HB 73

Did not advance

Public Schools - Water Safety and Swimming Course - Established

Sponsor: Karen Toles (District 25)Committee: Ways and MeansSubject: Primary and Secondary EducationStatus: Hearing 2/25 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring the State Board of Education to develop, by July 1, 2027, curriculum content for an elective course in water safety and swimming for public school students in kindergarten through grade 8; requiring, beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, county boards of education to implement the water safety and swimming curriculum content for students in kindergarten through grade 8 in public schools in the county; etc.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (21)

MGA witness list

FAV 15FavorableUNF 5UnfavorableINFO 1Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Wilkinson, nanci	Climate Mobilization Montgomery County	Position only
FAV	Price, Suzanne	Concerned Citizen	Position only
FAV	Margolis, Leslielobbyist	Disability Rights Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kocik, Jimara	HCAS	Written (PDF)
FAV	Toles, Delegate Karen	Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Baucum Colbert, Jordan	M-NCPPC - Senior Government Analyst	Written (PDF)
FAV	Stewart, Tara	M-NCPPC, Prince George's Parks and Recreation Department	Oral
FAV	Murphy, JD	MD Chesapeake Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)	Position only
FAV	Toles, Karen	Maryland General Assembly	Position only
FAV	Linhart, Karen	Michael Phelps Foundation	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bergstrom, Mary	SWIM UP, Inc.	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Borden, Debra	The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commision	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Toles, Delegate Toleslegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Graham, Lizzy	Individual	Position only
FAV	Lang, Alan	Individual	Position only
UNF	Wilson, Grace	Anne Arundel County Public Schools	Written (PDF)
UNF	Goff, Jessicalobbyist	Maryland Association of Boards of Education	Written (PDF)
UNF	Ursprung, Patricia	Montgomery County Board of Education	Written (PDF)
UNF	Anderson, Zaniah	Public School Superintendents' Association of Maryland	Written (PDF)
UNF	Crespo, Virginialobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
INFO	Lamb, Laurenlobbyist	Maryland State Education Association	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Anne Arundel County Public SchoolsUNF 1

Climate Mobilization Montgomery CountyFAV 1

Concerned CitizenFAV 1

Disability Rights MarylandFAV 1

HCASFAV 1

Legislative Black Caucus of MarylandFAV 1

M-NCPPC - Senior Government AnalystFAV 1

M-NCPPC, Prince George's Parks and Recreation DepartmentFAV 1

Maryland Association of Boards of EducationUNF 1

Maryland General AssemblyFAV 1

Maryland State Education AssociationINFO 1

MD Chesapeake Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)FAV 1

Michael Phelps FoundationFAV 1

Montgomery County Board of EducationUNF 1

Public School Superintendents' Association of MarylandUNF 1

SWIM UP, Inc.FAV 1

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning CommisionFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVMargolis, LeslieDisability Rights MarylandRegistered for: Disability Rights Maryland

UNFGoff, JessicaMaryland Association of Boards of EducationRegistered for: Maryland Association of Boards of Education

UNFCrespo, VirginiaRegistered for: Maryland Retired School Personnel Association

INFOLamb, LaurenMaryland State Education AssociationRegistered for: Maryland State Education Association