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.
*hb0980*
HOUSE BILL 980
F2 5lr1991
CF SB 772
By: Delegate Crosby
Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2025
Assigned to: Appropriations
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 1, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Higher Education – Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship 2
Program – Eligibility 3
FOR the purpose of expanding the eligibility for the Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy 4
Memorial Scholarship Program to include certain individuals; authorizing certain 5
methods for verifying eligibility for the Program; and generally relating to the 6
Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 8
Article – Education 9
Section 18–601(c)(1) 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 12
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 13
Article – Education 14
Section 18–601(d)(2) and (f)(1) 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 17
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19
Article – Education 20
2 HOUSE BILL 980
18–601. 1
(c) (1) The program for military and public safety personnel and their eligible 2
dependents is the Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program. 3
(d) (2) To apply for a scholarship under this section, the following persons are 4
required to be a resident of Maryland at the time of application or at the time of the 5
disabling or fatal event: 6
(i) A son, daughter, stepson, stepdaughter, or the surviving spouse 7
of a member of the armed forces who: 8
1. Died as a result of military service after December 7, 1941; 9
2. Suffered a service connected 100% permanent disability 10
after December 7, 1941; or 11
3. Was declared to be a prisoner of war or missing in action, 12
if that occurred on or after January 1, 1960, as a result of the Vietnam conflict, and if the 13
child was born prior to or while the parent was a prisoner of war or missing in action; 14
(ii) A prisoner of war or missing in action, if that occurred on or after 15
January 1, 1960, as a result of the Vietnam conflict and was a resident of this State at the 16
time the person was declared to be a prisoner of war or missing in action; 17
(iii) A veteran, as defined under § 9–901 of the State Government 18
Article, who: 19
1. Suffers a service connected disability of 25% or greater; 20
and 21
2. Has exhausted or is no longer eligible for federal veterans’ 22
educational benefits; 23
(iv) A son, daughter, stepson, or stepdaughter of or the surviving 24
spouse of a victim of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; 25
(v) A son, daughter, stepson, or stepdaughter of a school employee 26
who, as a result of an act of violence: 27
1. Died in the line of duty; or 28
2. Sustained an injury in the line of duty that rendered the 29
school employee 100% disabled; [or] 30
(vi) The surviving spouse of a school employee who, as a result of an 31
act of violence: 32 HOUSE BILL 980 3
1. Died in the line of duty; or 1
2. Sustained an injury in the line of duty that rendered the 2
school employee 100% disabled; OR 3
(VII) A SON, DAUGHTER, OR STEPCHILD OR THE SURVIVING 4
SPOUSE OF A MEMBER O F THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES WHO, AS A 5
RESULT OF THE VETERA N’S DISABILITY RATING , AN APPLICANT WHO IS OR WAS 6
ELIGIBLE, AT THE TIME OF THE A PPLICATION, FOR THE CHAPTER 35 SURVIVORS’ 7
DEPENDENTS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE BENEFIT , AS DETERMINED BY THE U.S. 8
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 9
(f) (1) (I) Each postsecondary institution shall determine the eligibility of 10
persons who apply to the institution for the Edward T. Conroy Memorial Scholarship 11
Program and the Jean B. Cryor Memorial Scholarship Program. 12
(II) TO DETERMINE THE ELIG IBILITY OF PERSONS W HO APPLY 13
TO A POSTSECONDARY I NSTITUTION FOR THE EDWARD T. AND MARY A. CONROY 14
MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, AN APPLICANT MAY SUB MIT A COPY OF THE 15
APPLICANT’S CERTIFICATE OF ELI GIBILITY FOR THE CHAPTER 35 SURVIVORS’ AND 16
DEPENDENTS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE BENEFIT . 17
(III) IF AN APPLICANT IS UN ABLE TO OBTAIN A CER TIFICATE OF 18
ELIGIBILITY UNDER SU BPARAGRAPH (II) OF THIS PARAGRAPH , A SCHOOL 19
CERTIFYING OFFICIAL OR AN INSTITUTIONAL LIAISON MAY VERIFY T HAT THE 20
APPLICANT IS OR WAS ELIGIB LE FOR THE CHAPTER 35 SURVIVORS’ AND 21
DEPENDENTS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE BENEFIT . 22
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 23
1, 2025 2026. 24
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.