# Maryland HB 0003: Higher Education - Student Financial Assistance - Dependents of State or Local Public Safety Employees (Maryland Fallen Heroes Tuition Benefits Act)

Maryland HB 0003, Higher Education - Student Financial Assistance - Dependents of State or Local Public Safety Employees (Maryland Fallen Heroes Tuition Benefits Act), is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Matthew J. Schindler (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 798); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0003-2026RS
- As of: 2026-10-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland HB 0003
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Higher Education - Student Financial Assistance - Dependents of State or Local Public Safety Employees (Maryland Fallen Heroes Tuition Benefits Act)
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-09-04
- Last action: 2026-05-26, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 798
- Sponsor: Matthew J. Schindler (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 5
- Subjects: Higher Education, Armed Forces and Uniformed Services, Correctional Officers, Death -see also- Homicide; Murder; Wrongful Death, Dependents -see also- Minors; Vulnerable Adults, Disabilities, Fire Protection, Higher Education -see also- Comm Colleges; Med Schools; etc., Higher Education Commission, Kinship -see also- Parents and Guardians, Law Enforcement -see also- SRO; Sheriffs; State Police, Public Employees -see also- State Employees, Rescue Squads -see also- Emergency Medical Serv, Residency -see also- Immigrants and Citizenship, Revenue and Taxes -see also- (specific tax), Rules and Regulations, Safety -see also- Occupational Safety, Scholarships and Student Financial Aid, Spouses, State Employees, State Universities and Colleges, Tuition, Volunteers
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 3 (309 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- In-state tuition for fallen families: benefit, high. Beginning July 1, 2026, if your spouse or parent was a State or local public safety worker who died in the line of duty, you pay in-state tuition at Maryland public colleges. This applies even if you live outside Maryland or outside the county. The law treats you like a Maryland resident for tuitio…
- State fund and yearly money for scholarships: benefit, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, the State creates a special, nonlapsing scholarship fund run by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. The Governor must include at least $4 million for this fund in each year’s budget (beginning with fiscal year 2024). The Commission splits money to colleges by formula,…
- Scholarships for fallen, disabled, and school families: mixed, high. Beginning July 1, 2026, Maryland runs two scholarship programs for uniformed service and public safety families, and for dependents of public and nonpublic school employees. Awards pay tuition and required fees, with at least $3,000 a year or your school’s resident tuition and fees, whichever is le…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Matthew J. Schindler (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Barry Beauchamp (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: April Miller (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Cheryl E. Pasteur (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Teresa Woorman (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Natalie Ziegler (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-13 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 136 | 0 | 3 |
| 2026-04-10 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 38 | 0 | 6 |
| 2026-02-12 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 135 | 0 |   |

## Actions (16)

- 2026-05-26: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 798
- 2026-04-13: Passed Enrolled (House)
- 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (136-0) (House)
- 2026-04-13: House Concurs Senate Amendments (House)
- 2026-04-10: Third Reading Passed (38-0) (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Favorable with Amendments {743827/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Third Reading Passed (135-0) (House)
- 2026-02-10: Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2026-02-10: Favorable Adopted (House)
- 2026-02-09: Favorable Report by Appropriations (House)
- 2026-01-28: Hearing 2/03 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-01-14: First Reading Appropriations (House)
- 2025-09-04: Pre-filed (House)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-05-26: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_798_hb0003e.pdf)
- Enrolled, 2026-04-13: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0003e.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-02-10: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0003t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-01-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0003f.pdf)

## Related bills

- SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - Authorization (became law)
- SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishment (became law)
- SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law)
- SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-1 Specialists Act) (became law)
- SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits (became law)
- HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law)

## Sources
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_798_hb0003e.pdf)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0003e.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0003t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0003f.pdf)

## Related
- [SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - A…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0496-2026RS)
- [SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishm…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0366-2026RS)
- [SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0244-2026RS)
- [SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0148-2026RS)
- [SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0016-2026RS)
- [HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0529-2026RS)
- [Maryland bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland/bills)
- [Maryland state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0003-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).