Higher Education - Guaranteed Access Grant Program - Applicability

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0231*

HOUSE BILL 231
F2 6lr0178
(PRE–FILED) CF SB 207
By: Chair, Appropriations Committee (By Request – Departmental – Higher
Education Commission)
Requested: September 17, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Appropriations and Government, Labor, and Elections
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 26, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Higher Education – Guaranteed Access Grant Program – Applicability 2

FOR the purpose of delaying the decentralization of the Guaranteed Access Grant Program 3
until the 2029 –2030 financial aid award year; and generally relating to the 4
Guaranteed Access Grant Program. 5

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 6
Article – Education 7
Section 18–303.4 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 10

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 11
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 12

Article – Education 13

18–303.4. 14

(a) THIS SECTION APPLIES BEGINNING WITH THE 2029–2030 FINANCIAL 15
AID AWARD YEAR. 16

2 HOUSE BILL 231

(B) (1) Beginning when financial aid information is available each year, but 1
not later than October 1 each year, the Office shall compile and certify lists for the entire 2
State that rank applicants for the Guaranteed Access Grant award by financial need. 3

(2) Regularly, the Office shall provide to each institution of higher 4
education in the State the lists compiled and certified in accordance with paragraph (1) of 5
this subsection. 6

[(b)] (C) (1) Each institution of higher education shall use the lists provided 7
by the Office in accordance with subsection [(a)] (B) of this section, and the requirements 8
under §§ 18 –303 and 18 –304 of this subtitle, to determine the applicants who shall be 9
offered a Guaranteed Access Grant award by the institution and the amount of the award. 10

(2) The institution shall send the financial aid award notification to an 11
applicant to offer the applicant a Guaranteed Access Grant award. 12

[(c)] (D) An applicant may accept the offer of a Guaranteed Access Grant award 13
from an institution of higher education. 14

[(d)] (E) (1) Each semester, each institution OF HIGHER EDUCATION shall 15
submit to the Office a list of the students who were awarded a Guaranteed Access Grant 16
for the semester and the amounts awarded. 17

(2) The Office shall reimburse each institution for the Guaranteed Access 18
Grant awards on the list submitted in accordance with paragraph (1) of this subsection. 19

[(e)] (F) (1) (i) The Office shall compile and certify lists of students who 20
previously received a Guaranteed Access Grant award and are eligible for a renewal award. 21

(ii) The Office shall provide to each instituti on of higher education 22
in the State the lists compiled and certified in accordance with subparagraph (i) of this 23
paragraph. 24

(2) (i) Each institution of higher education shall use the lists provided 25
by the Office in accordance with paragraph (1) of this subsection, and the requirements 26
under §§ 18–303 and 18–304 of this subtitle, to determine the students who shall be offered 27
a Guaranteed Access Grant renewal award by the institution. 28

(ii) The institution shall send the financial aid award notification to 29
a student to offer the student a Guaranteed Access Grant renewal award. 30

(3) The Office shall reimburse each institution OF HIGHER EDUCATION 31
for the Guaranteed Access Grant renewal awards made in accordance with paragraph (1) 32
of this subsection. 33

[(f)] (G) The Office shall adopt regulations to implement this section. 34
HOUSE BILL 231 3

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 1
1, 2026. 2

Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.