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*hb0006*
HOUSE BILL 6
F2 (6lr1426)
ENROLLED BILL
— Appropriations/Education, Energy, and the Environment —
Introduced by Delegate Kerr
Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this
_______ day of _______________ at ________________ ________ o’clock, ________M.
______________________________________________
Speaker.
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Institutions of Higher Education – Pregnant and Parenting Students – 2
Plan and Reporting 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Higher Education Commission to collect 4
certain data regarding the parental status of students from each public institution 5
of higher education in the State; requiring public institutions of higher education to 6
collect and report certain demographic data from students; requiring all public 7
institutions of higher education community colleges to adopt a certain plan for 8
pregnant and parenting students; altering the definition of “student data” to 9
authorize the Commission to share with the Maryland Longitudinal Data System 10
certain data regarding the parental status of certain students; and generally relating 11
to pregnant and parenting students at public institutions of higher education. 12
BY adding to 13
Article – Education 14
2 HOUSE BILL 6
Section 11–409 1
Annotated Code of Maryland 2
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 3
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 4
Article – Education 5
Section 15–140 6
Annotated Code of Maryland 7
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 8
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
Article – Education 10
Section 24–701(l) 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
Article – Education 16
11–409. 17
(A) IN THIS SECTION, “PUBLIC INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION” DOES 18
NOT INCLUDE THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND GLOBAL CAMPUS. 19
(A) (B) (1) THE COMMISSION SHALL COLLECT STUDENT–LEVEL DATA 20
FROM EACH PUBLIC INS TITUTION OF HIGHER E DUCATION IN THE STATE ON THE 21
PARENTAL STATUS OF STUDENTS ENROLLED IN EACH INSTITUTION. 22
(2) THE COMMISSION, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE PUBLIC 23
INSTITUTIONS OF HIGH ER EDUCATION, SHALL DEVELOP QUESTI ONS THAT ALLOW 24
EACH STUDENT TO IDENTIFY: 25
(I) WHETHER THE STUDENT I S A PARENT OR A LEGA L 26
GUARDIAN, ACTING AS A PARENT O R A LEGAL GUARDIAN , OR EXERCISING CARE , 27
CUSTODY, OR CONTROL OVER A CHILD OF ANY AGE; 28
(II) THE AGE OF THE CHILDREN FOR WHICH THE STUDENT HAS 29
RESPONSIBILITY; AND 30
(III) THE TYPE OF CAREGIVIN G RESPONSIBILITIES T HE 31
STUDENT PROVIDES, INCLUDING WHETHER THE STUDENT: 32
1. IS A SINGLE PARENT; OR 33
HOUSE BILL 6 3
2. SHARES PARENTAL RESPO NSIBILITIES WITH 1
SOMEONE IN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD OR A DIFFERENT HOUSEHOLD. 2
(B) (C) (1) EACH PUBLIC INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION SHALL 3
PLACE THE QUESTIONS DEVELOPED UNDER SUBSECTION (A) (B) OF THIS SECTION 4
ON ONE OR MORE FORMS THAT ARE USED BY THE INSTITUTION TO COLLE CT 5
DEMOGRAPHIC DATA FROM STUDENTS. 6
(2) EACH PUBLIC INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION SHALL MAKE 7
THE DATA COLLECTED U NDER THIS SECTION AV AILABLE TO THE COMMISSION IN 8
ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMAT DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSION UNDER 9
SUBSECTION (C) (D) OF THIS SECTION. 10
(C) (D) THE COMMISSION SHALL ADOP T REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT 11
THIS SECTION, INCLUDING: 12
(1) ESTABLISHING A COMMON FORMAT AND TIME FRAM E FOR THE 13
COLLECTION AND REPORTING OF THE DATA REQUIRED UNDER THIS SECTION; AND 14
(2) REQUIRING THE COLLECTION OF PARENTAL STATUS DATA TO BE 15
INCLUDED WITH THE COLLECTION OF OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC DATA. 16
(D) (E) INFORMATION COLLECTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH T HIS SECTION 17
IS NOT CONSIDERED TO BE A MEDICAL OR HEAL TH RECORD FOR PURPOS ES OF § 18
24–701(L) OF THIS ARTICLE. 19
(E) (F) ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1, 2027, AND EACH SEPTEMBER 1 20
THEREAFTER, THE COMMISSION SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE SENATE BUDGET 21
AND TAXATION COMMITTEE, THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, ENERGY, 22
AND THE ENVIRONMENT, AND THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, IN 23
ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THAT 24
SUMMARIZES THE DATA COLLECTED BY THE COMMISSION UNDER THIS SECTION. 25
15–140. 26
(a) [(1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 27
(2) “Pregnant] IN THIS SECTION , “PREGNANT and parenting student” 28
means a student enrolled at a public [senior higher education ] institution OF HIGHER 29
EDUCATION OR A COMMUNITY COLLEGE who: 30
[(i)] (1) Is pregnant; [or] 31
4 HOUSE BILL 6
[(ii)] (2) Exercises care, custody, or control over a child [OF ANY 1
AGE; OR 2
(3) SHARES PARENTAL RESPO NSIBILITIES WITH SOM EONE IN THE 3
SAME HOUSEHOLD OR A DIFFERENT HOUSEHOLD. 4
(3) (i) “Public senior higher education institution” means: 5
1. The constituent institutions of the University System of 6
Maryland; 7
2. Morgan State University; and 8
3. St. Mary’s College of Maryland. 9
(ii) “Public senior higher education institution” does not include: 10
1. The University of Maryland Center for Environmental 11
Studies; 12
2. The University of Maryland Global Campus; or 13
3. The University of Baltimore] OF ANY AGE; OR 14
(3) SHARES PARENTAL RESPO NSIBILITIES WITH SOM EONE IN THE 15
SAME HOUSEHOLD OR A DIFFERENT HOUSEHOLD. 16
(b) The General Assembly finds that all students at an institution of higher 17
education in the State, regardless of their gender, shall enjoy freedom from discrimination 18
of any kind, including pregnancy discrimination as described in Title IX of the Education 19
Amendments of 1972. 20
(c) (1) Each public [senior higher education ] institution OF HIGHER 21
EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY COLLEG E shall adopt a plan regarding pregnant and 22
parenting students that is consistent with Title IX of the federal Higher Education Act. 23
(2) The plan required under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall include: 24
(i) Referral to on–campus or off–campus services to assist regarding 25
the availability of or eligibility for government assistance programs, including: 26
1. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program 27
for Women, Infants, and Children; 28
2. The Child Care Scholarship Program; 29
HOUSE BILL 6 5
3. The Maryland Medical Assistance Program; 1
4. The Maryland Children’s Health Insurance Program; and 2
5. Any other programs, scholarships, or subsidies for 3
pregnant and parenting students; 4
(ii) The provision of inform ation about or referrals to resources 5
regarding adoption services; 6
(iii) The availability of institutional accommodations for pregnant 7
and parenting students; and 8
(iv) A referral network of on –campus and off –campus health care 9
service providers. 10
(d) On or before [August] OCTOBER 1, 2026, each public [senior higher 11
education] institution OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY COLLEG E shall post 12
the plan adopted under subsection (c) of this section on the institution’s website. 13
24–701. 14
(l) (1) “Student data” means data relating to or impacting student 15
performance. 16
(2) “Student data” includes: 17
(i) State and national assessments; 18
(ii) Course–taking and completion; 19
(iii) Grade point average; 20
(iv) Remediation; 21
(v) Retention; 22
(vi) Degree, diploma, or credential attainment; 23
(vii) Enrollment; 24
(viii) Demographic data; 25
(ix) Juvenile delinquency records; 26
(x) Elementary and secondary school disciplinary records; 27
6 HOUSE BILL 6
(xi) Child welfare data; 1
(xii) License, industry certificate, or vocational certificate; 2
(xiii) Personally identifiable information; [and] 3
(xiv) PARENTAL STATUS; AND 4
(XV) Student disability data by specific disability category. 5
(3) “Student data” does not include: 6
(i) Criminal and CINA records; [and] 7
(ii) Medical and health records; AND 8
(III) PREGNANCY STATUS. 9
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 10
1, 2026. 11
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.