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. *sb0967* SENATE BILL 967 F2 4lr3033 CF HB 901 By: Senators Zucker, Feldman, Augustine, Carozza, Gallion, Gile, Lewis Young, and Watson Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2024 Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee Report: Favorable Senate action: Adopted Read second time: February 28, 2024 CHAPTER ______ AN ACT concerning 1 Higher Education – Part–Time Senatorial and Delegate Scholarships – 2 Alterations 3 FOR the purpose of allowing an applicant of a part–time senatorial or delegate scholarship 4 with a documented disability to request from the Maryland Higher Education 5 Commission a waiver from the requirement to carry a certain number of semester 6 hours each semester; and generally relating to part–time senatorial and delegate 7 scholarships. 8 BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 9 Article – Education 10 Section 18–401 and 18–501(a) 11 Annotated Code of Maryland 12 (2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 13 BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 14 Article – Education 15 Section 18–406 and 18–504 16 Annotated Code of Maryland 17 (2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 18 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20 2 SENATE BILL 967 Article – Education 1 18–401. 2 There is a program of senatorial scholarships in this State that are awarded under 3 this subtitle. 4 18–406. 5 (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, each recipient of a senatorial 6 scholarship may hold the scholarship for 4 undergraduate academic years, subject to § 7 18–406.1 of this subtitle, and 4 graduate academic years if the recipient: 8 (1) Is a full–time student; 9 (2) Continues to be eligible for in–State tuition under this article; and 10 (3) Continues to be a student at the institution and takes at least 12 11 semester hours of courses as an undergraduate or 9 semester hours of courses as a graduate 12 student each semester leading to a degree. 13 (b) A recipient of an undergraduate or graduate senatorial scholarship may hold 14 the scholarship, appropriately prorated, for 8 academic years if the recipient: 15 (1) Is a part–time student; 16 (2) Continues to be eligible for in–State tuition under this article; and 17 (3) Continues to be a student at the institution and takes at least 6 18 semester hours of courses each semester leading to a degree. 19 (c) Any recipient of a senatorial scholarship may use up to one–half of the yearly 20 award for summer school. 21 (d) A recipient of a senatorial scholarship who is enrolled in a terminal certificate 22 program as provided in § 18–402(a)(1) of this subtitle may hold the scholarship for 2 years 23 if the recipient is a full–time student and otherwise meets the conditions of subsection (a) 24 of this section, or may hold the scholarship for 4 years if the recipient is a part–time student 25 and otherwise meets the conditions of subsection (b) of this section. 26 (e) A recipient of a senatorial scholarship who is currently enrolled, or was 27 enrolled within the last 2 years, in a certificate or license program, course, or sequence of 28 courses at a community college that leads to certification or licensure, as provided in § 29 18–402(a)(3) of this subtitle, may use the scholarship to reimburse educational expenses as 30 defined by the Office under § 18–405(b)(2) of this subtitle. 31 SENATE BILL 967 3 (f) Each recipient of a senatorial scholarship who is enrolled in a private 1 postsecondary proprietary institution that is accredited by a national accrediting 2 association approved by the United States Department of Education: 3 (1) May hold the scholarship for the completion of one program if the 4 student otherwise meets the conditions of subsection (a)(1) and (2) of this section; and 5 (2) Shall complete the program within the length of time prescribed by the 6 institution for the completion of the program. 7 (g) A recipient of a senatorial scholarship who is an individual who is on active 8 duty with the United States military and otherwise meets the conditions of subsection (a) 9 or (b) of this section may be domiciled in this State rather than eligible for in–State tuition 10 under this article. 11 (H) ON REQUEST FROM AN AP PLICANT OF THE SCHOL ARSHIP WITH A 12 DOCUMENTED DISABILIT Y, THE MARYLAND HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION MAY 13 WAIVE THE REQUIREMEN T IN SUBSECTION (B)(3) OF THIS SECTION. 14 18–501. 15 (a) There is a program of Delegate Scholarships in this State that are awarded 16 under this subtitle. 17 18–504. 18 (a) A Delegate may award two part–time scholarships for each full–time 19 scholarship available. 20 (b) A part–time scholarship may not be for more than twice as many years as a 21 full–time scholarship. 22 (c) Each recipient of a part–time scholarship shall carry at least 6 semester hours 23 of courses each semester in a program leading to a degree. 24 (D) ON REQUEST FROM AN AP PLICANT OF THE SCHOL ARSHIP WITH A 25 DOCUMENTED DISABILIT Y, THE MARYLAND HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION MAY 26 WAIVE THE REQUIREMEN T IN SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION. 27 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 28 1, 2024. 29