# Maryland SB 0709: Education - Purple Star Schools Program and Purple Star Colleges Program Maryland SB 0709, Education - Purple Star Schools Program and Purple Star Colleges Program, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Mary Beth Carozza (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 671) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0709-2026RS - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maryland SB 0709 - State: Maryland - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Education - Purple Star Schools Program and Purple Star Colleges Program - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-02-06 - Last action: 2026-05-26, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 671 - Sponsor: Mary Beth Carozza (Republican) - Cosponsors: 5 - Subjects: Primary and Secondary Education, Higher Education, Armed Forces and Uniformed Services, Awareness and Outreach, Classifications and Designations, Committees and Commissions, Communications -see also- ElecComm; Intergov; etc., Continuing Education, Dependents -see also- Minors; Vulnerable Adults, Education -see also- ContEd; DrvEd; HigherEd; etc., Electronic Communication, Higher Education -see also- Comm Colleges; Med Schools; etc., Higher Education Commission, Job Training -see also- Continuing Ed; Vocational Rehab, Military Families, Private Schools -see also- Primary Schools; Secondary Sch, Rules and Regulations, Spouses, Students, Veterans - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (175 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Colleges must offer military student supports: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, colleges seeking the Purple Star label must name a uniformed services liaison to help military-connected students enroll, transfer records, and access services. They must keep an easy-to-find webpage with resources on moving, enrollment, records, course planning, and counsel… - K-12 definition of military-connected students: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, the K-12 Purple Star Schools Program defines a military-connected student as a dependent of a service member or of a service member killed in the line of duty. This sets who gets extra school supports under the program. - Purple Star colleges for military students: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, Maryland runs the Purple Star Colleges Program to recognize colleges that help military-connected students. The Maryland Higher Education Commission administers the program and sets the rules. Colleges must apply and meet the rules to get the Purple Star label, and may work… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Mary Beth Carozza (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Benjamin Brooks (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Kevin M. Harris (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Johnny Ray Salling (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Bryan W. Simonaire (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Ron Watson (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-08 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 135 | 0 | 3 | | 2026-03-20 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 40 | 0 | 1 | ## Actions (15) - 2026-05-26: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 671 - 2026-04-08: Returned Passed (Senate) - 2026-04-08: Third Reading Passed (135-0) (House) - 2026-04-07: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House) - 2026-04-07: Favorable Report by Appropriations (House) - 2026-03-30: Hearing 4/02 at 1:00 p.m. (House) - 2026-03-30: Hearing canceled (House) - 2026-03-26: Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m. (House) - 2026-03-21: Referred Appropriations (House) - 2026-03-20: Third Reading Passed (40-0) (Senate) - 2026-03-19: Second Reading Passed (Senate) - 2026-03-19: Favorable Adopted (Senate) - 2026-03-18: Favorable Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate) - 2026-02-10: Hearing 3/04 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate) - 2026-02-06: First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate) ## Bill text - Enacted, 2026-05-26: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_671_sb0709t.pdf) - Third Reading, 2026-03-19: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0709t.pdf) - First Reading, 2026-02-06: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0709f.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_671_sb0709t.pdf) - [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0709t.pdf) - [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0709f.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-SB0709-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).