EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0772*
SENATE BILL 772
F2 5lr2203
CF HB 980
By: Senators Gile, Carozza, Rosapepe, Salling, Simonaire, and Waldstreicher
Introduced and read first time: January 27, 2025
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
A BILL ENTITLED
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
18–601. 21
(c) (1) The program for military and public safety personnel and their eligible 22
dependents is the Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program. 23
2 SENATE BILL 772
(d) (2) To apply for a scholarship under this section, the following persons are 1
required to be a resident of Maryland at the time of application or at the time of the 2
disabling or fatal event: 3
(i) A son, daughter, stepson, stepdaughter, or the surviving spouse 4
of a member of the armed forces who: 5
1. Died as a result of military service after December 7, 1941; 6
2. Suffered a service connected 100% permanent disability 7
after December 7, 1941; or 8
3. Was declared to be a prisoner of war or missing in action, 9
if that occurred on or after January 1, 1960, as a result of the Vietnam conflict, and if the 10
child was born prior to or while the parent was a prisoner of war or missing in action; 11
(ii) A prisoner of war or missing in action, if that occurred on or after 12
January 1, 1960, as a result of the Vietnam conflict and was a resident of this State at the 13
time the person was declared to be a prisoner of war or missing in action; 14
(iii) A veteran, as defined under § 9–901 of the State Government 15
Article, who: 16
1. Suffers a service connected disability of 25% or greater; 17
and 18
2. Has exhausted or is no longer eligible for federal veterans’ 19
educational benefits; 20
(iv) A son, daughter, stepson, or stepdaughter of or the surviving 21
spouse of a victim of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; 22
(v) A son, daughter, stepson, or stepdaughter of a school employee 23
who, as a result of an act of violence: 24
1. Died in the line of duty; or 25
2. Sustained an injury in the line of duty that rendered the 26
school employee 100% disabled; [or] 27
(vi) The surviving spouse of a school employee who, as a result of an 28
act of violence: 29
1. Died in the line of duty; or 30
2. Sustained an injury in the line of duty that rendered the 31
school employee 100% disabled; OR 32 SENATE BILL 772 3
(VII) A SON, DAUGHTER, OR STEPCHILD OR THE SURVIVING 1
SPOUSE OF A MEMBER O F THE ARMED FORCES O F THE UNITED STATES WHO, AS A 2
RESULT OF THE VETERA N’S DISABILITY RATING , IS OR WAS ELIGIBLE , AT THE TIME 3
OF THE APPLICATION , FOR THE CHAPTER 35 SURVIVORS’ DEPENDENTS’ 4
EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE BENEFIT , AS DETERMI NED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT 5
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 6
(f) (1) (I) Each postsecondary institution shall determine the eligibility of 7
persons who apply to the institution for the Edward T. Conroy Memorial Scholarship 8
Program and the Jean B. Cryor Memorial Scholarship Program. 9
(II) TO DETERMINE THE ELIG IBILITY OF PERSONS W HO APPLY 10
TO A POSTSECONDARY I NSTITUTION FOR THE EDWARD T. AND MARY A. CONROY 11
MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, AN APPLICANT MAY SUB MIT A COPY OF THE 12
APPLICANT’S CERTIFICATE OF ELI GIBILITY FOR THE CHAPTER 35 SURVIVORS’ AND 13
DEPENDENTS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE BENEFIT . 14
(III) IF AN APPLICANT IS UN ABLE TO OBTAIN A CER TIFICATE OF 15
ELIGIBILITY UNDER SU BPARAGRAPH (II) OF THIS PARAGRAPH , A SCHOOL 16
CERTIFYING OFFICIAL OR AN INSTITUTIONAL LIAISON MAY VERIFY THAT THE 17
APPLICANT IS OR WAS ELIGIBLE FOR THE CHAPTER 35 SURVIVORS’ AND 18
DEPENDENTS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE BENEFIT . 19
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 20
1, 2025. 21