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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.
*hb0623*
HOUSE BILL 623
F1, F2 6lr2449
CF SB 709
By: Delegates Patterson, Allen, Arentz, Bagnall, Behler, Boafo, Buckel, Coley,
Crutchfield, Fair, Feldmark , Griffith, Hartman, Healey, Holmes,
Hornberger, Howard, Ivey, A. Johnson, S. Johnson, A. Jones, Kaufman,
J. Long, McComas, Miller, T. Morgan, Odom, Pasteur, Pruski, Queen, Reilly,
Roberts, Rogers, Rose, Sample –Hughes, Schmidt, Simmons, Simpson,
Spiegel, Stinnett, Taveras, Taylor, Turner, Wims, Wolek, and Woods
Introduced and read first time: January 30, 2026
Assigned to: Appropriations
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 18, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Education – Purple Star Schools Program and Purple Star Colleges Program 2
FOR the purpose of altering the definition of “military–connected student” under the Purple 3
Star Schools Program to conform with certain terms defined under State law; 4
establishing the Purple Star Colleges Program to recognize certain colleges that 5
provide strong services and support for military –connected students; and generally 6
relating to the establishment of the Purple Star Colleges Program. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Education 9
Section 7–129(a) 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 13
Article – Education 14
Section 10–101(a), (c), and (h) through (j) 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 17
2 HOUSE BILL 623
BY adding to 1
Article – Education 2
Section 11–2001 through 11–2003 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 20. Purple 3
Star Colleges Program” 4
Annotated Code of Maryland 5
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 6
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 7
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 8
Article – Education 9
7–129. 10
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 11
(2) “Military–connected student” means a student who is a dependent of: 12
(i) [An active duty uniformed services member; 13
(ii) A member of a reserve component] A SERVICE MEMBER; or 14
[(iii)] (II) A SERVICE member [described in item (i) or (ii) of this 15
paragraph] who was killed in the line of duty. 16
(3) “Program” means the Purple Star Schools Program. 17
10–101. 18
(a) In this division the following words have the meanings indicated. 19
(c) “Commission” means the Maryland Higher Education Commission. 20
(h) (1) “Institution of higher education” means an institution of postsecondary 21
education that generally limits enrollment to graduates of secondary schools, and awards 22
degrees at either the associate, baccalaureate, or graduate level. 23
(2) “Institution of higher education” includes public, private nonprofit, and 24
for–profit institutions of higher education. 25
(i) (1) “Institution of postsecondary education” means a school or other 26
institution that offers an educational program in the State for individuals who are at least 27
16 years old and who have graduated from or left elementary or secondary school. 28
(2) “Institution of postsecondary education” does not include: 29
HOUSE BILL 623 3
(i) Any adult education, evening high school, or high school 1
equivalence program conducted by a public school system of the State; or 2
(ii) Any apprenticeship or on –the–job training program subject to 3
approval by the Apprenticeship and Training Council. 4
(j) “Private career school” means a privately owned and privately operated 5
institution of postsecondary education other than an institution of higher education that 6
furnishes or offers to furnish programs, whether or not requiring a payment of tuition or 7
fee, for the purpose of training, retraining, or upgrading individuals for gainful employment 8
as skilled or semiskilled workers or technicians in recognized occupations or in new and 9
emerging occupations. 10
SUBTITLE 20. PURPLE STAR COLLEGES PROGRAM. 11
11–2001. 12
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 13
INDICATED. 14
(B) “COLLEGE” MEANS: 15
(1) AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION; OR 16
(2) A PRIVATE CAREER SCHOOL. 17
(C) “MILITARY–CONNECTED STUDENT” MEANS A STUDENT WHO IS: 18
(1) A SERVICE MEMBER; 19
(2) A VETERAN; OR 20
(3) A SPOUSE OR DEPENDENT OF AN INDIVIDUAL DESCRIBED IN ITEM 21
(1) OR (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION. 22
(D) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE PURPLE STAR COLLEGES PROGRAM. 23
11–2002. 24
(A) THERE IS A PURPLE STAR COLLEGES PROGRAM. 25
(B) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO RECOGNI ZE COLLEGES THAT 26
PROVIDE STRONG SERVICES AND SUPPORT FOR MILITARY–CONNECTED STUDENTS. 27
4 HOUSE BILL 623
(C) THE COMMISSION SHALL ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM. 1
11–2003. 2
(A) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION , THE COMMISSION 3
SHALL DESIGNATE A CO LLEGE AS A PURPLE STAR COLLEGE IF THE COLLEG E 4
APPLIES AND MEETS THE CRITERIA ADOPTED BY THE COMMISSION FOR A PURPLE 5
STAR COLLEGE. 6
(B) AT A MINIMUM , THE COMMISSION’S CRITERIA FOR A PURPLE STAR 7
COLLEGE SHALL REQUIRE A COLLEGE TO: 8
(1) DESIGNATE A STAFF MEM BER AS A UNIFORMED S ERVICES 9
LIAISON, WHOSE DUTIES SHALL INCLUDE: 10
(I) IDENTIFYING MILITARY–CONNECTED STUDENTS W HO ARE 11
NEWLY ENROLLED AT THE COLLEGE; 12
(II) SERVING AS THE POINT OF CONTACT BETWEEN T HE 13
COLLEGE AND NEWLY ENROLLED MILITARY–CONNECTED STUDENTS; 14
(III) DETERMINING APPROPRIA TE COLLEGE SERVICES 15
AVAILABLE TO NEWLY ENROLLED MILITARY–CONNECTED STUDENTS; 16
(IV) ASSISTING IN COORDINA TING COLLEGE PROGRAM S FOR 17
NEWLY ENROLLED MILITARY–CONNECTED STUDENTS; AND 18
(V) GENERALLY ASSISTING I N A MILITARY –CONNECTED 19
STUDENT’S TRANSITION TO A NEW COLLEGE; 20
(2) ESTABLISH ON THE COLLEGE’S WEBSITE AN EASILY ACCESSIBLE 21
WEBPAGE THAT INCLUDE S LINKS TO RESOURCES FOR MILITARY –CONNECTED 22
STUDENTS, INCLUDING LINKS TO INFORMATION REGARDING: 23
(I) RELOCATION TO, ENROLLMENT AT, REGISTRATION AT, AND 24
TRANSFERRING RECORDS TO THE COLLEGE; 25
(II) ACADEMIC PLANNING , COURSE SEQUENCES , AND 26
ADVANCED COURSES AVAILABLE AT THE COLLEGE; AND 27
(III) COUNSELING AND OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES AVA ILABLE 28
FOR MILITARY–CONNECTED STUDENTS TRANSITIONING INTO THE COLLEGE; 29
HOUSE BILL 623 5
(3) MAINTAIN A TRANSITION PROGRAM LE D BY STUDENTS , IF 1
APPROPRIATE, THAT ASSISTS MILITARY–CONNECTED STUDENTS ENROLLED AT THE 2
COLLEGE; AND 3
(4) OFFER PROFESSIONAL DE VELOPMENT FOR STAFF MEMBERS ON 4
ISSUES RELATED TO MI LITARY–CONNECTED STUDENTS T RANSFERRING TO NEW 5
COLLEGES. 6
(C) A COLLEGE MAY PARTNER WITH ITS GOVERNING BODY TO FULFILL THE 7
COMMISSION’S CRITERIA TO QUALIFY AS A PURPLE STAR COLLEGE. 8
(D) THE COMMISSION, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE MARYLAND COLLEGE 9
COLLABORATION FOR STUDENT VETERANS COMMISSION, SHALL ADOPT 10
REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THIS SUBTITLE. 11
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 12
1, 2026. 13
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.