MarylandHB 06002025 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Educational Equality for Service Members Act

Sponsored By: Edith J. Patterson (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

Education - MiscellaneousState Government - Agencies, Offices, and OfficialsArmed Forces -see also- Military Department; VeteransCertificationsCommunity CollegesEducation -see also- ContEd; DrvEd; HigherEd; etc.FormsHigher Education -see also- Comm Colleges; Med Schools; etc.Licenses -see also- AB Lic; Certifications; DrLic; PermitsMilitary FamiliesRules and RegulationsSafety -see also- Occupational SafetyScholarships and Student Financial AidVeterans

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

12 provisions identified: 11 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Broader conflict scholarships for military families

The Afghanistan and Iraq conflict scholarship covers qualifying veterans, active service members, activated reservists, and specified children, stepchildren, and spouses. Applicants must live in Maryland and be accepted or enrolled in an eligible undergraduate or two-year terminal certificate program. Service must meet the program's conflict-date and activation requirements. The scholarship can supplement federal education benefits, and receiving federal benefits is not required.

Broader Conroy scholarships for service families

The Conroy Memorial Scholarship covers qualifying uniformed-services personnel and dependents, alongside other eligible groups. Covered groups include children, including stepchildren, and surviving spouses of members who died from military service after December 7, 1941. Eligibility also includes qualifying Vietnam-era prisoner-of-war or missing-in-action cases after January 1, 1960. Veterans with service-connected disabilities of at least 25% must have exhausted, or no longer qualify for, federal veterans' education benefits. Other categories cover eligible children and spouses of September 11 victims and school employees killed or 100% disabled in the line of duty. Applicants must be Maryland residents when applying or when the qualifying death or disability occurred.

Lower college tuition for military families

Eligible military families and veterans are exempt from nonresident tuition at Maryland public colleges. Active service members must meet Maryland stationing, residence, or legal-home requirements. Spouses and financially dependent children must document enrollment or acceptance while the member met that Maryland connection. Veterans need an honorable discharge and Maryland residence or legal home. Maryland National Guard members qualify through specified critical military job skills or Air Force specialty codes.

Easier school moves for military children

School-age natural, step, adopted, or financially dependent children of active service members relocating on official orders can apply before establishing county residence. Families must provide dependency records, relocation orders, and allowed county housing proof within 10 days of the published arrival date. The State Board must pursue interstate school-transfer agreements, but no particular transfer outcome is guaranteed. A parent's or guardian's active-duty assignment counts as a serious family hardship under the covered school rules. Purple Star coverage includes active-duty and reserve members' dependents and qualifying children of members killed on duty; participating schools must name liaisons to help with orders-based transfers.

Faster teacher licensing for military households

Maryland must speed educator license applications for active service members, eligible veterans, and eligible spouses, including certain surviving spouses. Veterans must have been discharged within one year before applying. Applicants need a valid out-of-state educator license in good standing, must meet applicable qualifications, and must pay the license fee. A local school system can request a temporary license while an applicant completes additional Maryland requirements.

Military training counts for emergency credentials

Maryland's Emergency Medical Services Board must count active service members' relevant work experience toward licensing or certification requirements. It must also credit military training or education that it finds substantially equivalent to required training. That credit must be consistent with other licensing requirements.

More education time during military duty

Qualified prepaid college beneficiaries get extra time to use contract benefits equal to time spent on active uniformed-services duty. Maryland's student aid office must also defer covered service obligations for active service members assigned outside Maryland and their spouses. This includes the obligation under Education Article § 18-708 and follows applicable Commission rules. A deferment delays the obligation; it does not cancel it.

Military scholarships travel, with award limits

Active service members whose legal home is Maryland can use Subtitle 5 scholarships at accredited schools outside Maryland. Eligible schools include undergraduate, graduate, and professional institutions. For senatorial scholarships, Maryland legal-home status also provides an eligibility path for active service members attending out-of-state schools. A senator's total out-of-state awards cannot exceed 10% of available scholarship funds. Neither pathway guarantees an award.

Broader service definitions guide benefit access

Beginning July 1, 2025, Maryland standardizes service-member and military-family definitions, using federal meanings for uniformed services and reserve components. Active service includes reservists on active-duty orders; military families include spouses and dependent children related by blood, marriage, or adoption. Covered state veteran programs use the definition in State Government Article § 9-901, with veteran status tied to federal law. The education-benefit definition in Education Article § 15-124 includes active service members and veterans with honorable discharges or satisfactory-service certificates. These definitions guide access; each program's own eligibility requirements still apply.

Program access for recently discharged graduates

A program's discharge category includes applicants honorably discharged from the uniformed services or reserves within 18 months before applying. Applicants must also live in Maryland and have graduated from a public or private nonprofit college. The provided text does not name the program or state its benefit amount.

Disability employee status covers military discharges

The qualified-employee-with-a-disability definition includes people discharged or released from active uniformed-services duty because of a service-connected disability. Maryland's Department of Labor makes that determination in consultation with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The provided text does not identify the specific benefits that follow from this status.

Return-to-work protections for school employees

Maryland county school boards must follow the state's employee return-from-uniformed-service requirements. Covered school employees returning from service receive those job protections.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Edith J. Patterson
Democratic • House

Cosponsors

Gabriel Acevero
Democratic • House
Nick Allen
Democratic • House
Attar
Affiliation unavailable
Jason C. Buckel
Republican • House
Jon S. Cardin
Democratic • House
Michele Guyton
Democratic • House
Harris
Affiliation unavailable
Susan K. McComas
Republican • House
Cheryl E. Pasteur
Democratic • House
N. Scott Phillips
Democratic • House
Andrew C. Pruski
Democratic • House
April Rose
Republican • House
Deni Taveras
Democratic • House
Nicole A. Williams
Democratic • House
Greg Wims
Democratic • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 183 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/3/2025

Third Reading Passed

Yes: 46 • No: 0 • Other: 1

House vote • 3/17/2025