# Maryland SB 0648: Local School Systems - Educator Screening - Educator Identification Clearinghouse (School Personnel Vetting and Hiring Transparency Act)

Maryland SB 0648, Local School Systems - Educator Screening - Educator Identification Clearinghouse (School Personnel Vetting and Hiring Transparency Act), is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Shelly Hettleman (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-12 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 363) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0648-2026RS
- 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 0648
- 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: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-02-06
- Last action: 2026-05-12, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 363
- Sponsor: Shelly Hettleman (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 (173 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- State covers clearinghouse access for schools: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, the State Department of Education registers every local school system as a member of the national group that runs the Educator Identification Clearinghouse. The Department pays all membership fees and dues. This gives school systems access to alerts about discipline actions…
- New checks and license for teacher hires: cost, low. Beginning August 1, 2026, local school systems must use the Educator Identification Clearinghouse to screen anyone who gets a job offer for a licensed educator position. The school system runs the check through the national membership organization. The system must make sure you apply for the right…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Shelly Hettleman (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-08 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 132 | 0 | 4 |
| 2026-03-20 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 41 | 0 | 1 |

## Actions (13)

- 2026-05-12: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 363
- 2026-04-09: Returned Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-08: Third Reading Passed (132-0) (House)
- 2026-04-03: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2026-04-02: Favorable 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 (41-0) (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Favorable with Amendments {203820/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-18: Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Hearing 3/04 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-05-12: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_363_sb0648t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-19: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0648t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-02-06: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0648f.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_363_sb0648t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0648t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0648f.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0648-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).