SB 720

Education - Artificial Intelligence - Guidelines, Professional Development, and Collaborative (Artificial Intelligence Ready Schools Act)

Sponsor: Katie Fry Hester (District 9)Committee: Education, Energy, and the EnvironmentSubject: Primary and Secondary EducationStatus: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 634 (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring the State Department of Education to provide certain guidance on artificial intelligence to local school systems, educators, parents, and students through an online platform; requiring the Department to develop certain guidelines, best practices, and evaluative tools to assist local school systems in the evaluation of artificial intelligence tools selected for use by local school systems; establishing the Maryland AI Education Collaborative on Artificial Intelligence in K-12 Education; etc.

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Testimony (32)

MGA witness list

FAV 23FavorableFWA 7Favorable with amendmentsINFO 2Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Tao, Betsy	Distraction Free Schools MD, MCCPTA Technology Committee	Written (PDF)
FAV	Searle, Brad	LaMancha AI	Written (PDF)
FAV	Searle, Brad	LaMancha AI and Parent Advocate	Written (PDF)
FAV	Wong, Michael	MCR-SGA	Oral
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Position only
FAV	Fry Hester, Katie	Maryland Senate	Written (PDF)
FAV	Edwards, Donna	Maryland State & District of Columbia AFL-CIO	Written (PDF)
FAV	Edwards, Donna	Maryland State & District of Columbia AFL-CIO	Written (PDF)
FAV	Cratsley, Laurel	Maryland State Department of Education	Written (PDF)
FAV	Goldstein, Laura	Montgomery County Counseling Center	Position only
FAV	Nelson, Laura	National Cryptologic Museum Foundation	Written (PDF)
FAV	Nelson, Laura	National Cryptologic Museum Foundation	Written (PDF)
FAV	Cano, Christopherlobbyist	SEIU Local 500	Written (PDF)
FAV	Cano, Christopherlobbyist	SEIU Local 500	Written (PDF)
FAV	Searle, Jacob	Student at Calvert High School	Written (PDF)
FAV	Ferrell, Nathan	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Jarrett, Beth	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Nyarko, Kofi	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Riley, Deniselobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Riley, Deniselobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Searle, Jacob	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Senator Hester, Senator Hesterlegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Senator Hester, Senator Hesterlegislator	Individual	Oral
FWA	Cratsley, Laurel	Maryland State Department of Education	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Lamb, Laurenlobbyist	Maryland State Education Association	Written (PDF)
FWA	Lamb, Laurenlobbyist	Maryland State Education Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Mosen, Jonathan	National Federation of the Blind	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Othman, Ronza	National Federation of the Blind of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FWA	Othman, Ronza	National Federation of the Blind of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FWA	Benson, Kathy	Self	Oral + Written (PDF)
INFO	DeMinco, Lynne	BCRW	Position only
INFO	Blackfield, Anne	Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD)	Written (PDF)