Maryland § 4-147

§ 4-147.

    (a)    (1)    In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

        (2)    “High school sports official” means an official, an umpire, a referee, or a judge who presides over a sporting event to guarantee that the rules of the event are enforced.

        (3)    “High school sports officiating role” means an officiating assignment for a high school sports official that requires performance of a defined set of high school sports officiating services.

        (4)    “High school sports officiating services” means the services provided by a high school sports official when overseeing a high school sport.

    (b)    (1)    On or before September 1, 2025, the Department, in consultation with the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association, shall develop a list of similar high school sports for boys and girls.

        (2)    In categorizing boys’ and girls’ sports as similar, the Department shall consider whether each sport:

            (i)    Occurs in the same season;

            (ii)    Has comparable rules;

            (iii)    Requires a similar number of high school sports officials;

            (iv)    Requires similar high school sports officiating services; and

            (v)    Features competition of comparable lengths of time.

        (3)    The Department, in consultation with the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association, shall update the list every 3 years.

    (c)    (1)    This subsection applies to a high school sports official who:

            (i)    Is an employee of the local school system; or

            (ii)    Is employed by an independent contractor or officiating association or organization, with which the county board contracts.

        (2)    A county board shall ensure that high school sports officials receive the same pay if the officials:

            (i)    Are in similar high school sports officiating roles; and

            (ii)    Are providing officiating services for sports categorized as similar under subsection (b) of this section.

    (d)    (1)    A county board shall reject a bid or proposal for a procurement contract that would result in different pay or fees for high school sports officials in a similar high school sports officiating role for sports categorized as similar under subsection (b) of this section.

        (2)    When soliciting invitations for a bid or a request for a proposal for high school sports officiating services, a county board shall solicit bids or requests for a proposal for each sport within a reasonable time of the solicitation of bids or requests for proposals for all sports categorized as similar under subsection (b) of this section.

    (e)    (1)    This section may only be construed to require parity between high school sports officials performing similar roles in similar sports within a county and may not be construed to require parity in high school sports officials between counties.

        (2)    This section may not be construed to have any effect on the grouping of sports together for any purpose other than the payment of high school sports officials or fees assigned to contracts for high school sports officials.

        (3)    This section may not be construed to prohibit fees outside of a procurement contract as a bonus to high school sports officials.