(a) In this section, “healthy school start time” means a school starting time of no earlier than 8:00 a.m.

(b) (1) Beginning in the 2017-2018 school year, there is an Orange Ribbon for Healthy School Hours certification in the Department.

(2) The purpose of the Orange Ribbon for Healthy School Hours certification is to recognize a local school system that creates, implements, and enforces school start times that are consistent with the school start times recommended by the Department, the Maryland Department of Health, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

(c) (1) A local school system may submit to the Department an application for the Orange Ribbon for Healthy School Hours certification.

(2) The Department shall grant the appropriate Orange Ribbon for Healthy School Hours certification to a local school system that meets the requirements of this section.

(d) To qualify for an Orange Ribbon for Healthy School Hours certification, a local school system:

(1) May not have:

(i) An elementary school in the local school system that requires a student to:

1. Be in class before 8:00 a.m.; and

2. Board a school bus before 7:00 a.m.; and

(ii) A middle or high school in the local school system that requires a student to:

1. Be in class before 8:30 a.m.; and

2. Board a school bus before 7:30 a.m.; and

(2) Shall:

(i) Conduct at least two targeted and televised public education forums for students, parents, teachers, and school staff on the necessity of healthy school start times, the consequences of chronic sleep deprivation, and the health and safety impact of aligning school start times with adolescent sleep patterns;

(ii) 1. Inform the following stakeholders of the importance of healthy school start times:

A. Teachers;

B. Parents;

C. Students;

D. Administrators;

E. School staff;

F. Transportation providers;

G. Athletic directors;

H. Local business owners;

I. Coaches;

J. Child care providers;

K. Local employers of students;

L. City or county agencies that provide services or opportunities to students; and

M. Organizations that use local school systems’ fields and facilities on a regular basis; and

2. Engage the stakeholders listed in item 1 of this item in conversations to discuss possible contraindications of altering current school start times; and

(iii) Notify the public and stakeholders of any changes to school start times.

(e) (1) If the Department determines that a local school system does not meet all of the requirements under subsection (d) of this section, the Department may grant a limited certification if the local school system meets the requirements for the limited certification under paragraph (2) or (3) of this subsection.

(2) To qualify for an Orange Ribbon for Healthy School Hours – Commended certification, a local school system shall:

(i) Meet the requirements under paragraph (3) of this subsection;

(ii) Have implemented and maintained a school district-wide school time change that moved the school district schedule closer to the hours set forth in subsection (d) of this section; and

(iii) Provide evidence of progress toward meeting the requirements of subsection (d) of this section.

(3) To qualify for an Orange Ribbon for Healthy School Hours – Honorable Mention certification, a local school system shall:

(i) Have established a school study task force within 2 years after the date of the local school system’s application for initial certification or renewal of a certification to review possible solutions for healthy school start times; and

(ii) 1. Meet the requirement under subsection (d)(2)(i) of this section; or

2. Provide evidence of a plan to move the local school system toward meeting all of the requirements of subsection (d) of this section.

(f) (1) On or before October 1, 2016, the State Board shall establish criteria that a local school system must meet to prove that the local school system is enforcing school start times that are consistent with recommendations from the Department, the Maryland Department of Health, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

(2) On or before December 1, 2016, the State Board shall provide each local school system with:

(i) Information on methods of efficiently altering current school start times to be consistent with recommendations; and

(ii) The criteria established in paragraph (1) of this subsection.

(g) An Orange Ribbon for Healthy School Hours certification granted under subsection (d) or (e) of this section shall be renewed each year if the local school system presents evidence that the local school system is in compliance with this section.

(h) The Department shall adopt regulations to carry out the requirements of this section.