Higher Education - Undocumented Students - Out-of-State Tuition Exemption Eligibility

This bill (SB 268) changes Maryland's rules for undocumented students seeking out-of-state tuition exemptions at public colleges and universities. It reduces the required period for which an individual or their parent/guardian must have filed Maryland income tax returns from three years to two years before the academic year they apply for the exemption. The key change modifies Section 15-106.8(b)(4) of the Maryland Education Article, requiring only two consecutive years of Maryland tax filings instead of three. This directly affects undocumented students who have lived in Maryland long enough to meet the updated tax filing requirement. The change takes effect July 1, 2025.