Why 3/5: Establishes a significant new policy for student discipline in K-12 schools, though with a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.
Public elementary and secondary schools will be required to consider evidence-based restorative disciplinary practices before suspending, expelling, or excluding students, with exceptions for certain serious offenses. Schools must also document their rationale when choosing exclusionary discipline over restorative practices, and the Department of Education will collect data and provide guidelines on these practices.
Update
Passed by for the day
Third reading
Read third time
Update
Education and Health Substitute agreed to
Substitute adopted
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute
Passed a chamber
Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)
Substitute adopted
Senate substitute agreed to by House (65-Y 34-N 0-A)
Enrolled
Enrolled
Passed a chamber
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB298ER)
Passed a chamber
Signed by President
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Summarized from the official bill text (“Public elementary or secondary school students; evidence-based restorative disciplinary practices.”) · Read the actual bill →
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Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB298)
Passed a chamber
Signed by Speaker
Enrolled
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
Sent to the Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 586 (Effective - see bill)
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Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0586)