SB 728 Maryland Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Higher Education - Student Financial Assistance - Alterations to Scholarship Programs

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.
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 6, 2026 Signed May 26, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Third - Higher Education - Community College Promise Scholarship Eligibility - Delmar High School Graduates Enrolled - Higher Education - Student Financial Assistance - Alterations to Scholarship Programs · 6 edits · May 26, 2026
MODERATE
The bill was formally enrolled and approved, transitioning from a draft Senate bill to an official enrolled bill ready for the Governor's signature. Substantively, the legislation expanded the Community College Promise Scholarship to include high school graduates from Delmar, Delaware who reside in Delmar, Maryland, while simultaneously introducing a new Fallen and Surviving Transportation Workers Scholarship Program to support families of workers who died on the job in Maryland's transportation sector.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded from a single scholarship eligibility update to include a completely new scholarship program for fallen and surviving transportation workers, and the geographic eligibility for the Community College Promise Scholarship was modified to include a specific cross-state exception for Delmar residents.
SCOPE

Added a new Fallen and Surviving Transportation Workers Scholarship Program to provide financial assistance to eligible recipients, including surviving spouses, children, and siblings of transportation workers who died on the job.

Renamed the Fallen Transportation Workers Scholarship Program to the Fallen and Surviving Transportation Workers Scholarship Program to reflect the inclusion of surviving workers.

DEFINITION

Defined new terms including 'Eligible Recipient', 'Fallen Transportation Worker', 'Surviving Transportation Worker', 'Fund', and 'Program' to govern the new transportation worker scholarship.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified Community College Promise Scholarship eligibility to include graduates of Delmar High School in Delmar, Delaware, provided they are residents of Delmar, Maryland.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirements for the new transportation scholarship, specifying that recipients must be at least 16 years old and accepted for admission at a postsecondary institution.

TECHNICAL

Removed draft formatting markers and committee assignment details as the bill was officially enrolled.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 21, 2026 · House of Delegates Mar 21, 2026

How they voted

450
Passed · 4 other
Total votes 49
Mar 21, 2026
D Democratic36
32 Yea 4
88% Yea
R Republican13
13 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
20
Key actions
10
Committee
6
Amendments
2
May 26, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 713
executive
Apr 9, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed Enrolled
upper
Apr 9, 2026
Upper · Passed
Third Reading Passed
upper
Apr 9, 2026
Introduced
Senate Concurs House Amendments
upper
Apr 8, 2026
Lower · Passed
Third Reading Passed with Amendments
lower
Apr 8, 2026
Introduced
Floor Amendment {
lower
Apr 7, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments {
lower
Apr 7, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments Report by Appropriations
lower
Mar 21, 2026
Committee
Referred Appropriations
lower
Mar 21, 2026
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (45-0-4)
senate
Mar 20, 2026
Upper · Passed
Third Reading Passed
upper
Mar 19, 2026
Upper · Passed
Favorable Adopted
upper
Mar 19, 2026
Upper · Passed
Favorable Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment
upper
Feb 6, 2026
Committee
First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment
upper
2 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors