SB 764

SENATE BILL 764
     F1  6lr3402
  CF HB 1205
     By: Senators Zucker, Ellis, Gile, Kramer, Lam, McCray, Rosapepe, and
  Waldstreicher       Waldstreicher,     Augustine, Hettleman, King, and
  Lewis Young
     Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
     Assigned to: Budget and Taxation
     Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
     Senate action: Adopted
     Read second time: March 3, 2026
  CHAPTER ______
1 AN ACT concerning
2  Education – Minimum Wage for Education Support Professionals – Report on
3Estimated Cost
4 FOR the purpose of establishing a certain minimum wage rate to be paid by county boards
5      of education to certain education support professionals beginning requiring the State
6      Department of Education, on or before a certain date, to submit a report on an
7      estimate of the total cost of implementing a certain minimum wage rate for education
8      support professionals; and generally relating to a report on the estimated cost of
9      implementing a minimum wage for education support professionals.
10 BY adding to
11      Article – Education
12      Section 6–306 to be under the amended subtitle “Subtitle 3. Salaries and Wages”
13      Annotated Code of Maryland
14      (2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
15SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
16 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
17Article – Education
18Subtitle 3. Salaries AND WAGES.
     EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
  [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
  Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
  Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
  amendment.
  *sb0764*
2SENATE BILL 764
1 6–306.
2      (A) (1)       IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS
3 INDICATED.
4(2)   “EDUCATIONSUPPORT    PROFESSIONAL”       MEANS A
5 NONCERTIFICATED PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEE DESIGNATED AS PART OF A
6 NONSUPERVISORY BARGAINING UNIT UNDER SUBTITLE 5 OF THIS TITLE.
7(3) “PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEE” HAS THE MEANING STATED IN §
8 6–501 OF THIS TITLE.
9(B) NOTWITHSTANDING § 3–413 OF THE LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
10 ARTICLE, BEGINNING JULY 1, 2028, EACH COUNTY BOARD SHALL PAY TO EACH
11 EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL A MINIMUM WAGE RATE OF AT LEAST $25.00
12 PER HOUR.
13(C) THE STATE BOARD MAY ADOPT REGULATIONS NECESSARY TO CARRY
14 OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
15SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, on
16(a)    (1)   In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
17(2)   “Education support professional” means a noncertificated public school
18 employee designated as part of a nonsupervisory bargaining unit under Title 6, Subtitle 5
19 of the Education Article.
20(3)    “Public school employee” has the meaning stated in § 6–501 of the
21 Education Article.
22(b)    (1)   The State Department of Education shall study the wages of education
23 support professionals and calculate the cost of implementing a $25.00 per hour minimum
24 wage.
25(2)   The calculation of the cost of implementation shall:
26(i)    include, for each education support professional position, filled
27 and unfilled, that has an hourly wage of less than $25.00, the cost to raise the hourly wage
28 to $25.00; and
29(ii)   exclude cost assumptions for each education support profession
30 position, filled and unfilled, that has an hourly wage of $25.00 or more.
  SENATE BILL 764  3
1(3)   The State Department of Education shall identify the amount by which
2 the target per pupil foundation amount would need to be adjusted to provide the funding
3 to implement a $25.00 per hour minimum wage for education support professionals.
4(c)    On or before December 1, 2026, the State Department of Education shall
5 submit to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article,
6 the General Assembly a report with an estimate of the total cost of implementing a $25.00
7 per hour minimum wage for education support professionals, with cost estimates
8 disaggregated by local school system.
9SECTION 3. 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
10 July 1, 2026. It shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and, at the end of June 30, 2027,
11 this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and
12 of no further force and effect.
     Approved:
     ________________________________________________________________________________
  Governor.
     ________________________________________________________________________________
  President of the Senate.
     ________________________________________________________________________________
  Speaker of the House of Delegates.