EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0840*
HOUSE BILL 840
F2 5lr2615
SB 741/24 – EEE CF SB 511
By: Delegates McCaskill, Addison, Hill, Kaiser, McComas, Palakovich Carr, Ruth,
Tomlinson, and Woods
Introduced and read first time: January 29, 2025
Assigned to: Appropriations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Senior Higher Education Institutions – Pregnant and Parenting 2
Students – Plan Requirements 3
(Pregnant and Parenting Student Support Act) 4
FOR the purpose of requiring certain public senior higher education institutions to adopt a 5
plan regarding pregnant and parenting students using certain guidelines; requiring 6
each public senior higher education institution to post the plan on the institution’s 7
website; and generally relating to pregnant and parenting students and certain 8
public senior higher education institutions. 9
BY adding to 10
Article – Education 11
Section 15–140 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 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
15–140. 18
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 19
INDICATED. 20
(2) “PREGNANT AND PARENTIN G STUDENT” MEANS A STUDENT 21
ENROLLED AT A PUBLIC SENIOR HIGHER EDUCAT ION INSTITUTION WHO : 22
2 HOUSE BILL 840
(I) IS PREGNANT; OR 1
(II) EXERCISES CARE , CUSTODY, OR CONTROL OVER A CH ILD. 2
(3) (I) “PUBLIC SENIOR HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIO N” 3
MEANS: 4
1. THE CONSTITUENT INSTITUTIONS OF THE 5
UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF MARYLAND; 6
2. MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY; AND 7
3. ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARYLAND. 8
(II) “PUBLIC SENIOR HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIO N” DOES 9
NOT INCLUDE: 10
1. THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CENTER FOR 11
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES; 12
2. THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND GLOBAL CAMPUS; 13
OR 14
3. THE UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE. 15
(B) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS THAT A LL STUDENTS AT AN 16
INSTITUTION OF HIGHE R EDUCATION IN THE STATE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR 17
GENDER, SHALL ENJOY FREEDOM FROM DISCRIM INATION OF ANY KIND , INCLUDING 18
PREGNANCY DISCRIMINA TION AS DESCRIBED IN TITLE IX OF THE EDUCATION 19
AMENDMENTS OF 1972. 20
(C) (1) EACH PUBLIC SENIOR HI GHER EDUCATION INSTI TUTION SHALL 21
ADOPT A PLAN REGARDING PREGNANT A ND PARENTING STUDENT S THAT IS 22
CONSISTENT WITH TITLE IX OF THE FEDERAL HIGHER EDUCATION ACT. 23
(2) THE PLAN REQUIRED UNDER PARAG RAPH (1) OF THIS 24
SUBSECTION SHALL INC LUDE: 25
(I) REFERRAL TO ON –CAMPUS OR OFF –CAMPUS SERVICES TO 26
ASSIST REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF OR E LIGIBILITY FOR GOVERNMENT 27
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS , INCLUDING: 28
1. THE SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION 29
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN; 30 HOUSE BILL 840 3
2. THE CHILD CARE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM; 1
3. THE MARYLAND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM; 2
4. THE MARYLAND CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE 3
PROGRAM; AND 4
5. ANY OTHER PROGRAMS , SCHOLARSHIPS , OR 5
SUBSIDIES FOR PREGNA NT AND PARENTING STU DENTS; 6
(II) THE PROVISION OF INFO RMATION ABOUT OR REF ERRALS 7
TO RESOURCES REGARDI NG ADOPTION SERVICES ; 8
(III) THE AVAILABILITY OF INSTI TUTIONAL ACCOMMODATI ONS 9
FOR PREGNANT AND PAR ENTING STUDENTS , INCLUDING PRIORITY C LASS 10
REGISTRATION AND FLE XIBLE SCHEDULING OPT IONS; AND 11
(IV) A REFERRAL NETWORK OF ON–CAMPUS AND OFF –CAMPUS 12
HEALTH CARE SERVICE PROVIDERS. 13
(D) ON OR BEFORE AUGUST 1, 2026, EACH PUBLIC SENIOR H IGHER 14
EDUCATION INSTITUTIO N SHALL POST THE PLA N ADOPTED UNDER SUBSEC TION (C) 15
OF THIS SECTION ON T HE INSTITUTION’S WEBSITE. 16
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 17
1, 2025. 18