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*hb0986*
HOUSE BILL 986
J2 6lr2412
By: Delegate Terrasa Delegates Terrasa, Alston, Bagnall, Cullison, Guzzone, Hill,
Hutchinson, S. Johnson, Kaufman, Kipke, Lopez, Martinez, M. Morgan,
Reilly, Rosenberg, Ross, Szeliga, Taveras, White Holland, and Woorman
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
Assigned to: Health
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 1, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Nurse Licensure – Educational Requirements – Enforcement 2
FOR the purpose of requiring certain applicants for a license to practice registered nursing 3
or licensed practical nursing to produce certain evidence that the applicants’ 4
educational credentials meet certain requirements; authorizing the State Board of 5
Nursing to take certain disciplinary action for the failure to complete certain 6
education requirements; and generally relating to enforcement of educational 7
requirements by the State Board of Nursing. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 9
Article – Health Occupations 10
Section 8–307(a) 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 13
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 14
Article – Health Occupations 15
Section 8–307(b), and 8–316(a)(35) and (36), and 8–7A–03 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 18
BY adding to 19
Article – Health Occupations 20
2 HOUSE BILL 986
Section 8–316(a)(37) 1
Annotated Code of Maryland 2
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 3
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 4
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 5
Article – Health Occupations 6
8–307. 7
(a) Subject to the pr ovisions of this section, the Board may issue a license by 8
endorsement and waive any appropriate examination requirement of this title for an 9
applicant who has an active unencumbered license to practice registered nursing or 10
licensed practical nursing in any other state or country. 11
(b) The Board may issue a license by endorsement under this section only if the 12
applicant: 13
(1) Submits to the Board an application on the form that the Board 14
requires; 15
(2) Submits to a criminal history records check in accordance with § 8–303 16
of this subtitle; 17
(3) Pays the application fee set by the Board under § 8–304 of this subtitle; 18
and 19
(4) (i) 1. A. Holds a valid, unencumbered multistate license 20
under the Nurse Licensure Compact; AND 21
B. IF REQUIRED BY THE BOARD, PROVIDES ADEQUATE 22
EVIDENCE, INCLUDING OFFICIAL T RANSCRIPTS, THAT THE APPLICANT ’S 23
EDUCATIONAL CREDENTI ALS MEET THE REQUIRE MENTS ESTABLISHED UN DER § 24
8–302 OF THIS SUBTITLE; or 25
2. Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, 26
provides adequate evidence that: 27
A. At the time the applicant graduated from a nursing 28
education program approved in the other state or country, the program was substantially 29
equivalent to the education program approved in this State; and 30
B. At the time the applicant became licensed or registered in 31
the other state or country, the applicant passed in that or any other state or country an 32
examination that was similar to the examination that then was given in this State; and 33
HOUSE BILL 986 3
(ii) Meets the qualifications otherwise required by this title. 1
8–316. 2
(a) Subject to the hearing provisions of § 8 –317 of this subtitle, the Board may 3
deny a license or grant a license, including a license subject to a reprimand, probation, or 4
suspension, to any applicant, reprimand any licensee, place any licensee on probation, or 5
suspend or revoke the license of a licensee if the applicant or licensee: 6
(35) Has misappropriated the property of a patient or a facility; [or] 7
(36) Fails to comply with § 1–223 of this article; OR 8
(37) FAILS TO COMPLETE THE EDUCATIONAL REQUIREM ENTS 9
ESTABLISHED UNDER § 8–302 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 10
8–7A–03. 11
(a) This Nurse Licensure Compact may not nullify any other provision in this title 12
or any other title applicable to the practice of nursing in the State. 13
(b) THIS NURSE LICENSURE COMPACT MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO LIMIT 14
THE AUTHORITY OF THE BOARD TO: 15
(1) INVESTIGATE THE QUALI FICATIONS OF AN APPL ICANT FOR 16
LICENSURE OR A LICEN SEE, INCLUDING THE SUFFIC IENCY OF THE APPLICA NT’S 17
NURSING EDUCATION; OR 18
(2) TAKE APPROPRIATE DISC IPLINARY ACTION AGAI NST AN 19
INTERSTATE LICENSEE, INCLUDING DENIAL OR REVOCATION OF LICENSURE. 20
(C) In any instance where this Nurse Licensure Compact is silent as to an issue, 21
the other provisions of this title and any regulations promulgated under this title shall 22
prevail. 23
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 24
October 1, 2026. 25