Maryland § 4-139

§ 4-139.

    (a)    In this section, “parenting student” means a student who is the mother, father, or legal guardian of a child.

    (b)    The Department shall develop a model policy to support the educational and parenting goals and improve the educational outcomes of pregnant and parenting students.

    (c)    The policy established under subsection (b) of this section shall:

        (1)    Require each high school to designate a private lactation space in the school that:

            (i)    Includes at least one seating option with a flat surface and electrical outlet nearby to accommodate placement of a breast pump device; and

            (ii)    Is not a bathroom or closet;

        (2)    Provide lactating students with access to a refrigerator located reasonably close to the private lactation space required under item (1) of this subsection;

        (3)    Require schools to designate at least one staff member to connect, to the extent practicable, pregnant and parenting students with resources to find safe, affordable, and reliable:

            (i)    Child care and early childhood education services; and

            (ii)    Transportation services to and from school;

        (4)    Incorporate the attendance policy for pregnant and parenting students developed under § 7–301.1 of this article;

        (5)    Provide for training of school personnel on policy objectives and requirements; and

        (6)    Be published in the school system’s student handbook.

    (d)    (1)    Each county board shall establish a policy to support the educational and parenting goals and improve the educational outcomes of pregnant and parenting students based on the model policy established in subsection (b) of this section.

        (2)    The Department shall provide technical assistance to a county board to establish the policy required under this subsection.

    (e)    Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a school to construct an addition or new space to a school building to provide a private lactation space to comply with the requirements of the policy established under this section.