HB 982 Maryland House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Higher Education - Tuition Exemption for Foster Care Recipients - Eligibility

HB 982 modifies Maryland's tuition exemption program for foster care recipients by changing the eligibility age requirement. It lowers the required age from 13 to 8 for youth who were in out-of-home placement and later adopted or placed under guardianship. This change expands eligibility to include more foster youth who transitioned to permanent families after age 8. The bill affects current and future foster care recipients seeking tuition-free public college education, maintaining existing requirements like enrollment by age 25 and filing for financial aid. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 6, 2026 Last action Apr 13, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Higher Education - Tuition Exemption for Foster Care Recipients - Eligibility → Third - Higher Education - Tuition Exemption for Foster Care Recipients - Eligibility · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill was amended to add procedural status updates, such as a favorable committee report and adoption by the House, while keeping the core text of the tuition exemption law identical to the previous version. No substantive policy changes were made to the eligibility criteria, definitions, or effective dates for the foster care tuition exemption.

TECHNICAL

Added procedural metadata including a favorable committee report, House adoption status, and a second reading date.

Changed the document header from 'A BILL ENTITLED' to 'CHAPTER ______' to reflect the bill's progression in the legislative process.

Removed the original bill header and introductory text, replacing them with the updated procedural status.

ELIGIBILITY

The definitions of 'foster care recipient' and the specific requirements for tuition exemption remain exactly the same as the prior version.

TIMELINE

The effective date of July 1, 2026, remains unchanged.

Floor votes · House of Delegates Mar 24, 2026

How they voted

129–1

Passed · 12 other

Total votes 142

Mar 24, 2026

D Democratic103

94 Yea 9

91% Yea

R Republican39

35 Yea 1 Nay 3

89% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 13, 2026

Committee

Rereferred to Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

Apr 10, 2026

Committee

Referred Rules

upper

Apr 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Apr 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed

lower

Apr 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable Report by Appropriations

lower

Mar 24, 2026

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (129-1-12)

house of delegates

Feb 6, 2026

Committee

First Reading Appropriations

lower

4 primary · 0 co-sponsors