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*hb1530*
HOUSE BILL 1530
F2 6lr2221
By: Delegates Woorman, Acevero, Kaufman, Martinez, and Spiegel
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Appropriations
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 3, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Higher Education – Undocumented Students – Out–of–State Tuition Exemption 2
Eligibility 3
FOR the purpose of repealing the requirement that decreasing the number of years an 4
individual or the individual’s parent or guardian must file taxes before the academic 5
year for eligibility to receive an out–of–state tuition exemption at a public institution 6
of higher education; and generally relating to out –of–state tuition exemptions at 7
public institutions of higher education for undocumented students. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
Article – Education 10
Section 15–106.8 15–106.8(b)(4) 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
Article – Education 16
15–106.8. 17
(a) In this section, “individual”: 18
(1) Includes an undocumented immigrant individual; and 19
2 HOUSE BILL 1530
(2) Does not include a nonimmigrant alien within the meaning of 8 U.S.C. 1
§ 1101(a)(15). 2
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, an individual shall be 3
exempt from paying the out–of–state tuition rate at a public institution of higher education 4
in the State, and shall be eligible for the tuition rates described under subsections (c) and 5
(d) of this section, if the individual: 6
(1) Attended a public or nonpublic secondary school in the State; 7
(2) Graduated from a public or nonpublic secondary school in the State or 8
received the equivalent of a high school diploma in the State; 9
(3) Registers as an entering student in a public institution of higher 10
education in the State not later than 6 years after graduating from a public or nonpublic 11
secondary school in the State or receiving the equivalent of a high school diploma in the 12
State; 13
(4) [Provides to the public institution of higher education documentation 14
that the individual or the individual’s parent or legal guardian has filed a Maryland income 15
tax return annually for the 3–year 2–YEAR period before the academic year in which the 16
tuition rate exemption would apply; 17
(5)] In the case of an individual who is not a permanent resid ent, provides 18
to the public institution of higher education an affidavit stating that the individual will file 19
an application to become a permanent resident within 30 days after the individual becomes 20
eligible to do so; and 21
[(6)] (5) In the case of an i ndividual who is required to register with the 22
Selective Service System, provides to the public institution of higher education 23
documentation that the individual has complied with the registration requirement. 24
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of t his article and subject to subsection 25
(i) of this section, an individual shall be eligible to pay a rate that is equivalent to the 26
resident tuition rate at a public senior higher education institution, if the individual meets 27
the requirements of subsection (b) of this section. 28
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, an individual shall be 29
eligible to pay a rate that is equivalent to the in–county tuition rate at a community college 30
in the State if the individual: 31
(1) Meets the requirements of subsection (b) of this section; and 32
(2) Attends a community college supported by the county in which: 33
HOUSE BILL 1530 3
(i) An address in the county is used on the Maryland income tax 1
return of the individual or the individual’s parent or legal guardian of the calendar year 2
prior to the academic year in which the rate would apply; 3
(ii) The secondary school from which the individual graduated is 4
located; or 5
(iii) In the case of an individual who received the equivalent of a high 6
school diploma in the State, the secondary school most recently attended by the individual 7
is located. 8
(e) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, an individual shall 9
retain the individual’s tuition status at a public institution of higher education in the State 10
if the individual: 11
(i) Meets the requirements of paragraph (2) of this subsection; and 12
(ii) On or after June 15, 2012, was exempt from paying the 13
out–of–state or out–of–county tuition rate at a public institution of higher education. 14
(2) [To] UNTIL THE INDIVIDUAL IS AWARDED A DEGREE FROM THE 15
PUBLIC INSTITUTION O F HIGHER EDUCATION , TO retain tuition status under this 16
subsection, an individual shall [use] ANNUALLY PROVIDE PROOF OF RESIDENCY BY: 17
(I) USING an address in the State on the Maryland income tax 18
return of the individual or the individual’s parent or legal guardian [annually until the 19
individual is awarded a degree from the public institution of higher education]; OR 20
(II) PROVIDING OTHER OFFIC IAL DOCUMENTATION AS 21
DETERMINED BY THE PUBLIC INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION. 22
(f) Information collected under this section as part of a student’s registration 23
shall remain confidential. 24
(g) (1) A public institution of higher education that admits an i ndividual who 25
qualifies for the tuition rate under this section shall: 26
(i) Keep a record of the number of individuals who pay the tuition 27
rate in accordance with the requirements under subsections (c) and (d) of this section; and 28
(ii) Report the information required in item (i) of this paragraph to 29
the Commission each year. 30
(2) The Commission shall submit to the General Assembly, in accordance 31
with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, an annual report consisting of a compilation 32
of the reports submitted to the Commission under paragraph (1) of this subsection. 33
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(h) The governing board of each public institution of higher education shall adopt 1
appropriate policies to implement the provisions of this section. 2
(i) The students that are receiving the tuition rate described in subsection (c) of 3
this section may not be counted as in –State students for the purposes of determining the 4
number of Maryland undergraduate students enrolled at a public senior higher education 5
institution. 6
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 7
1, 2026. 8
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.