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HB1628 • 2026

Higher Education - Academic Program Approval - Objections

Higher Education - Academic Program Approval - Objections

Education
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Delegate Wells
Last action
2026-03-17
Official status
In the House - Rereferred to Appropriations
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 - Academic Program Approval - Objections

Repealing the requirement that a proposed new academic program be a graduate program in order for the Maryland Higher Education Commission or institutions of higher education in the State to file an objection to implementation of the proposed program.

What This Bill Does

  • Repealing the requirement that a proposed new academic program be a graduate program in order for the Maryland Higher Education Commission or institutions of higher education in the State to file an objection to implementation of the proposed program.

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

  1. 2026-03-17 House

    Rereferred to Appropriations

  2. 2026-02-24 House

    First Reading House Rules and Executive Nominations

  3. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - First - Higher Education - Academic Program Approval - Objections

  4. Maryland General Assembly

    Vote - House - Committee - Rules and Executive Nominations

Official Summary Text

Repealing the requirement that a proposed new academic program be a graduate program in order for the Maryland Higher Education Commission or institutions of higher education in the State to file an objection to implementation of the proposed program.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1628*

HOUSE BILL 1628
F2 6lr3725
CF SB 983
By: Delegate Wells
Introduced and read first time: February 24, 2026
Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Higher Education – Academic Program Approval – Objections 2

FOR the purpose of repealing the requirement that a proposed new academic program be 3
a graduate program in order for the Maryland Higher Education Commission or 4
certain institutions of higher education to file an objection to implementation of the 5
proposed program; and generally relating to objections to proposed new academic 6
programs. 7

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Education 9
Section 11–206.1(e)(1) 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

11–206.1. 16

(e) (1) Within 30 days of receipt of a notice of an institution’s intent to submit 17
a new program to the Commission in accordance with subsection (b) of this section, the 18
Commission may file, or the institutions of higher education in the State may file with the 19
Commission, an objection to implementation of a proposed [graduate] program provided 20
the objection is based on: 21

(i) Inconsistency of the proposed program with the institution’s 22
approved mission for a public institution of higher education and the mission statemen t 23
published in the official catalog of a private nonprofit institution of higher education; 24
2 HOUSE BILL 1628

(ii) Not meeting a regional or statewide need consistent with the 1
State Plan for Higher Education; 2

(iii) Unreasonable program duplication which would cause harm to 3
the State or students attending institutions of higher education in the State; or 4

(iv) Unnecessary program duplication in violation of the State’s 5
equal educational opportunity obligations under State and federal law. 6

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 7
1, 2026. 8