EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0598*
HOUSE BILL 598
F2 2lr1834
CF SB 540
By: Delegate Solomon
Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2022
Assigned to: Appropriations
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 2, 2022
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Higher Education – Transfer Platform – Established 2
(Transfer With Success Act 2.0) 3
FOR the purpose of requiring each community college and certain 4–year institution 4
institutions of higher education that receives receive State funds to participate in a 5
transfer platform that the Maryland Higher Education Commission establishes to 6
facilitate the transfer of students from community colleges to 4–year institutions of 7
higher education; adding a certain requirement to certain transfer procedures 8
established by the Commission; altering a certain report that must be submitted by 9
public institutions of higher education; and generally relating to the transfer of 10
credits from community colleges to 4–year between institutions of higher education. 11
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
Article – Education 13
Section 11–207 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 16
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18
Article – Education 19
11–207. 20
2 HOUSE BILL 598
(a) The Commission shall: 1
(1) Establish procedures for transfer of students between the public 2
segments of postsecondary education; 3
(2) Recommend cooperative programs among segments of postsecondary 4
education to assure appropriate flexibility in the higher education system; and 5
(3) In conjunction with the governing boards, establish standards for 6
articulation agreements. 7
(b) The procedures established under subsection (a) of this section shall require: 8
(1) A RECEIVING INSTITUTIO N TO APPROVE THE TRA NSFER OF A 9
CREDIT OR COURSE FRO M A SENDING INSTITUT ION IF AT LEAST 70% OF THE 10
LEARNING OUTCOMES OF THE CREDIT OR COURSE ARE EQUIVALENT ; 11
(1) (2) A receiving institution that denies the transfer of a credit or course 12
to an enrolled student to notify the transfer coordinator or institutional designee of the 13
sending institution and the enrolled student about the denial within a time period that the 14
Commission determines to be the latest possible time for the notification and specify the 15
rationale for the denial; 16
(2) (3) The transfer coordinator or institutional designee of the sending 17
institution, after receiving notice of a denial of the transfer of a credit or course, in 18
conjunction with the receiving institution’s designee, to conduct a review within a time 19
period the Commission determines to be appropriate; and 20
(3) (4) (I) Each public institution of higher education to submit an 21
annual report to the Commission listing any denials of the transfer of a credit or course and 22
the reasons for the denials. 23
(II) IF A PUBLIC INSTITUTI ON OF HIGHER EDUCATI ON DOES 24
NOT HONOR THE INFORM ATION IN THE TRANSFE R PLATFORM ESTABLISH ED UNDER 25
SUBSECTION (G) OF THIS SECTION, THE INSTITUTION SHAL L REPORT THE FAILURE 26
TO HONOR INFORMATION IN THE PLATFORM AS A DENIAL OF TRANSFER C REDIT ON 27
THE ANNUAL REPORT SU BMITTED UNDER SUBPAR AGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH . 28
(c) The Commission, in collaboration with the public institutions of higher 29
education, shall develop and implement a statewide transfer agreement whereby at least 30
60 credits of general education, elective, and major courses that a student earns at any 31
community college in the State toward an associate of arts or associate of science degree 32
shall be transferable to any public senior higher education institution in the State for credit 33
toward a bachelor’s degree by July 1, 2016. 34
HOUSE BILL 598 3
(d) The Commission, in collaboration with the public institutions of higher 1
education, shall develop and implement a statewide reverse transfer agreement whereby 2
at least 30 credits that a student earns at any public senior higher education institution in 3
the State toward a bachelor’s degree are transferable to any community college in the State 4
for credit toward an associate’s degree by July 1, 2016. 5
(e) The Commission and each public institution of higher education shall develop 6
and implement incentives for students to obtain an associate’s degree before enrolling in a 7
public senior institution of higher education. 8
(f) The Commission may recommend procedures and guidelines for consideration 9
by the governing boards of institutions of postsecondary education on: 10
(1) Improvement and coordination of student financial assistance 11
programs; and 12
(2) Other subjects of general interest and concern to the higher education 13
community in the State. 14
(G) (1) (I) EACH SUBJECT TO SUBPARAGRA PH (II) OF THIS 15
PARAGRAPH , EACH COMMUNITY COLLEGE AN D 4–YEAR INSTITUTION OF HIGHER 16
EDUCATION THAT RECEI VES STATE FUNDS SHALL PAR TICIPATE IN THE TRAN SFER 17
PLATFORM ESTABLISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH T HIS SUBSECTION . 18
(II) A NONPUBLIC INSTITUTIO N OF HIGHER EDUCATIO N IN THE 19
STATE SHALL PARTI CIPATE IN THE TRANSF ER PLATFORM ESTABLIS HED IN 20
ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SUBSECTION IF THE NO NPUBLIC INSTITUTION HAS A 21
TOTAL OF AT LEAST 50 STUDENTS WHO TRANSFE R: 22
1. TO THE NONPUBLIC INST ITUTION FROM A PUBLI C 23
INSTITUTION OF HIGHE R EDUCATION IN THE STATE; OR 24
2. FROM THE NONPUBLIC IN STITUTION TO A PUBLI C 25
INSTITUTION OF HIGHE R EDUCATION IN THE STATE. 26
(2) (I) THE COMMISSION SHALL ESTA BLISH A TRANSFER 27
PLATFORM TO FACILITA TE THE TRANSFER OF S TUDENTS FROM COMMUNI TY 28
COLLEGES TO 4–YEAR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE STATE. 29
(II) IF SUBJECT TO SUBPARAGRA PH (III) OF THIS PARAGRAPH , 30
IF THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF MARYLAND HAS A SIMILA R TRANSFER PLATFORM , 31
THE COMMISSION SHALL DELE GATE THE DESIGN OR E STABLISHMENT OF THE 32
PLATFORM TO THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF MARYLAND. 33
4 HOUSE BILL 598
(III) IF THE DESIGN AND EST ABLISHMENT OF THE TR ANSFER 1
PLATFORM IS DELEGATE D TO THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF MARYLAND: 2
1. THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF MARYLAND SHALL 3
ADHERE TO THE REQUIR EMENTS FOR THE TRANS FER PLATFORM UNDER T HIS 4
PARAGRAPH ; AND 5
2. THE COMMISSION SHALL RETA IN: 6
A. ENFORCEMENT CONTROL O F THE TRANSFER 7
PLATFORM; AND 8
B. ACCESS TO ALL DATA IN THE TRANSFER PLATFORM . 9
(3) THE TRANSFER PLATFORM SHALL: 10
(I) ALLOW STUDENTS AND AD VISORS TO DETERMINE IF A 11
COURSE WILL TRANSFER FROM ANY COMMUNITY C OLLEGE TO ANY 4–YEAR 12
INSTITUTION OF HIGHE R EDUCATION THAT PAR TICIPATES IN THE TRA NSFER 13
PLATFORM; 14
(II) PROVIDE RECOMMENDED C OURSES TO STUDENTS FOR 15
SPECIFIC PROGRAMS OF STUDY AT 4–YEAR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION ; 16
AND 17
(III) INCLUDE A TRANSCRIPT OPTION OPTIONS FOR STUDENTS 18
THAT: 19
1. DETERMINES THE STATUS OF COURSES; 20
2. 1. COMPARES COURSES WITH RECOMMENDED 21
TRANSFER PROGRAMS ; AND AT AN INSTITUTION WI TH RECOMMENDED 22
ARTICULATION AGREEME NTS; 23
3. COMPUTES GRADE POINT AVERAGES. 24
2. ALLOWS STUDENTS TO ES TABLISH ACCOUNTS ; 25
3. ALLOWS ACCESS TO SAVE D SEARCHES FOR TRANS FER 26
PROGRAMS AND COU RSES; 27
4. PROVIDES TRANSFER PRO GRAMS FOR 28
NEAR–COMPLETERS ; 29
HOUSE BILL 598 5
5. PROVIDES REVERSE TRAN SFER ACCOUNTABILITY 1
FOR STUDENTS ; 2
6. PROVIDES ADMISSIONS R EQUIREMENTS FOR 3
INSTITUTIONS TO WHIC H STUDENTS SEEK TO T RANSFER; AND 4
7. ALLOWS ACCESS THROUGH MOBILE DEVICES . 5
(4) EACH 4–YEAR INSTITUTION OF HIGHE R EDUCATION SHALL : 6
(I) HONOR ALL INFORMATION IN THE TRANSFER PLAT FORM, 7
INCLUDING TRANSFER I NFORMATION , UNLESS AN ACADEMIC P ROGRAM NO LONGER 8
EXISTS; 9
(II) UPDATE ALL COURSE INF ORMATION IN THE TR ANSFER 10
PLATFORM WITHIN 60 DAYS OF RECEIPT OF A COURSE EVALUATION RE QUEST; 11
(III) COMPLETE ALL TRANSFER EVALUATIONS SUBMITTE D 12
THROUGH THE TRANSFER PLATFORM BEFORE REGI STERING A STUDENT FO R A 13
COURSE; AND 14
(IV) REMOVE ANY CREDITS , COURSES, OR INACCURATE 15
INFORMATION IN THE T RANSFER PLATFORM BEF ORE EACH ACADEMIC YE AR AND 16
NOT MORE THAN 60 DAYS AFTER THE ADDIT ION OR TERMINATION O F AN ACADEMIC 17
PROGRAM. 18
(5) EACH RECEIVING INSTIT UTION SHALL REVIEW A LL COURSE 19
EVALUATIONS SUBMITTE D IN THE TRANSFER PL ATFORM BY A SENDING 20
INSTITUTION AND PROV IDE DECISIONS TO THE SENDING INSTITUTION IN THE 21
TRANSFER PLATFORM . 22
(6) (I) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 AND EACH FISCAL YEAR 23
THEREAFTER , THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUD E IN THE ANNUAL BUDG ET BILL AN 24
APPROPRIATION OF $1,000,000 TO SUPPORT THE OPERATIO N OF THE TRANSFER 25
PLATFORM. 26
(II) THE COMMISSION MAY NOT CH ARGE COMMUNITY 27
COLLEGES OR 4–YEAR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION A F EE TO PARTICIPATE 28
IN THE TRANSFER PLAT FORM. 29
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 30
1, 2022. 31