Legislation and Regulations
MCSS was established in 2013, House Bill 453 (Chapter 372), as an independent unit of State government. In 2018, the Maryland Safe to Learn Act of 2018, Senate Bill 1265 (Chapter 30), was signed into law. This legislation increased responsibilities and funding for MCSS and local school systems, established stringent statewide school safety standards, mandated standardized training and certification for all school resource officers, and required each school system to develop behavioral assessment teams to identify and intervene with students who may pose a safety risk. In order for MCSS, public school systems, and local law enforcement officials to fulfill their obligations under the Safe to Learn Act, the School Safety Subcabinet has since adopted several regulations to provide better clarification for mandated activities. These include: Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 14.40.04 - Certification and Training for School Security Employees and School Resource Officers The Subcabinet promulgated COMAR 14.40.04 in 2019. In 2023, those regulations were amended to provide additional clarification and better define various school safety roles. The amended regulation also allows MCSS to make adjustments to the School Resource Officer and Security Employee training, without the need for future regulatory changes. 14.40.05 - Critical, Life-Threatening Incidents This regulation sets a standardized definition of “critical, life-threatening incident” and “school grounds”. It also provides standardized time-frames for all local school systems and ensures the timely reporting and action necessary to assist with improving school safety in the aftermath of an event.
14.40.06 - Data Collection and Reporting This regulation went into effect on September 2, 2024. It sets specific deadlines for local school system reports and data collection required under the Safe to Learn Act, including evaluations of public school facilities and the review and update of school emergency plans.
NOTE: All public reports are available on our website. School emergency plans, school facility evaluation/assessments, digital school maps, and school resource officer and adequate coverage plans are protected from public disclosure under the Maryland Public Information Act, Gen. Prov. §4–314.1(a).
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