# Maryland SB 0864: Higher Education - Tuition Exemption for Foster Care Recipients - Eligibility

Maryland SB 0864, Higher Education - Tuition Exemption for Foster Care Recipients - Eligibility, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Alonzo T. Washington (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 785); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0864-2026RS
- 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 0864
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Higher Education - Tuition Exemption for Foster Care Recipients - Eligibility
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-02-06
- Last action: 2026-05-26, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 785
- Sponsor: Alonzo T. Washington (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Higher Education, Age -see also- Age of Maj; Children; Elderly; Inf&Tod.; etc, Classifications and Designations, Foster Care, Higher Education -see also- Comm Colleges; Med Schools; etc., Tuition
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 2 (178 yes, 1 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Free tuition for foster and homeless students: benefit, high. Beginning July 1, 2026, foster care recipients and homeless youth do not pay tuition at Maryland public colleges. This applies even if you get scholarships or grants. You must enroll on or before your 25th birthday. You must be in a vocational, associate’s, or bachelor’s program and file for federa…
- More students count as foster care recipients: benefit, high. Beginning July 1, 2026, more people count as foster care recipients for college help. You qualify if DHS placed you in out‑of‑home care on or after your 8th birthday for at least 1 year and you were later adopted, placed in guardianship, or reunited with a parent. A younger sibling also qualifies i…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Alonzo T. Washington (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-13 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 137 | 1 | 2 |
| 2026-03-20 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 41 | 0 | 1 |

## Actions (13)

- 2026-05-26: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 785
- 2026-04-13: Returned Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (137-1) (House)
- 2026-04-09: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2026-04-09: Favorable Report by Appropriations (House)
- 2026-03-26: Hearing 3/31 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-03-21: Referred Appropriations (House)
- 2026-03-20: Third Reading Passed (41-0) (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Second Reading Passed (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Favorable Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Favorable Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Hearing 3/11 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_785_sb0864t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-19: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0864t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-02-10: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0864f.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_785_sb0864t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0864t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0864f.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-SB0864-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).