Higher Education - Academic Program Approval - Objections

This bill modifies Maryland's higher education regulations by removing the requirement that a proposed new academic program must be a graduate program for the Maryland Higher Education Commission or other institutions to file objections. The change allows objections to be raised for any type of new academic program, not just graduate-level ones, based on criteria such as mission consistency, regional need, program duplication, or violations of equal educational opportunity. Directly affected parties include the Maryland Higher Education Commission, public and private nonprofit institutions of higher education, and students who may be impacted by program approvals. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026, and does not alter the existing grounds for objections, only expanding the scope of programs eligible for review.