Outcomes of 2025 child welfare bills

Child welfare is a critical issue that requires both attention and action. Every child deserves to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment, free from abuse and neglect. That's why a group like the Coalition to Protect Maryland's Children (CPMC) is so important in promoting public policy issues that safeguard our most vulnerable population.

Priorities of CPMC as a coalition:

● Prevent child abuse and neglect

● Improve data collection, access, and analysis

● Resolve the current out-of-home placement crisis

● Counter attempts to dilute child safety

● Maximize services for youth aging out of care and supportive transitions to independence

● Identify better recruitment, support, and retention practices of the child welfare workforce

● Place the safety and wellbeing of all children – including infants, adolescents, and older youth - as priorities in intervention and permanency efforts

● Increase resources for public and private programs to authentically support families and promote family preservation efforts

● Hold child-serving agencies accountable for not prioritizing child safety and wellbeing

Below are the 2025 bills the coalition tracked this session. The Maryland General Assembly met for 90 days, from January 8th to April 7th. While 13 bills related to child welfare passed into law, another 29 bills failed to pass - and many for good reasons. Among the bills filed, several turned into proposed task forces, workgroups, or summer studies to help inform future legislative advocacy and policy reform efforts.

SB0191 - Family Law - Children in Need of Assistance - Unlicensed Settings

JPR hearing, January 14th - bill withdrawn after hearing

Outcome: failed to pass

SB0343 - new title - State's Attorneys - Reconstitution of Task Force to Study Transparency Standards for State's Attorneys

JPR hearing, January 30th, In the Senate - Third Reading Passed (34-9) - amended

JUD hearing, March 25th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass

SB0367 - Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Supportive Housing and Health Services -

FIN hearing, February 4th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass

SB0411 - Health Insurance - Postpartum Depression Screening - Required Coverage and Authorized Cost Sharing -

FIN hearing, February 12th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass

SB0755 - Higher Education - Student Financial Assistance - Students in Informal Kinship Care Relationships

EEE hearing, February 21st - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass

HB0005 - Criminal Law - Child Pornography - Artificial Intelligence Software

JUD hearing, February 4th, In the House - Third Reading Passed (140-0) - amended

JPR hearing, March 25th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass

HB0026 - Public Safety - Missing Person Reports - Collection and Publication -

HB0026 JUD - bill withdrawn before hearing

HB0093/ SB0234 - Housing and Community Development - Homeless Shelter Certification Program - Establishment -

SB0234 EEE hearing January 21st - bill was not submitted for committee vote

HB0093 E&T hearing February 4th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass

HB0120 - Family Law - Child Support - Capacity of Minors to File Action -

JUD hearing January 30th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass

HB0152 / SB0025 - Family Law – Child Custody Evaluators – Qualifications -

HB0152 - JUD hearing January 23rd - bill was not submitted for committee vote

SB0025 - JPR hearing January 28th, In the Senate - Referred to interim study by Judicial Proceedings (summer study)

Outcome: failed to pass

HB0185 /SB0359 Therapeutic Child Care Grant Program - Funding - Alterations -

HB0185 W&M and APP joint hearing, January 29th, In the House - Third Reading Passed (136-2) - amended, In the Senate - Third Reading Passed with Amendments (45-0)

SB0359 B&T hearing January 29th, In the Senate - Third Reading Passed (41-0) - amended

W&M Hearing 3/19 - In the House - Third Reading Passed (136-2) - amended

Outcome: returned passed

HB0218/SB0195 - Family Law - Child Support -

SB0195 JPR hearing, January 14th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

HB0218 JUD hearing, February 20th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass

HB0223 - Family Law - Child Abuse and Neglect Investigations ("Know Before They Knock" Family Right to Notice Act) -

JUD hearing, February 13th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass

HB0293/SB0274 - Criminal Procedure - Child Victims - Testimony in Child Abuse Cases -

HB0293 JUD hearing, February 6th, In the House - Third Reading Passed (140-0) - amended

SB0274 JPR hearing, January 30th, In the Senate -Third Reading Passed (44-0) - amended - In the House - Third Reading Passed (136-0)

Outcome: returned passed

HB0302 - Courts and Judicial Proceedings - Statement of Charges - Human Service Workers

HB0302 - February 4th hearing, In the House - Third Reading Passed (126-13) - not amended

JPR hearing, March 26th, In the Senate - Third Reading Passed (44-0) - not amended

Outcome: returned passed

HB0334 /SB0156 - new title - Workgroup on Universal Newborn Nurse Home Visiting Services - Establishment -

HB0334 - HGO hearing, January 29th, In the House - Third Reading Passed (114-22) - amended

In the Senate - Third Reading Passed (45-0)

SB0156 - FIN hearing, January 29th, In the Senate -Third Reading Passed (45-0) - amended

HGO hearing, March 19th - In the House - Third Reading Passed with Amendments (102-30)

Outcome: returned passed

HB0345/SB0174 - Interstate Social Work Licensure Compact -

HB0345 - HGO hearing, January 23rd, In the House - Third Reading Passed (118-19) - amended

In the Senate - Third Reading Passed (47-0)

SB0174 - JPR hearing, January 28th, In the Senate - Third Reading Passed (46-0) - amended

HGO hearing, March 20th - In the House - Third Reading Passed (127-7)

Outcome: returned passed

HB0364/SB0545 - Criminal Law - Child Pornography - Prohibitions and Penalties -

HB0364 - JUD hearing, February 4th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

SB0545 - JPR hearing, February 5th, In the Senate - Third Reading Passed (45-0) - not amended

Outcome: failed to pass

HB0442/SB0333 - Criminal Procedure - Victims and Witnesses - Out of Court Statement of Child to Forensic Interviewer -

HB0442 - JUD hearing, February 6th, In the House - Third Reading Passed (134-0) - not amended - In the Senate - Third Reading Passed (47-0)

SB0333 - JPR hearing, January 28th, In the Senate - Third Reading Passed (44-0) - not amended - In the House - Third Reading Passed (133-0)

Outcome: returned passed

HB0456 - Civil Actions - Child Nonsexual Abuse and Neglect - Damages and Statute of Limitations -

JUD hearing, February 13th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass

HB0524 / SB0462 - State Board of Education - Membership - Early Childhood Development Professional -

W&M hearing, February 12th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

EEE hearing, February 21st - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass

HB0649 - Family Law - Children in Foster Care - Background Information -

JUD hearing, February 20th, In the House - Unfavorable Report by Judiciary

Outcome: failed to pass

HB0652/ SB0454 - Department of Juvenile Services - Employees - Prohibited Convictions -

HB0652 - JUD hearing, February 26th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

SB0454 - JPR hearing, February 7th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass

HB0763 - Education - Sexual Abuse and Assault Awareness and Prevention Program - Human and Sex Trafficking -

W&M hearing, February 19th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass

HB0809 / SB0765 - new title - Out-of-Home Placement Providers - Individuals Enrolled in Higher Education and Vocational Training Programs -

HB0809 - APP hearing, February 25th, In the House - Third Reading Passed (138-0) - amended -

In the Senate - Third Reading Passed with Amendments (47-0)

SB0765 - JPR hearing, March 4th, In the Senate - Third Reading Passed (47-0) - amended

JUD hearing, March 25th - In the House - Third Reading Passed (137-0)

Outcome: returned passed

HB0824 - Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program - Covered Individuals - Alternatively Qualified Individuals -

ECM hearing, February 13th, Unfavorable Report by Economic Matters

Outcome: failed to pass

HB0837 - Task Force to Study Forced Infant Separation from Incarcerated Individuals -

JUD hearing, February 18th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass

HB0924 - Family Law - Child Custody Evaluators - Qualifications -

JUD hearing, February 7th - bill withdrawn before hearing

HB0944 - Family Law - Children in Need of Assistance and Termination of Parental Rights -

JUD hearing, February 20th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass

HB0950 - Child Abuse and Neglect - Disclosure of Reports and Records -

JUD hearing, February 20th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass

HB0962 / SB0696 - new title - Public Health - Pediatric Hospital Overstay Patients and Workgroup on Children in Unlicensed Settings and Pediatric Overstays -

HB0962 - HGO hearing, February 26th - In the House - Third Reading Passed (120-4) - amended - In the Senate - Third Reading Passed (43-0)

SB0696 - FIN hearing, February 18th - In the Senate - Third Reading Passed (45-0) - amended - In the House - Third Reading Passed (139-0)

Outcome: returned passed

HB1006 / SB0828 - Immigration Enforcement - Sensitive Locations - Guidelines and Policies (Protecting Sensitive Locations Act) -

HB1006 - JUD hearing January 27th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

SB0828 - JPR hearing, March 4th, In the Senate - Third Reading Passed (30-13) - amended

JUD hearing, March 26th, In the House - Third Reading Passed with Amendments (98-39), Conference Committee Adopted - but not sent to Governor

Outcome: failed to pass

HB1057 / SB0833 - new title - Department of Human Services - Study on Private Treatment Foster Care Homes -

HB1057 - APP hearing, March 3rd - In the House - Second Reading Passed with Amendments

SB0833 - JPR hearing, February 19th, Third Reading Passed (47-0) - amended

APP hearing, March 26th - In the House - Third Reading Passed (137-0)

Outcome: returned passed

HB1105 / SB0770 - new title - Public Schools and Youth Services - Crisis Support and Assistance and Workgroup Study-

HB1105 - W&M hearing, February 24th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

SB0770 - EEE hearing, February 21st, In the Senate - Third Reading Passed (43-0) - amended

W&M hearing, March 26th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass

HB1121 / SB0687 - Child Care Scholarship Program - Youth Transitioning from Foster Placement to Successful Adulthood Pilot Program - Establishment -

HB1121 - W&M hearing, March 3rd, In the House - Third Reading Passed (136-1) - amended

SB0687 - EEE hearing, March 5th - In the Senate - Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment

Outcome: returned passed

HB1191 / SB0548 - Family Law - Child Custody - Determinations -

HB1191 - JUD hearing, February 20th, In the House - Third Reading Passed (140-0) - not amended - In the Senate - Third Reading Passed (46-0)

SB0548 - JPR hearing, February 7th, In the Senate - Third Reading Passed (45-0) - not amended - In the House - Third Reading Passed (136-0)

Outcome: returned passed

HB1205 - Family Law - Prospective Foster Care Parents and Out-of-Home Placements -

JUD hearing, February 20th, bill withdrawn after hearing

Outcome: failed to pass

HB1209 - Child Abuse and Neglect - Reports and Records - Disclosure -

JUD hearing, February 20th, In the House - Third Reading Passed (138-0)

JPR hearing, March 27th, In the Senate - Third Reading Passed (44-0)

Outcome: returned passed

HB1378 - new title - Civil Actions - Child Sexual Abuse -

JUD hearing, March 11th - hearing cancelled, JUD hearing, March 26th - amended, In the House - Third Reading Passed (98-34)

JPR hearing, April 4th - Third Reading Passed (36-7)

Outcome: returned passed

HB1399 - Health Occupations - Cross-Sex Hormone Therapy for Minors - Prohibition (Protect the Kids Act) -

HGO hearing, March 11th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass

HB1480 - Child Advocacy Centers - Continuity of Care Standards for Health Care Professionals and Reports of Violations -

APP hearing, March 4th, In the House - Third Reading Passed (137-1) - amended

JPR hearing, April 1st - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass

HB1429 - Youth Services Bureaus - Criminal History Records Checks - Employees, Volunteers, and Interns -

APP hearing, March 4th, Third Reading Passed (139-0) - not amended

JPR hearing, March 19th - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass

HB1521 / SB0379 - State Board of Social Work Examiners - Membership and Examination Requirements -

HB1521 - HGO Hearing, March 13th, In the House - Third Reading Passed (103-35) - not amended

SB0379 - FIN hearing, February 4th, In the Senate - Recommitted to Finance (Senator Beidle)

Outcome: failed to pass

HB1539 - Transportation - Identification Cards - Issuance to Minors -

E&T hearing, April 1st - bill was not submitted for committee vote

Outcome: failed to pass