SB 709 creates Maryland's Purple Star Colleges Program to recognize institutions of higher education that provide strong support for military-connected students. The bill updates the definition of "military-connected student" to include service members, veterans, and their spouses/dependents, and establishes specific requirements for colleges seeking designation. To qualify, colleges must designate a uniformed services liaison, maintain a dedicated webpage with transition resources, offer student-led transition programs, and provide staff training on military-connected student needs. Administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, this program complements the existing Purple Star Schools Program and directly affects colleges and military-connected students statewide.
This bill establishes Maryland's framework for implementing the federal Workforce Pell Grant Program. It requires the Governor, after consulting with workforce and education entities, to approve short-term education programs (150-600 hours, 8-15 weeks) that align with high-skill occupations and employer hiring needs. Approved programs must offer stackable credentials, provide academic credit transferability toward further education, and prepare students for in-demand careers. Institutions cannot disburse funds or advertise these programs to Maryland students without state approval, with biennial compliance reviews mandated for ongoing eligibility.
SB 597 establishes the Maryland Artificial Intelligence Partnership within the University System of Maryland to serve as a central hub for coordinating AI initiatives across the state. It creates an Artificial Intelligence Incubation Lab to help state agencies adopt AI responsibly, and redesignates the Cybersecurity Public Service Scholarship Program as the Emerging Technology Public Service Scholarship Program to include AI training. The bill also requires Morgan State University's Center for Equitable AI to support state agencies with AI research. These changes directly affect Maryland public university students (through expanded scholarship eligibility), state agencies (via lab support), and the University System of Maryland (as host for the Partnership and Lab).
SB 529 establishes the Southern Maryland Early College Teacher Pathway Program to help high school students in Southern Maryland begin teacher preparation while still in high school. The program allows eligible students (particularly historically underrepresented and rural students) to earn college credits through dual enrollment at no cost for tuition or mandatory fees. It requires the University System of Maryland, in consultation with the State Department of Education and Higher Education Commission, to develop the program and a teacher preparation pathway. The bill also creates a workgroup with members appointed by the Governor, Senate President, and House Speaker to design the program. This aims to address teacher shortages in Southern Maryland by building a diverse, local educator pipeline.
SB 864 changes Maryland's eligibility rules for a tuition exemption at public colleges and universities for individuals who were in foster care. It lowers the required age for qualifying foster care placement from 13 to 8 years old, meaning youth must have been in out-of-home placement since age 8 (or older) and later placed in guardianship, adoption, or reunification with a parent. The bill modifies existing law (Section 15-106.1) to adjust the definition of "foster care recipient" for this benefit. The exemption remains available for those enrolled in eligible programs by age 25, who apply for financial aid, and who meet the revised placement timeline.
SB 728 amends Maryland's Community College Promise Scholarship eligibility to include graduates of Delmar High School in Delmar, Delaware, who reside in Delmar, Maryland. The bill adds a new eligibility criterion requiring applicants to have graduated from Delmar High School (Delaware) and to be Maryland residents of Delmar. This change applies to students pursuing vocational certificates, certificates, associate's degrees, or registered apprenticeships at eligible Maryland community colleges. The amendment takes effect July 1, 2026, expanding existing scholarship access for this specific group without altering other program requirements.
HB 854 establishes a state grant program to fund renovations and improvements at eligible nonpublic special education schools in Maryland. The program provides grants for classroom renovations, safety upgrades to residential facilities, health/safety accessibility work, infrastructure modernization, and new construction to meet state standards. Eligible schools must operate with a licensed residential treatment center, offer an approved curriculum (high school credits or K-8 programs), and serve students placed through state education programs. The Interagency Commission on School Construction will administer the program, with funding proposed annually in the state budget.
HB 1530 repeals a requirement that undocumented students (or their parents/guardians) must file Maryland income tax returns annually for three years to qualify for in-state tuition rates at public colleges. The bill directly affects undocumented students who attended Maryland high schools and meet other existing criteria (graduation from a Maryland school, applying within six years). Instead of tax filings, students must now submit an affidavit committing to apply for permanent residency within 30 days of eligibility, plus proof of Selective Service compliance if required. The bill maintains other eligibility conditions like Maryland high school attendance but removes the tax documentation burden, aiming to simplify access to in-state tuition rates.
HB 1075 expands eligibility for Maryland's Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program to include students at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) enrolled in four specific degree programs: Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies, Doctor of Pharmacy, Doctor of Physical Therapy, and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. This change directly affects UMES students in these fields who previously could not qualify for the scholarship. The bill amends the existing law by adding UMES to the list of eligible institutions under the program's criteria, which requires applicants to be Maryland residents attending approved institutions in designated health-related fields. The policy change takes effect July 1, 2026, allowing UMES students to access this financial aid for the first time.
HB 1430 requires Maryland's Interagency Commission on School Construction to distribute funds directly to public charter schools for maintaining and operating their facilities, bypassing local governments. It mandates that starting in fiscal year 2028, the state must appropriate $1,600 per enrolled student from the previous fiscal year for these facilities. The bill applies to all public charter schools occupying facilities used for K-12 education, including those that own or lease their buildings. This establishes a fixed per-student funding formula for facility costs, effective July 1, 2026.
