University of Maryland Eastern Shore - Land-Grant Institution - Funding (Land-Grant Equity and Accountability Act)

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0884*

HOUSE BILL 884
F2 6lr1405
HB 941/25 – APP
By: Delegates Toles, Acevero, Addison, Alston, Amprey, Barnes, Bartlett, Boafo,
Boyce, Coley, Conaway, Crutchfield, Harrison, Hill, Ivey, Lehman, J. Long,
McCaskill, Patterson, Pena –Melnyk, Phillips, Roberson, Roberts, Ross,
Taylor, Wells, Wilkins, Woods, and Young
Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2026
Assigned to: Appropriations

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

University of Maryland Eastern Shore – Land–Grant Institution – Funding 2
(Land–Grant Equity and Accountability Act) 3

FOR the purpose of requiring, to address a certain funding disparity, that the Governor 4
include a certain appropriation to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in the 5
annual budget bill each fiscal year until a certain total amount is appropriated; and 6
generally relating to funding for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. 7

BY adding to 8
Article – Education 9
Section 15–141 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

15–141. 16

(A) IN THIS SECTION, “UMES” MEANS THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND 17
EASTERN SHORE. 18

(B) (1) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE 19
LETTER ISSUED TO THE GOVERNOR JOINTLY FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF 20
2 HOUSE BILL 884

EDUCATION AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, DATED SEPTEMBER 18, 1
2023: 2

(I) THE SECOND MORRILL ACT OF 1890 REQUIRED STATES 3
CHOOSING TO OPEN A S ECOND LAND–GRANT INSTITUTION FO R BLACK STUDENTS 4
TO PROVIDE AN EQUITA BLE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS BETWEEN 1862 AND 1890 5
LAND–GRANT INSTITUTIONS; 6

(II) A FUNDING DISPARITY EXISTED FROM 1987 THROUGH 2020 7
BETWEEN UMES, THE STATE’S 1890 LAND–GRANT INSTITUTION , AND THE 8
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK CAMPUS, THE STATE’S 1862 9
LAND–GRANT INSTITUTION; 10

(III) IF UMES RECEIVED THE SAME LEVEL OF STATE FUNDING 11
PER STUDENT AS THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK CAMPUS FROM 12
1987 THROUGH 2020, AN ADDITIONAL $321,181,312 WOULD HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE 13
FOR UMES; AND 14

(IV) THE FUNDING PROVIDED UNDER THIS SECTION S HALL 15
REMEDY THE FUNDING DISPARITY DESCRIBED UNDER THIS SUBSECTION. 16

(2) IT IS THE INTENT OF T HE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT THE 17
FUNDING PROVIDED UNDER THIS SECTION BE APPROPRIATED EACH FISCAL YEAR IN 18
A MANNER THAT REMEDIES THE FUNDING DISPARITY AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE. 19

(C) (1) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2028 AND EACH FISCAL YEAR THEREAFTER, 20
THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUDE IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET BILL AN APPROPRIATION 21
OF AT LEAST $5,000,000 TO UMES. 22

(2) FOR ANY FISCAL YEAR , THE AMOUNT APPROPRIATED TO UMES 23
UNDER THIS SUBSECTION MAY NOT BE LESS THAN THE AMOUNT APPROPRIATED IN 24
THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING FISCAL YEAR. 25

(3) FUNDS PROVIDED UNDER THIS SUBSECTION SHALL BE: 26

(I) APPROPRIATED EACH FIS CAL YEAR UNTIL A TOT AL 27
AMOUNT OF $321,181,312 IS APPROPRIATED TO UMES; AND 28

(II) SUPPLEMENTAL TO , AND MAY NOT SUPPLANT , FUNDS 29
APPROPRIATED TO UMES IN THE STATE BUDGET. 30

(D) FUNDS PROVIDED UNDER THIS SECTION MAY BE USED FOR: 31

HOUSE BILL 884 3

(1) DEVELOPMENT OF INFRAS TRUCTURE AND ACADEMI C 1
PROGRAMS; 2

(2) INVESTMENT IN FACULTY; 3

(3) SCHOLARSHIPS; AND 4

(4) ANY OTHER INSTITUTIONAL NEED IDENTIFIED BY UMES. 5

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 6
1, 2026. 7