State Personnel - Collective Bargaining - Graduate Assistants
HB 141 grants collective bargaining rights to graduate assistants at Maryland's public universities (including the University System of Maryland, Morgan State University, and St. Mary’s College of Maryland). It directly affects graduate students working as teaching, research, or administrative assistants in these institutions by creating a separate bargaining unit for them. The bill amends state law to explicitly include graduate assistants in eligible bargaining units, allowing them to negotiate wages, work conditions, and benefits as a distinct group. This change takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies to all graduate assistants not previously excluded under the law.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jul 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
Apr 2026
Signed into Law
May 2026
Introduced Jul 23, 2025
Signed May 26, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons
What changed between versions
Third - State Personnel - Collective Bargaining - Graduate Assistants
→
Enrolled - State Personnel - Collective Bargaining - Graduate Assistants
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1 edit
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May 26, 2026
MINOR
The bill was finalized and enrolled, moving from a draft stage to an official state law. The most significant substantive change is the addition of the University of Maryland, College Park and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County to the list of institutions where graduate assistants are eligible for collective bargaining rights. Previously, the bill only covered the University System of Maryland Office, Morgan State University, and St. Mary's College of Maryland. No other policy changes, such as funding amounts or new definitions, were identified in this text.
Scope change
The bill's scope was expanded to include graduate assistants at the University of Maryland, College Park and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, whereas it previously applied only to the University System of Maryland Office, Morgan State University, and St. Mary's College of Maryland.
SCOPE
Added the University of Maryland, College Park and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County to the list of institutions covered by the collective bargaining rights for graduate assistants.
Floor votes · Senate Mar 27, 2026 · House of Delegates Apr 2, 2026
How they voted
33–11
Passed · 5 other
Total votes 49
Mar 27, 2026
D
Democratic36
86% Yea
R
Republican13
84% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
25
Key actions
15
Committee
10
Amendments
2
May 26, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 774
executive
Apr 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed Enrolled
lower
Apr 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Third Reading Passed
lower
Apr 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Conference Committee Report {
lower
Apr 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate Conference Committee Appointed (Senators Kramer, Beidle and Hershey)
upper
Apr 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
House Conference Committee Appointed (Delegates Wells, Barnes and Solomon)
upper
Apr 13, 2026
Introduced
House Refuses Concur Senate Amendments
upper
Apr 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
House Conference Committee Appointed (Delegates Wells, Barnes and Solomon)
lower
Apr 11, 2026
Introduced
House Refuses Concur Senate Amendments
lower
Apr 9, 2026
Upper · Passed
Third Reading Passed
upper
Apr 9, 2026
Upper · Passed
Favorable with Amendments {
upper
Apr 9, 2026
Upper · Passed
Favorable with Amendments Report by Finance
upper
Apr 2, 2026
House Of Delegates · Passed
House of Delegates Vote: pass (96-35-11)
house of delegates
Mar 27, 2026
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (33-11-5)
senate
Mar 19, 2026
Committee
Referred Finance
upper
Mar 18, 2026
Lower · Passed
Third Reading Passed
lower
Mar 17, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed
lower
Mar 16, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable Report by Government, Labor, and Elections
lower
Jan 14, 2026
Committee
First Reading Government, Labor, and Elections and Appropriations
lower
Jul 23, 2025
Introduced
Pre-filed
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Linda Foley
DDemocratic
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