Student members of Montgomery County's Board of Education may soon be able to vote on measures along with their adult peers, thanks to a proposal in the Maryland General Assembly. 

A bill by Del. Anne Kaiser (D-Dist. 14) and Del. Tom Hucker (D-Dist. 20) would allow the student member to vote on most matters, including those pertaining to collective bargaining, capital and operating budgets and school closings, openings and boundaries. Currently, student members do not vote on those issues. (Read the bill here.) 

The bill passed the county delegation's House and Senate committees, but still needs to be voted on by the full House and Senate. 

“I just think that the students have proven to be excellent board members and very studious and on top of the issues and I think that they deserve full voting rights on the board of education,” Kaiser said told Patch last December.

“The board does support this, so they, too, are convinced that the young people over the years have done a great job, so I support that.”

Currently, Alan Xie, a senior at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, serves as the board's student member. His term ends on June 30. 

Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that the bill will not allow student members to vote on matters pertaining to collective bargaining, capital and operating budgets and school closings, openings and boundaries.