- 2026-03-12: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House)
- 2026-03-12: Favorable with Amendments {763523/1 Adopted (House)
- 2026-03-11: Favorable with Amendments Report by Ways and Means (House)
- 2026-02-11: Hearing 2/25 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-02-04: First Reading Ways and Means (House)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-05-12: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_362_hb0856t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-12: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0856t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-02-04: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0856f.pdf)

## Related bills

- SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - Authorization (became law)
- SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishment (became law)
- SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law)
- SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-1 Specialists Act) (became law)
- SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits (became law)
- HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law)

## Sources
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_362_hb0856t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0856t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0856f.pdf)

## Related
- [SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - A…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0496-2026RS)
- [SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishm…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0366-2026RS)
- [SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0244-2026RS)
- [SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0148-2026RS)
- [SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0016-2026RS)
- [HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0529-2026RS)
- [Maryland bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland/bills)
- [Maryland state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0856-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).