Higher Education - Scholarships for Correctional Officers

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.
*hb0852*

HOUSE BILL 852
F2 6lr3353
CF SB 285
By: Delegates Sample–Hughes, Coley, Mireku–North, Pasteur, Roberson, and Wu
Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2026
Assigned to: Appropriations
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 4, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Higher Education – Scholarships for Correctional Officers 2

FOR the purpose of altering the eligibility criteria for the Maryland Police Officers and 3
Probation Agents Scholarship Program to include correctional officers; and generally 4
relating to scholarships for correctional officers. 5

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 6
Article – Education 7
Section 18–3801 through 18 –3804 and 18 –3807 to be under the amended subtitle 8
“Subtitle 38. Maryland Police Officers, Probation Agents, and Correctional 9
Officers Scholarship Program” 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14

Article – Education 15

Subtitle 38. Maryland Police Officers [and], Probation Agents, AND CORRECTIONAL 16
OFFICERS Scholarship Program. 17

18–3801. 18

(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 19
2 HOUSE BILL 852

(B) “CORRECTIONAL OFFICER” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 8–201 OF 1
THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES ARTICLE. 2

[(b)] (C) “Eligible institution” means: 3

(1) A public senior higher education institution in the State; or 4

(2) A community college in the State. 5

[(c)] (D) “Police officer” has the meaning stated in § 3 –201 of the Public Safety 6
Article. 7

[(d)] (E) “Probation agent” means an individual serving as a parole and 8
probation agent, supervisor, or regional administrator for the Department of Public Safety 9
and Correctional Services. 10

[(e)] (F) “Service obligation” means to work as a police officer or probation agent 11
in the State not less than 5 years during the 8–year period after graduation. 12

18–3802. 13

(a) There is a Maryland Police Officers [and], Probation Agents , AND 14
CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS Scholarship Program. 15

(b) The purpose of the program is to provide tuition assistance for students who 16
are: 17

(1) Attending an eligible institution and enrolled in a degree OR 18
CERTIFICATE program that would further the student’s intent to become a police officer 19
[or], probation agent, OR CORRECTIONAL OFFICER after graduation; or 20

(2) Employed as a police officer [or], probation agent, OR CORRECTIONAL 21
OFFICER, attending an eligible institution, and enrolled in a degree OR CERTIFICATE 22
program that would further the police officer’s [or], probation officer’s , OR 23
CORRECTIONAL OFFICER’S career. 24

(c) The Office shall pu blicize the availability of the Maryland Police Officers 25
[and], Probation Agents, AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS Scholarship. 26

18–3803. 27

(a) Each year, the Office shall select eligible students and offer a scholarship to 28
each student selected to be used at an eligible institution of the student’s choice. 29

HOUSE BILL 852 3

(b) A recipient of the Maryland Police Officers [and], Probation Agents , AND 1
CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS Scholarship shall: 2

(1) Be a Maryland resident or have graduated from a Maryland high 3
school; 4

(2) Be accepted for admission or currently enrolled at an eligible institution 5
as a full–time or part–time undergraduate or graduate student pursuing a course of study 6
or program, PROGRAM, OR CERTIFICATE that would further the recipient’s career; 7

(3) Sign a letter of intent to perform the service obligation on completion of 8
the recipient’s required studies; and 9

(4) Satisfy any additional criteria the Commission may establish. 10

(c) A current police officer [or], probation agent, OR CORRECTIONAL OFFICER 11
shall be eligible for a Maryland Police Officers [and], Probation Agents , AND 12
CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS Scholarship if they meet the eligibility criteria under 13
subsection (b) of this section. 14

18–3804. 15

The recipient of a Maryland Police Officers [and], Probation Agents , AND 16
CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS Scholarship shall repay the Commission the funds received 17
as set forth in § 18–112 of this title if the recipient does not: 18

(1) Satisfy the degree OR CERTIFICATE requirements of the eligible course 19
of study or program or fulfill other requirements as provided in this subtitle; or 20

(2) Perform the service obligation to work as a police officer [or], probation 21
agent, OR CORRECTIONAL OFFICER for at least 5 years du ring the 8 –year period after 22
graduation. 23

18–3807. 24

The Office shall: 25

(1) Publicize the availability of Maryland Police Officers [and], Probation 26
Agents, AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS Scholarships; and 27

(2) To the extent practicable, award scholarships under this subtitle in a 28
manner that reflects ethnic, gender, racial, and geographic diversity. 29

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 30
1, 2026. 31