# Maryland HB 0297: Adult Education - High School Diploma Pathways - MDiplomaWorks Pathway

Maryland HB 0297, Adult Education - High School Diploma Pathways - MDiplomaWorks Pathway, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by no sponsor on record; status signed, last action 2026-04-28 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 169) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0297-2026RS
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland HB 0297
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Adult Education - High School Diploma Pathways - MDiplomaWorks Pathway
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-09-16
- Last action: 2026-04-28, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 169
- Sponsors: no sponsor on record
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Education - Miscellaneous, Private Sector Labor and Industry, Age -see also- Age of Maj; Children; Elderly; Inf&Tod.; etc, Certifications, Classifications and Designations, Committees and Commissions, Counties -see also- Chartered Counties; Code Counties; etc., Education -see also- ContEd; DrvEd; HigherEd; etc., Education, State Department of, Electronic Government, Industry and Manufacturing, Job Training -see also- Continuing Ed; Vocational Rehab, Labor, Department of, Pilot Programs, Private Schools -see also- Primary Schools; Secondary Sch, Publications -see also- Maryland Register; Textbooks, Public Schools -see also- Primary Schools; Secondary Sch, Reports, Residency -see also- Immigrants and Citizenship, Rules and Regulations, School Testing, Secondary Schools -see also- Private Schools; Public Sch, Students, Sunset, Work, Labor, and Employment -see also- JobTrn; Leave; etc.
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 3 (294 yes, 15 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- New adult path replaces GED exams: mixed, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, Maryland replaces the GED exam option with the MDiplomaWorks Pathway. Adults can earn a Maryland high school diploma by showing equivalency through a mix set by the Department, under regulations by the Secretary and the State Board of Education. Parts can include industry…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- (none)

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-10 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 128 | 7 | 3 |
| 2026-04-09 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 42 | 0 | 2 |
| 2026-03-13 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 124 | 8 | 4 |

## Actions (18)

- 2026-04-28: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 169
- 2026-04-10: Passed Enrolled (House)
- 2026-04-10: Third Reading Passed (128-7) (House)
- 2026-04-10: House Concurs Senate Amendments (House)
- 2026-04-09: Third Reading Passed (42-0) (Senate)
- 2026-04-08: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-04-08: Favorable with Amendments {403027/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-04-08: Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2026-03-16: Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Third Reading Passed (124-8) (House)
- 2026-03-12: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House)
- 2026-03-12: Favorable with Amendments {633825/1 Adopted (House)
- 2026-03-11: Favorable with Amendments Report by Ways and Means (House)
- 2026-02-02: Hearing 2/11 at 2:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-02-02: Hearing canceled (House)
- 2026-01-28: Hearing 2/11 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-01-14: First Reading Ways and Means (House)
- 2025-09-16: Pre-filed (House)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-04-28: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_169_hb0297e.pdf)
- Enrolled, 2026-04-10: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0297e.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-12: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0297t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-01-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0297f.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_169_hb0297e.pdf)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0297e.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0297t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0297f.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0297-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).