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.
*hb0771*
HOUSE BILL 771
F2 4lr2278
CF SB 741
By: Delegate Henson
Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2024
Assigned to: Ways and Means
Reassigned: Appropriations, February 2, 2024
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 5, 2024
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Senior Higher Education Institutions – Pregnant and Parenting 2
Students – Policy Plan Requirements 3
(Pregnant and Parenting Support Act) 4
FOR the purpose of requiring each certain public senior higher education institution 5
institutions to adopt a policy plan regarding pregnant and parenting students using 6
certain guidelines; requiring each public senior higher education institution to post 7
the policy plan on the institution’s website; and generally relating to pregnant and 8
parenting students and certain public senior higher education institutions. 9
BY adding to 10
Article – Education 11
Section 15–138 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
Article – Education 17
15–138. 18
2 HOUSE BILL 771
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 1
INDICATED. 2
(2) “PREGNANT AND PARENTIN G STUDENT ” MEANS A STUDENT 3
ENROLLED AT A PUBLIC SENIOR HIGHER EDUCAT ION INSTITUTION WHO : 4
(I) IS PREGNANT; OR 5
(II) EXERCISES CARE , CUSTODY, OR CONTROL OVER A CH ILD. 6
(3) (I) “PUBLIC SENIOR HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIO N” HAS 7
THE MEANING STATED IN § 15–136 OF THIS SUBTITLE MEANS: 8
1. THE CONSTITUENT INSTI TUTIONS OF THE 9
UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF MARYLAND; 10
2. MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY; AND 11
3. ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND. 12
(II) “PUBLIC SENIOR HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIO N” DOES 13
NOT INCLUDE: 14
1. THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CENTER FOR 15
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES; 16
2. THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND GLOBAL CAMPUS; 17
OR 18
3. THE UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE. 19
(B) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS THAT A LL STUDENTS AT AN 20
INSTITUTION OF HIGHE R EDUCATION IN THE STATE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR 21
GENDER, SHALL ENJOY FREEDOM FROM DISCRIMINATION OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING 22
PREGNANCY DISCRIMINA TION AS DESCRIBED IN TITLE IX OF THE EDUCATION 23
AMENDMENTS OF 1972. 24
(C) (1) EACH PUBLIC SENIOR HI GHER EDUCATION INSTI TUTION SHALL 25
ADOPT A POLICY PLAN REGARDING PREGNANT A ND PARENTING STUDENT S THAT IS 26
CONSISTENT WITH TITLE IX OF THE FEDERAL HIGHER EDUCATION ACT. 27
(2) THE POLICY PLAN REQUIRED UNDER PARAG RAPH (1) OF THIS 28
SUBSECTION SHALL INC LUDE: 29
HOUSE BILL 771 3
(I) REFERRAL TO ON –CAMPUS OR OFF –CAMPUS SERVICES TO 1
ASSIST REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF OR E LIGIBILITY FOR GOVER NMENT 2
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS , INCLUDING: 3
1. THE SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION 4
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN; 5
2. THE CHILD CARE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM; 6
3. THE MARYLAND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM; 7
4. THE MARYLAND CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE 8
PROGRAM; AND 9
5. ANY OTHER PROGRAMS , SCHOLARSHIPS , OR 10
SUBSIDIES FOR PREGNA NT AND PARENTING STU DENTS; 11
(II) THE PROVISION OF INFO RMATION ABOUT OR REF ERRALS 12
TO RESOURCES REGARDI NG ADOPTION SERVICES ; 13
(III) THE AVAILABILITY OF I NSTITUTIONAL AC COMMODATIONS 14
FOR PREGNANT AND PAR ENTING STUDENTS , INCLUDING PRIORITY C LASS 15
REGISTRATION AND FLE XIBLE SCHEDULING OPT IONS; AND 16
(IV) A REFERRAL NETWORK OF ON–CAMPUS AND OFF –CAMPUS 17
HEALTH CARE SERVICE PROVIDERS. 18
(D) ON OR BEFORE AUGUST 1, 2025, EACH PUBLIC SENIOR H IGHER 19
EDUCATION INSTITUTIO N SHALL POST THE POLICY PLAN ADOPTED UNDER 20
SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION ON T HE INSTITUTION’S WEBSITE. 21
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 22
1, 2024. 23
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.