HB1311 • 2026

Higher Education – Student Financial Assistance for Incarcerated Individuals – Alterations

Education

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Delegates Embry , Coley , Lehman , Pasteur , Simpson , and Taveras
Last action: 2026-04-13
Official status: In the Senate - Favorable Report by Judicial Proceedings
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Higher Education – Student Financial Assistance for Incarcerated Individuals – Alterations

Requiring the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to assist incarcerated individuals in accessing certain student financial assistance; and requiring incarcerated individuals who meet eligibility criteria for certain student financial assistance to have access to student financial assistance.

What This Bill Does

Requiring the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to assist incarcerated individuals in accessing certain student financial assistance; and requiring incarcerated individuals who meet eligibility criteria for certain student financial assistance to have access to student financial assistance.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-04-13 Senate
Favorable Report by Judicial Proceedings
2026-03-25 Senate
Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m. (Judicial Proceedings)
2026-03-20 House
Favorable Report by Appropriations
2026-03-11 House
Hearing canceled (Appropriations)
2026-03-11 House
Hearing 3/11 at 1:35 p.m. (Appropriations)
2026-03-09 House
Third Reading Passed (95-33)
2026-03-08 House
Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed
2026-03-07 Senate
Referred Judicial Proceedings Education, Energy, and the Environment
2026-02-17 House
Hearing 3/11 at 1:00 p.m. (Appropriations)
2026-02-12 House
First Reading Appropriations and Government, Labor, and Elections
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Higher Education – Student Financial Assistance for Incarcerated Individuals – Alterations
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - House - Committee - Appropriations
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - House - Committee - Government, Labor, and Elections
Maryland General Assembly
Text - Third - Higher Education – Student Financial Assistance for Incarcerated Individuals – Alterations
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - Senate - Committee - Judicial Proceedings
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - Senate - Committee - Education, Energy, and the Environment

Official Summary Text

Requiring the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to assist incarcerated individuals in accessing certain student financial assistance; and requiring incarcerated individuals who meet eligibility criteria for certain student financial assistance to have access to student financial assistance.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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.
*hb1311*

HOUSE BILL 1311
F2, E5 6lr2293

By: Delegates Embry, Coley, Lehman, Pasteur, Simpson, and Taveras
Introduced and read first time: February 12, 2026
Assigned to: Appropriations and Government, Labor, and Elections
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 8, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Higher Education – Student Financial Assistance for Incarcerated Individuals – 2
Alterations 3

FOR the purpose of requiring the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services 4
to assist incarcerated individuals in accessing certain student financial assistance; 5
requiring incarcerated individuals who meet the eligibility criteria for certain 6
student financial assistance to have access to student financial assistance ; and 7
generally relating to student financial assistance for incarcerated individuals. 8

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
Article – Correctional Services 10
Section 2–701 to be under the amended subtitle “Subtitle 7. Federal and State 11
Student Financial Assistance Access and Postsecondary Education Program 12
Tracking Systems” 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2025 Replacement Volume) 15

BY adding to 16
Article – Education 17
Section 18–116 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 20

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 21
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 22
2 HOUSE BILL 1311

Article – Correctional Services 1

Subtitle 7. Federal [Pell Grants] AND STATE STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 2
Access and Postsecondary Education Program Tracking Systems. 3

2–701. 4

(a) The Department shall assist incarcerated individuals in accessing federal Pell 5
Grants AND STATE STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE for higher education. 6

(b) In order to assist incarcerated individuals in accessing federal Pell Grants 7
AND STATE STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, the Department shall consult with THE 8
MARYLAND HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION AND institutions of higher education, 9
including: 10

(1) all University System of Maryland institutions; 11

(2) Morgan State University; 12

(3) Anne Arundel Community College; 13

(4) Hagerstown Community College; 14

(5) Wor–Wic Community College; and 15

(6) Goucher College. 16

Article – Education 17

18–116. 18

STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ESTABLISHED UNDER THIS TITLE SHALL BE 19
AVAILABLE TO INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS WHO MEET THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA 20
FOR THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. 21

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 22
1, 2026. 23