# Maryland SB 0597: Higher Education - Maryland Artificial Intelligence Partnership

Maryland SB 0597, Higher Education - Maryland Artificial Intelligence Partnership, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Katie Fry Hester (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 633); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0597-2026RS
- As of: 2026-10-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland SB 0597
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Higher Education - Maryland Artificial Intelligence Partnership
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-02-05
- Last action: 2026-05-26, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 633
- Sponsor: Katie Fry Hester (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 7
- Subjects: Information Technology - Generally, Higher Education, Administrative Agencies, Artificial Intelligence -see also- Biometrics, Budget and Management, Department of, Commerce and Business -see also- ElectrComm; ForeignTr; etc., Community Colleges, Community Facilities and Services, Contracts -see also- Procurement, Cybersecurity, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Education -see also- ContEd; DrvEd; HigherEd; etc., Ethics, Higher Education -see also- Comm Colleges; Med Schools; etc., Information Technology, Department of, Job Training -see also- Continuing Ed; Vocational Rehab, Labor, Department of, Public Employees -see also- State Employees, Public Schools -see also- Primary Schools; Secondary Sch, Recruitment and Hiring, Remote Access, Reports, Revenue and Taxes -see also- (specific tax), Scholarships and Student Financial Aid, Small Business, State Universities and Colleges, Work, Labor, and Employment -see also- JobTrn; Leave; etc.
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 3 (219 yes, 2 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- AI fellowships for public college students: benefit, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, public college students can be matched with State agencies to work on AI projects. The fellowship follows the State’s AI Strategic Plan. A State agency may repurpose its funds to support fellows if the Department of Budget and Management approves. The University System consu…
- New AI help and local hubs for small businesses: benefit, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, Maryland creates an AI Partnership in the University System. It connects training, projects, and funding across State agencies, colleges, the Small Business Development Center, and workforce boards. The Partnership hires a Director and pursues federal, State, industry, and p…
- AI lab to help state agencies: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, the University System establishes an AI Incubation Lab to help State agencies build and test AI tools. The lab starts after a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Budget and Management. It may consult with the Governor’s AI Subcabinet. The Department of Informa…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Katie Fry Hester (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Dalya Attar (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Benjamin Brooks (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Brian J. Feldman (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Kevin M. Harris (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Cheryl C. Kagan (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Bryan W. Simonaire (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Ron Watson (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-13 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 129 | 2 | 9 |
| 2026-04-13 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 46 | 0 | 1 |
| 2026-03-23 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 44 | 0 |   |

## Actions (18)

- 2026-05-26: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 633
- 2026-04-13: Passed Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (46-0) (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: Senate Concurs House Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (129-2) (House)
- 2026-04-11: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House)
- 2026-04-11: Favorable with Amendments {543723/1 Adopted (House)
- 2026-04-11: Favorable with Amendments Report by Appropriations (House)
- 2026-03-26: Hearing 3/31 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-03-23: Referred Appropriations (House)
- 2026-03-23: Third Reading Passed (44-0) (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Favorable with Amendments {643822/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Motion Special Order until Later Today (Senator Feldman) Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Favorable with Amendments {643822/1 (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Hearing 3/11 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate)
- 2026-02-05: First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-05-26: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_633_sb0597e.pdf)
- Enrolled, 2026-04-13: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0597e.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-20: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0597t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-02-05: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0597f.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_633_sb0597e.pdf)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0597e.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0597t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0597f.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-SB0597-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).