# Maryland SB 0402: Residential Child Care Programs - Education of Children and Training of Child and Youth Care Practitioners

Maryland SB 0402, Residential Child Care Programs - Education of Children and Training of Child and Youth Care Practitioners, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Benjamin Brooks (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 641) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0402-2026RS
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland SB 0402
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Residential Child Care Programs - Education of Children and Training of Child and Youth Care Practitioners
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-28
- Last action: 2026-05-26, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 641
- Sponsor: Benjamin Brooks (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 5
- Subjects: Children, Certifications, Child Abuse and Neglect, Child Care, Child Custody -see also- Visitation, Children (4-12), Communications -see also- ElecComm; Intergov; etc., Death -see also- Homicide; Murder; Wrongful Death, Discipline, Early Childhood Education, Education -see also- ContEd; DrvEd; HigherEd; etc., Emergency Medical Services -see also- Ambul; RescSqd, Food -see also- Meat, Poultry, & Seafood; Milk; etc., Group Homes -see also- Foster Care; JuvFacil; SubsAbTrt, Higher Education -see also- Comm Colleges; Med Schools; etc., Individualized Education and 504 Plans, Internet Access, Job Training -see also- Continuing Ed; Vocational Rehab, Mental and Behavioral Health -see also- Aut; Cogn; Dev; etc., Records -see also- Land Records; Vital Records, Residency -see also- Immigrants and Citizenship, Secondary Schools -see also- Private Schools; Public Sch, Special Education, Sports and Recreation, Youth (10-21) -see also- Minors
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 3 (209 yes, 7 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- More school help for kids in residential care: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, residential child care programs must protect a child’s school enrollment. They keep the child in the prior school unless social services decides that is not best; then the child enrolls in the local school or the program’s approved school. Programs must meet teachers at e…
- New training rules for youth care workers: mixed, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, the state requires a Board‑approved training program for residential child and youth care practitioner certification. Training must cover child development, disabilities, abuse reporting, suicide risk, approved behavior management, communication, first aid and CPR, medica…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Benjamin Brooks (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Joanne C. Benson (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Kevin M. Harris (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Mary Washington (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Johnny Ray Salling (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Chris West (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-10 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 128 | 7 | 3 |
| 2026-04-10 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 41 | 0 | 3 |
| 2026-03-20 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 40 | 0 | 2 |

## Actions (16)

- 2026-05-26: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 641
- 2026-04-10: Passed Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Third Reading Passed (41-0) (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Senate Concurs House Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Third Reading Passed (128-7) (House)
- 2026-04-08: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House)
- 2026-04-08: Favorable with Amendments {293629/1 Adopted (House)
- 2026-04-08: Favorable with Amendments Report by Ways and Means (House)
- 2026-03-23: Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-03-21: Referred Ways and Means (House)
- 2026-03-20: Third Reading Passed (40-0) (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Favorable with Amendments {853022/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Hearing 3/04 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-05-26: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_641_sb0402e.pdf)
- Enrolled, 2026-04-10: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0402e.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-19: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0402t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-01-28: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0402f.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_641_sb0402e.pdf)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0402e.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0402t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0402f.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0402-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).