SB 597 Maryland Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Higher Education - Maryland Artificial Intelligence Partnership

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).
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
Apr 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Apr 2026
Signed into Law
May 2026
Introduced Feb 5, 2026 Signed May 26, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Third - Higher Education - Maryland Artificial Intelligence Partnership Enrolled - Higher Education - Maryland Artificial Intelligence Partnership · 2 edits · May 26, 2026
MINOR
The bill was finalized as an Enrolled Bill, meaning it has passed both legislative chambers and is ready for the Governor's signature. The text was reorganized to match the official enrolled format, removing committee and procedural history notes. The substantive policy content regarding the Maryland Artificial Intelligence Partnership and scholarship programs remains unchanged.
Scope change
The bill's scope and applicability are unchanged; the text was reorganized to reflect its final status as an enrolled bill.
TECHNICAL

Removed internal procedural notes, committee reports, and draft headers, replacing them with official Enrolled Bill formatting and proofreader signatures.

Reordered the preamble and statutory sections to align with the standard enrolled bill layout, though the legislative intent and specific legal provisions remain identical.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 27, 2026 · House of Delegates Mar 30, 2026

How they voted

480
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 49
Mar 27, 2026
D Democratic36
35 Yea 1
97% Yea
R Republican13
13 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
18
Key actions
11
Committee
6
Amendments
1
May 26, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 633
executive
Apr 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed Enrolled
upper
Apr 13, 2026
Introduced
Senate Concurs House Amendments
upper
Apr 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Third Reading Passed
lower
Apr 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments {
lower
Apr 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments Report by Appropriations
lower
Mar 30, 2026
House Of Delegates · Passed
House of Delegates Vote: pass (130-2-10)
house of delegates
Mar 27, 2026
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (48-0-1)
senate
Mar 23, 2026
Committee
Referred Appropriations
lower
Mar 23, 2026
Upper · Passed
Third Reading Passed
upper
Mar 20, 2026
Upper · Passed
Motion Special Order until Later Today (Senator Feldman) Adopted
upper
Mar 20, 2026
Upper · Passed
Favorable with Amendments {
upper
Mar 20, 2026
Upper · Passed
Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment
upper
Feb 5, 2026
Committee
First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment
upper
8 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors