Explore Bills

Exempting certain religious educational institutions accredited by accrediting bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from the requirement to obtain a certificate of approval from the Maryland Higher Education Commission to operate in the State.

Requiring the Maryland Higher Education Commission to collect data regarding the parental status of students from each public institution of higher education; requiring public institutions of higher education to collect and report certain demographic data from students; requiring community colleges to adopt a certain plan for pregnant and parenting students; requiring the Commission to submit a report, by September 1, 2027, to certain committees of the General Assembly, that summarizes the data collected.

Exempting certain religious educational institutions accredited by accrediting bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from the requirement to obtain a certificate of approval from the Maryland Higher Education Commission to operate in the State.

Prohibiting an institution of higher education from denying access or services to a student based on the student's diagnosis of sickle cell disease; requiring an institution of higher education to provide reasonable accommodations for students with sickle cell disease; requiring the Maryland Department of Health to develop an education and awareness campaign, designed to enhance understanding of sickle cell disease and reduce stigmas, for institutions of higher education in the State regarding students with sickle cell disease; etc.

Adding correctional officers as eligible recipients in the Maryland Loan Assistance Repayment Program for Police Officers and Probation Agents and the Maryland Police Officers and Probation Agents Scholarship Program.

Exempting spouses and financially dependent children of State or local public safety employees who die as a result of or in the course of performance of duties from paying out-of-state or out-of-county tuition at a public institution of higher education in the State; and altering the method for allocating funds for the Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program and the Jean B. Cryor Memorial Scholarship Program.

Authorizing the Secretary of Higher Education to allow certain private career schools to advertise certain information and collect contact information from potential new students before receiving a certificate of approval from the Maryland Higher Education Commission to operate a private career school in the State under certain circumstances; requiring an approved private career school to advertise only information relating to the opening of the private career school and include a certain disclosure; etc.

Exempting spouses and financially dependent children of State or local public safety employees who die as a result of or in the course of performance of duties from paying out-of-state or out-of-county tuition at a public institution of higher education in the State.

Expanding the institutions to include trade, or career schools recognized by the Maryland Higher Education Commission or the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council and the types of expenses in connection with which tuition assistance may be provided for certain eligible Maryland National Guard service members.

Repealing the prohibition on awarding the Douglas J. J. Peters Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship after June 30, 2030; and repealing the limitation on renewing the Douglas J. J. Peters Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship if the scholarship recipient received an initial scholarship before June 30, 2030.

Delaying the decentralization of the Guaranteed Access Grant Program until the 2029-2030 financial aid award year.

Requiring each county board of education to update certain policies to include information on authorized possession of naloxone or other opioid overdose-reversing medication by certain high school students and immunity from liability; and altering the list of individuals who may administer naloxone or other opioid overdose-reversing medication under a certain policy.

Requiring the governing board of each institution of higher education in the State and local school systems to designate a Title VI Coordinator to ensure compliance with Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964; and authorizing a person alleging discrimination under certain provisions of law to file a complaint with a Title VI Coordinator of a local school system, as applicable.

Delaying the decentralization of the Guaranteed Access Grant Program until the 2029-2030 financial aid award year.

Applying certain provisions of law regarding priority registration at public institutions of higher education, resources and support at community colleges, senatorial and Delegate scholarships, and preferences in hiring by the Public Service Commission to the spouses of active service members and veterans; etc.

Requiring institutions of higher education to develop and implement an academic forgiveness policy on or before August 1, 2026, that applies to applicants who earned unsatisfactory or failing grades at a prior institution of higher education under certain circumstances.

Expanding the eligibility for the Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program to an applicant who is or was eligible for the Chapter 35 Survivors' Dependents' Educational Assistance benefit as determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; and authorizing certain methods for verifying eligibility of these individuals for the Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program.

Establishing the Maryland Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program to assist in the repayment of higher education loans owed by State employees in order to attract, recruit, and retain these employees; requiring the Office of Student Financial Assistance within the Maryland Higher Education Commission to administer the Program; and requiring the Office to report to the General Assembly on or before January 1 of each year on the implementation of the Program and any effects the Program has on State employee recruitment or retention.

Expanding the institutions to include trade or career schools recognized by the Maryland Higher Education Commission or the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council and the types of expenses in connection with which tuition assistance may be provided for certain eligible Maryland National Guard service members.

Expanding the eligibility for the Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program to an applicant who is or was eligible for the Chapter 35 Survivors' Dependents' Educational Assistance benefit as determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; and authorizing certain methods for verifying eligibility of these individuals for the Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program.

Altering the eligibility criteria for the Maryland Police Officers and Probation Agents Scholarship Program to include correctional officers.

Establishing a direct admission program at participating public senior higher education institutions for eligible high school students beginning in the 2028-2029 academic year; requiring the Maryland Higher Education Commission, the State Department of Education, and public senior higher education institutions to establish eligibility requirements for the direct admission program; requiring a student to have completed all prerequisite courses, met certain eligibility requirements, and applied by a certain deadline; etc.

Requiring the governing board of each institution of higher education in the State and local school systems to designate a Title VI Coordinator to ensure compliance with Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964; and authorizing a person alleging discrimination under certain provisions of law to file a complaint with a Title VI Coordinator of a local school system, as applicable.

Requiring each institution of higher education that provides on-campus housing to provide, free of charge, menstrual hygiene products in all student health centers at the institution on or before August 1, 2028.

Requiring the University System of Maryland to develop, in consultation with the State Department of Education and the Maryland Higher Education Commission, certain recommendations for a Southern Maryland Early College Teacher Pathway Program and a teacher preparation pathway in a certain manner; establishing the Southern Maryland Early College Teacher Pathway Program Workgroup; requiring, the Governor to include an appropriation of $125,000 in fiscal years 2028 and 2029, to support the Workgroup's recommendations; etc.

Revising, restating, and recodifying the laws of this State relating to the Janet L. Hoffman Loan Assistance Repayment Program.

Requiring each 4-year institution of higher education in the State, by July 1, 2027, that admits first-time undergraduate students to prominently display on its publicly accessible prospective student website a link to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard website and share related information in a certain manner; and requiring the Secretary of Higher Education to notify the Department of Legislative Services within 10 days of making a determination that the College Scorecard has been terminated by a federal agency.

Revising, restating, and recodifying the laws of this State relating to the Janet L. Hoffman Loan Assistance Repayment Program.

Altering the definition of "military-connected student" under the Purple Star Schools Program to conform with certain terms defined under State law; and establishing the Purple Star Colleges Program to recognize certain colleges that provide strong services and support for military-connected students.

Authorizing the Secretary of Higher Education to allow certain private career schools to advertise certain information and collect contact information from potential new students before receiving a certificate of approval from the Maryland Higher Education Commission to operate a private career school in the State under certain circumstances; requiring an approved private career school to advertise only information relating to the opening of the private career school and include a certain disclosure; etc.

Altering the definition of "eligible project"; requiring an appropriation of a certain amount to the Community College Facilities Renewal Grant Program if the Governor appropriates less than $80,000,000 to the Community College Construction Grant Program in each fiscal year; increasing the number of grants, from 8 to 16, the Maryland Higher Education Commission may make in each fiscal year; etc.

Prohibiting an institution of higher education from denying access or services to a student based on the student's diagnosis of sickle cell disease; requiring an institution of higher education to provide reasonable accommodations for students with sickle cell disease; requiring the Maryland Department of Health to develop an education and awareness campaign for institutions of higher education in the State regarding students with sickle cell disease; etc.

Requiring the Maryland Higher Education Commission to collect data regarding the parental status of students from each public institution of higher education; requiring public institutions of higher education to collect and report certain demographic data from students; requiring all public institutions of higher education to adopt a plan for pregnant and parenting students; and requiring the Commission to submit a report, by September 1, 2027, to certain committees of the General Assembly, that summarizes the data collected.

Requiring each institution of higher education in the State that admits first-time undergraduate students to prominently display on its publicly accessible prospective student website a link to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard website and share related information in a certain manner.

Establishing a direct admission program at participating public senior higher education institutions for certain eligible high school students beginning in the 2028-2029 academic year; requiring the Maryland Higher Education Commission, the State Department of Education, and public senior higher education institutions to establish eligibility requirements for the program; and requiring the Commission with the Department to study and make recommendations to the General Assembly on the program by July 1, 2027.

Repealing the prohibition on awarding the Douglas J. J. Peters Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship after June 30, 2030; and repealing the limitation on renewing the Douglas J. J. Peters Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship if the scholarship recipient received an initial scholarship before June 30, 2030.

Establishing that certain provisions of law governing information technology plans apply to certain public institutions of higher education; establishing a policy of the State that State and higher education employee e-mail systems and resources are intended to support State business and may not serve as a public forum; requiring certain policies, plans, and standards to include provisions to implement systems that automatically filter spam e-mail from certain email accounts; etc.

Applying certain provisions of law regarding priority registration at public institutions of higher education, resources and support at community colleges, senatorial and Delegate scholarships, and preferences in hiring by the Public Service Commission to the spouses of active service members and veterans; etc.

Expanding eligibility under the Maryland Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program to include students attending the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and enrolled in certain Physician Assistant, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, or Veterinary Medicine degree programs.

Implementing the federal Workforce Pell Grant Program in the State through which Pell Grants may be awarded to students enrolled in a certain short-term program; requiring the Governor, after consultation with certain entities, to determine whether to approve short-term programs as eligible for Pell Grant funds subject to certain requirements; requiring a certain registered apprenticeship program to include certain components in the curriculum; etc.

Requiring public institutions of higher education to provide free of charge room, board, and required books, course materials, supplies, and equipment to certain foster care recipients and homeless youth who qualify for a certain tuition exemption and enroll as students at the institutions; providing that if a foster care recipient or homeless youth receives a scholarship or grant it may be applied to cover all or part of the costs of room and board or required books, course materials, supplies and equipment; etc.

Specifying the intern fellowships that exist in the Walter Sondheim Jr. Public Service Internship Scholarship Program; increasing the maximum scholarship award amount under the Program from $5,000 to $6,000; and requiring the Governor, beginning in fiscal year 2028, to include in the annual budget bill an appropriation for the Program that is at least a 125% of the appropriation provided in fiscal year 2026.

Altering the eligibility criteria for the Maryland Police Officers and Probation Agents Scholarship Program to include correctional officers.

Altering the eligibility for the Community College Promise Scholarship to include residents of Delmar, Maryland who graduated from Delmar High School in Delmar, Delaware; authorizing an institution of postsecondary education to award a scholarship under the Fallen Transportation Workers Scholarship Program to certain individuals including a surviving transportation worker and certain individuals related to a surviving transportation worker or a fallen transportation worker; etc.

Requiring institutions of postsecondary education to submit a report on institutional debt to the Maryland Higher Education Commission by August 1 every 2 years, beginning in 2027; and requiring the Commission to develop and publish a data dictionary that defines the terms, data, elements, classifications, and reporting categories required under the Act on or before July 1, 2027.

Requiring, to address a funding disparity, that the Governor include at least $5,000,000 to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in the annual budget bill each fiscal year until a total amount of $321,181,312 is appropriated; and authorizing the University of Maryland Eastern Shore to use funds made available by the Act for development of infrastructure and academic programs, investment in faculty, scholarships, and certain other institutional needs.

Requiring each public senior higher education institution and community college to submit a report on contraception access to the Maryland Higher Education Commission each year by September 1; requiring the Commission to submit a report on contraception access to the General Assembly by October 1 each year; and requiring each community college to provide students with access to all methods of over-the-counter contraception.

Requiring the University System of Maryland to develop, in consultation with the State Department of Education and the Maryland Higher Education Commission, certain recommendations for a Southern Maryland Early college Teacher Pathway Program and a teacher preparation pathway in a certain manner; and establishing the Southern Maryland Early College Teacher Pathway Program Workgroup to develop recommendations for the Program and report by June 30, 2029 to certain committees of the General Assembly.

Exempting an applicant for a senatorial scholarship from certain examination requirements if the applicant is registered for or is planning to complete the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria of the Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal Program; and authorizing the use of senatorial and Delegate scholarships for applicants who plan to complete the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria of the Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal Program for expenses to register for the Program.

Establishing the Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal Grant Program to provide grants to certain individuals with the goal of becoming a real estate appraiser in certain communities; providing the purpose of the Program is to assist in closing appraisal gaps that occur in historically redlined neighborhoods and underrepresented communities; and requiring the Maryland Higher Education Commission to administer the Program.

Establishing the Maryland Artificial Intelligence Partnership in the University System of Maryland to provide a single nexus for certain stakeholders in artificial intelligence initiatives to advance artificial intelligence in the State; establishing the Artificial Intelligence Public Services Fellowship in the University System of Maryland; establishing, subject to a certain condition, the Artificial Intelligence Incubation Lab in the University System of Maryland to assist State agencies for certain purposes; etc.

Establishing that certain provisions of law governing information technology plans apply to certain public institutions of higher education; establishing a certain policy of the State relating to State and higher education employee e-mail systems and resources are intended to support State business and may not serve as a public forum; and requiring certain policies, plans, and standards to include certain provisions to implement systems that automatically filter spam email from certain email accounts.

Requiring institutions of postsecondary education to submit a report on institutional debt to the Maryland Higher Education Commission by October 1 each year, beginning in 2027; authorizing the Commission to assess a civil penalty, up to $10,000 per violation, against an institution for failure to submit a report or knowingly including inaccurate information in a report; and establishing certain notice and hearing procedures that the Commission must follow before assessing a civil penalty.

Altering the definition of a "foster care recipient" to mean an individual who resided in an out-of-home placement on or after the individual's 8th birthday rather than 13th birthday for purposes of determining eligibility for a certain tuition exemption.

Establishing the Practical Applications of Real Estate Appraisal Grant Program to provide grants to certain individuals with the goal of becoming a real estate appraiser in certain communities; providing the purpose of the Program is to assist in closing appraisal gaps that occur in historically redlined neighborhoods and underrepresented communities; and requiring the Maryland Higher Education Commission to administer the Program.

Altering the definition of "military-connected student" under the Purple Star Schools Program to conform with certain terms defined under State law; and establishing the Purple Star Colleges Program to recognize certain colleges that provide strong services and support for military-connected students.

Requiring each public senior higher education institution and community college to submit a report on contraception access to the Maryland Higher Education Commission each year; requiring the Commission to submit a report on contraception access to the General Assembly each year beginning October 1, 2026; and requiring each community college to provide students with access to all methods of over-the-counter contraception.

Expanding eligibility under the Maryland Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program to include students attending the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and enrolled in certain degree programs.

Altering the eligibility for the Community College Promise Scholarship to include residents of Delmar, Maryland who graduated from Delmar High School in Delmar, Delaware; authorizing an institution of postsecondary education to award a scholarship under the Fallen Transportation Workers Scholarship Program to certain individuals including a surviving transportation worker and certain individuals related to a surviving transportation worker or a fallen transportation worker; etc.

Approving certain projects for the acquisition, development, and improvement of certain academic facilities for the University System of Maryland; authorizing the issuance of bonds by the University System of Maryland in a certain total principal amount for financing the projects; and providing that the bonds are not a debt or obligation of the State or any of its subdivisions.

Altering certain provisions of law governing the recapture of certain amounts of the credit against the State income tax for certain individuals with student loan debt to require the recapture of the unused amount of the credit rather than the total amount; authorizing the Maryland Higher Education Commission to extend the period of time that an individual who claims the credit has to prove that the individual used the credit to repay the individual's student loan debt under certain circumstances; etc.

Altering the definition of a "foster care recipient" to mean an individual who resided in an out-of-home placement on or after the individual's 8th birthday rather than 13th birthday for purposes of determining eligibility for a certain tuition exemption.

Imposing a State admissions and amusement tax on gross receipts derived from certain admissions and amusement charges for admission to athletic competitions held at the University of Maryland, College Park Campus; imposing a supplemental surcharge on certain sales of food, alcoholic beverages, and accommodations within a certain distance of the University of Maryland, College Park Campus football stadium on certain days under certain circumstances; etc.

Establishing the Maryland Institute for Literacy and Equity organized as a partnership between the University of Maryland, College Park Campus and Morgan State University to serve as a State-funded research and technical assistance center to promote literacy in the State; and requiring the Governor to include in the annual budget bill certain appropriations to the University of Maryland, College Park Campus, Morgan State University, and the Institute.

Altering certain provisions of law governing the recapture of certain amounts of the credit against the State income tax for certain individuals with student loan debt to require the recapture of the unused amount of the credit rather than the total amount; authorizing the Maryland Higher Education Commission to extend the period of time that an individual who claims the credit has to prove that the individual used the credit to repay the individual's student loan debt under certain circumstances; etc.

Establishing that incarcerated individuals are exempt, subject to certain conditions, from paying tuition at public institutions of higher education in the State.

Requiring the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to assist incarcerated individuals in accessing certain student financial assistance; and requiring incarcerated individuals who meet eligibility criteria for certain student financial assistance to have access to student financial assistance.

Requiring the State Department of Education to include certain additional information in an annual report submitted to the General Assembly regarding children and foster youth in the State child welfare system; and requiring the State Department of Education, in cooperation with the Department of Human Services, to develop and submit a report to the General Assembly by December 1, 2026, on improving outcomes for students in the State child welfare system.

Specifying that certain areas on campuses of public institutions of higher education are public forums subject to certain restrictions and requirements; authorizing members of the campus community to engage in certain expressive activity on campus; authorizing the Attorney General or a person aggrieved by a certain violation to bring an action against a public institution of higher education and certain employees; etc.

Defining, for purposes of collective bargaining in community colleges, the term "supervisory employee" to mean an employee who is authorized to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote, discharge, assign, reward, or discipline employees, direct employees for 50% of the employee's working hours, and address employee complaints; and excluding from the definition a department head or an employee in a comparable position or any faculty member below the level of assistant dean.

Adding correctional officers as eligible recipients in the Maryland Loan Assistance Repayment Program for Police Officers and Probation Agents and the Maryland Police Officers and Probation Agents Scholarship Program.

Decreasing from 3 years to 2 years the number of years for which an individual or the individual's parent or guardian must file taxes before the academic year for eligibility to receive an out-of-state tuition exemption at a public institution of higher education.

Defining, for purposes of collective bargaining in community colleges, the term "supervisory employee" to mean an employee who is authorized to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote, discharge, assign, reward, or discipline employees, direct employees for 50% of the employee's working hours, and address employee complaints; and excluding from the definition a department head or an employee in a comparable position or any faculty member below the level of assistant dean.

Repealing the requirement that a proposed new academic program be a graduate program in order for the Maryland Higher Education Commission or institutions of higher education in the State to file an objection to implementation of the proposed program; requiring the Program Review Process Advisory Council to study and make recommendations on extending the objection process for certain proposed academic programs with consideration of certain legal precedence regarding unnecessary program duplication; etc.

Repealing the requirement that a proposed new academic program be a graduate program in order for the Maryland Higher Education Commission or institutions of higher education in the State to file an objection to implementation of the proposed program.

Requiring the Maryland Higher Education Commission to establish a framework for transformative economic efficiency for the purpose of optimizing independent continuous learning and encouraging transformative economic efficiency through the development and utilization of independent consensus-based standards; and requring the Commission to develop, post on its website, and periodically update independent consensus-based standards to encourage transformative economic efficiency.