# Maryland HB 1321: Child Care Scholarship Program - Application Process and Copays - Alterations

Maryland HB 1321, Child Care Scholarship Program - Application Process and Copays - Alterations, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Julie Palakovich Carr (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 595); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB1321-2026RS
- 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 1321
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Child Care Scholarship Program - Application Process and Copays - Alterations
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-02-12
- Last action: 2026-05-26, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 595
- Sponsor: Julie Palakovich Carr (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 12
- Subjects: Education - Miscellaneous, Applicants and Applications, Awareness and Outreach, Child Care, Early Childhood Education, Education, State Department of, Indigent Persons, Infants and Toddlers (0-3), Low-Income, Moderate-Income, Notices, Prices -see also- Consumer Price Index, Private Schools -see also- Primary Schools; Secondary Sch, Public Benefits -see also- Housing; MedAsst; SupplNutrAsstP, Public Schools -see also- Primary Schools; Secondary Sch, Reports, Scholarships and Student Financial Aid, Sunset, Time
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 2 (173 yes, 6 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 4

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Lower child care copays and caps: benefit, medium. The law sets clear copay rules for Child Care Scholarships. Families at or below the federal poverty line pay no copay. Above the poverty line, a sliding fee applies by income and by child, with lower fees for later children. The highest income band cannot be charged more than 7% of annual income.…
- Stable funding and regular rate reviews: benefit, medium. The Governor must fund the Child Care Scholarship Program each year at least at the higher of the 2018 or 2019 total levels. Every two years, the Department studies local child care market rates and consults stakeholders. By September 1 every two years, it reports costs to reach the 45th, 55th, 65t…
- Faster payments to child care providers: benefit, medium. After the Department gets a provider’s invoice, it must notify the Comptroller within 10 days. The Comptroller must pay the provider within 5 days after that notice. This speeds cash flow for child care businesses.
- Waitlist help, but fast track ends: mixed, medium. Presumptive eligibility is repealed, so families no longer get temporary approval right away. If enrollment is frozen, the Department must find applicants who qualify for public pre‑K, Head Start, or Early Head Start, tell them how to apply, and help on request. Before the new pre‑K enrollment syst…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Julie Palakovich Carr (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jackie Addison (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Eric Ebersole (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jessica Feldmark (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Aletheia McCaskill (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Bernice Mireku-North (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Cheryl E. Pasteur (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Edith J. Patterson (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kent Roberson (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Joe Vogel (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jheanelle K. Wilkins (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Greg Wims (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Caylin Young (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-13 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 43 | 0 | 4 |
| 2026-03-11 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 130 | 6 | 1 |

## Actions (14)

- 2026-05-26: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 595
- 2026-04-13: Returned Passed (House)
- 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (43-0) (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Second Reading Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Favorable Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Favorable Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Hearing 3/25 at 1:00 p.m. (Education, Energy, and the Environment) (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment Budget and Taxation (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Third Reading Passed (130-6) (House)
- 2026-03-10: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House)
- 2026-03-10: Favorable with Amendments {573921/1 Adopted (House)
- 2026-03-09: Favorable with Amendments Report by Ways and Means (House)
- 2026-02-13: Hearing 3/04 at 1:00 p.m. (Ways and Means) (House)
- 2026-02-12: First Reading Ways and Means and Appropriations (House)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-05-26: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_595_hb1321t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-10: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1321t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-02-12: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1321f.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_595_hb1321t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1321t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1321f.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-HB1321-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).