HB 864 (Maryland Workforce Apprenticeship Utilization Act) requires contractors and subcontractors on Maryland public works projects to employ a minimum percentage of qualified apprentices or journeyworkers instead of paying fees to apprenticeship programs. The bill expands this requirement to cover construction projects for the University System of Maryland and Baltimore City Community College. It repeals current provisions allowing contractors to pay fees in lieu of hiring apprentices and directs the Secretary of Labor to set an annual apprenticeship hiring percentage for each project. This policy change directly affects contractors bidding on public construction projects valued above specific thresholds, aiming to increase on-the-job training opportunities in skilled trades.
HB 1204 establishes Maryland's Education Savings Account Program, providing state-funded accounts for parents of eligible K-12 students to cover approved education expenses. Eligible students include those who attended public school for at least 100 days last year (or military-connected students), with funding set at 75% of per-pupil state/local funding for families below 500% of the federal poverty level, and 50% for others. Parents must sign agreements committing to use funds only for approved costs (like private school tuition or licensed tutoring), not double-bill insurance, and return unused funds upon graduation or withdrawal. The bill also adds a state income tax deduction for deposits into these accounts.
HB 836 prohibits Maryland county school boards from charging students or their parents/guardians any fees related to enrollment in or completion of Advanced Placement (AP) programs approved by the College Board. The bill amends Maryland law to explicitly state that county boards "may not charge" such fees for AP-based college preparatory programs. This directly affects students enrolled in AP courses and their families, removing financial barriers to these programs. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies to all county boards of education offering AP courses as part of approved college preparatory pathways.
HB 807 requires all Maryland teacher preparation programs to integrate specific training in teaching English language learners (ELLs) into their curricula. This includes adding dedicated instruction on ELL competencies - such as language development, equitable literacy opportunities, and working with linguistically diverse students - starting in the 2028-2029 academic year, along with a mandatory three-credit course focused on ELL teaching methods. The bill directly affects all undergraduate and graduate teacher preparation programs in Maryland, mandating they incorporate these competencies throughout their coursework, not just in a single course. It aims to ensure future teachers gain practical skills to support ELL students in classrooms across the state.
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.
SB 805 modifies Maryland's Student Loan Debt Relief Tax Credit program. It changes the recapture rule so individuals only repay the *unused portion* of the credit (not the full amount) if they don't use it for student loan payments within 3 years. The bill also authorizes the Maryland Higher Education Commission to extend the repayment deadline for eligible individuals facing specific delays, such as litigation over federal student loan plans or government processing issues. This directly affects Maryland residents who claimed the credit for undergraduate or graduate student loan debt and must now use it within a flexible timeframe. The bill does not alter credit limits ($9 million for 2025, $18 million annually after) or priority rules for state employees.
HB 1277 establishes the Maryland Institute for Literacy and Equity as a partnership between the University of Maryland, College Park, and Morgan State University. The bill requires the Governor to fund the Institute with $3 million in fiscal year 2028 (split between the two universities), increasing to $6 million annually starting in 2031. The Institute must conduct research, provide training for educators and literacy professionals, and offer technical assistance to school districts to improve reading instruction and outcomes - particularly for students in underserved communities. This directly affects Maryland students, school districts, and literacy professionals by creating a state-funded resource to address declining reading scores and equity gaps.
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.
HB 818 requires Maryland public colleges to cover tuition, room, board, required books, course materials, supplies, and equipment for foster care recipients and homeless youth who qualify. It defines "foster care recipient" as individuals in out-of-home placements (with specific age or guardianship criteria) and "homeless youth" as those verified under federal McKinney-Vento guidelines. To qualify, students must enroll before age 25 for a vocational certificate, associate’s, or bachelor’s degree, file for federal/state financial aid, and cannot use scholarships/grants toward covered costs. The exemption lasts until the student earns their degree or 10 years after starting their program, whichever comes first.
