# Maryland SB 0720: Education - Artificial Intelligence - Guidelines, Professional Development, and Collaborative (Artificial Intelligence Ready Schools Act)

Maryland SB 0720, Education - Artificial Intelligence - Guidelines, Professional Development, and Collaborative (Artificial Intelligence Ready Schools Act), is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Katie Fry Hester (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 634); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0720-2026RS
- As of: 2026-10-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland SB 0720
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Education - Artificial Intelligence - Guidelines, Professional Development, and Collaborative (Artificial Intelligence Ready Schools Act)
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-02-06
- Last action: 2026-05-26, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 634
- Sponsor: Katie Fry Hester (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 5
- Subjects: Primary and Secondary Education, Information Technology - Generally, Accessibility - see also- Blind; Deaf; Disabilities; etc, Artificial Intelligence -see also- Biometrics, Certifications, Committees and Commissions, Continuing Education, Counties -see also- Chartered Counties; Code Counties; etc., Curriculum, Disabilities, Education, Boards of, Education -see also- ContEd; DrvEd; HigherEd; etc., Education, State Department of, Electronic Communication, Electronic Government, Ethics, Evaluations and Reviews, Higher Education -see also- Comm Colleges; Med Schools; etc., Information Technology, Intergovernmental Cooperation -see also- AdmAgn; Cmts; etc., Job Training -see also- Continuing Ed; Vocational Rehab, Language -see also- Communications; Literacy, Licenses -see also- AB Lic; Certifications; DrLic; Permits, Literacy, Local Government Mandates, Parents and Guardians, Primary Schools -see also- Private Schools; Public Schools, Privacy, Procurement, Publications -see also- Maryland Register; Textbooks, Public Information, Reports, Safety -see also- Occupational Safety, School Administration, Secondary Schools -see also- Private Schools; Public Sch, Standards and Best Practices, State Universities and Colleges, Students, Studies -see also- Commitees & Commissions; Reports, Sunset, Teachers, Time, Work, Labor, and Employment -see also- JobTrn; Leave; etc.
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 3 (215 yes, 8 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 5

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- AI added to K–12 standards: benefit, low. By June 1, 2027, AI literacy is part of Maryland’s K–12 computer science and workforce prep standards. By January 1, 2027, the Collaborative recommends a regular process to keep state standards up to date using best practices.
- AI training for teachers and leaders: benefit, low. The Department provides AI professional development to teachers and school leaders starting June 1, 2026. Training covers how AI works, classroom and admin use, privacy and security, academic integrity, and avoiding overreliance. It must be long and strong enough to prepare staff to use AI well. Se…
- State AI guidance for schools: benefit, low. The Maryland State Department of Education runs an online AI guidance hub starting June 1, 2026. It posts separate guidance for students, educators, administrators, and parents. The Department reviews and updates the guidance every year. It explains safe, responsible, and ethical AI use and how pri…
- State collaborative to guide school AI: benefit, low. Maryland creates the AI Education Collaborative on June 1, 2026. The State Superintendent names the chair, and the Department provides staff. Members are unpaid but can be reimbursed for travel. The group studies AI use in every district, recommends updates to guidance and training, and tracks prog…
- Local school AI policies and roles: mixed, low. Each local school system must adopt an AI policy within 120 days after the State issues its guidance. Each system must name a central‑office, noninstructional AI coordinator to work with the State. Districts must use the State’s rubric when choosing AI tools, and a public university can help review…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Katie Fry Hester (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Dalya Attar (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Benjamin Brooks (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Brian J. Feldman (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Kevin M. Harris (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Ron Watson (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-13 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 129 | 8 | 3 |
| 2026-04-13 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 45 | 0 | 2 |
| 2026-03-20 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 41 | 0 | 1 |

## Actions (18)

- 2026-05-26: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 634
- 2026-04-13: Passed Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (45-0) (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: Senate Concurs House Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (129-8) (House)
- 2026-04-11: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House)
- 2026-04-11: Favorable with Amendments {783421/1 Adopted (House)
- 2026-04-11: 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 (41-0) (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Favorable with Amendments {983227/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-18: Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Hearing 2/26 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Hearing canceled (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, 2026-05-26: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_634_sb0720e.pdf)
- Enrolled, 2026-04-13: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0720e.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-19: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0720t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-02-10: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0720f.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_634_sb0720e.pdf)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0720e.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0720t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0720f.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-SB0720-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).