Higher Education - Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program - Eligibility

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0273*

SENATE BILL 273
F2 6lr1743
SB 772/25 – EEE CF HB 100
By: Senator Gile
Introduced and read first time: January 19, 2026
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Higher Education – Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship 2
Program – Eligibility 3

FOR the purpose of expanding the eligibility for the Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy 4
Memorial Scholarship Program to include certain individuals; authorizing certain 5
methods for verifying eligibility for the Program; and generally relating to the 6
Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program. 7

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 8
Article – Education 9
Section 18–601(c)(1) 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 13
Article – Education 14
Section 18–601(d)(2) and (f)(1) 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 17

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19

Article – Education 20

18–601. 21

(c) (1) The program for uniformed services and public safety personnel and 22
their eligible dependents is the Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship 23
Program. 24

2 SENATE BILL 273

(d) (2) To apply for a scholarship under this section, the following persons are 1
required to be a resident of Maryland at the time of application or at the time of the 2
disabling or fatal event: 3

(i) A son, daughter, stepson, stepdaughter, or the surviving spouse 4
of a member of the uniformed services who: 5

1. Died as a result of service after December 7, 1941; 6

2. Suffered a service connected 100% permanent disability 7
after December 7, 1941; or 8

3. Was declared to be a prisoner of war or missing in action, 9
if that occurred on or after January 1, 1960, as a result of the Vietnam conflict, and if the 10
child was born prior to or while the parent was a prisoner of war or missing in action; 11

(ii) A prisoner of war or missing in action, if that occurred on or after 12
January 1, 1960, as a result of the Vietnam conflict and was a resident of this State at the 13
time the person was declared to be a prisoner of war or missing in action; 14

(iii) A veteran who: 15

1. Suffers a service connected disability of 25% or greater; 16
and 17

2. Has exhausted or is no longer eligible for federal veterans’ 18
educational benefits; 19

(iv) A son, daughter, stepson, or stepdaughter of or the surviving 20
spouse of a victim of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; 21

(v) A son, daughter, stepson, or stepdaughter of a school employee 22
who, as a result of an act of violence: 23

1. Died in the line of duty; or 24

2. Sustained an injury in the line of duty that rendered the 25
school employee 100% disabled; [or] 26

(vi) The surviving spouse of a school employee who, as a result of an 27
act of violence: 28

1. Died in the line of duty; or 29

2. Sustained an injury in the l ine of duty that rendered the 30
school employee 100% disabled; OR 31

SENATE BILL 273 3

(VII) AN APPLICANT WHO IS OR WAS ELIGIBLE , AT THE TIME OF 1
THE APPLICATION , FOR THE CHAPTER 35 SURVIVORS’ AND DEPENDENTS’ 2
EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE BENEFIT, AS DETERMINED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT 3
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 4

(f) (1) (I) Each postsecondary institution shall determine the eligibility of 5
persons who apply to the institution for the Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial 6
Scholarship Program and the Jean B. Cryor Memorial Scholarship Program. 7

(II) TO DETERMINE THE ELIG IBILITY OF PERSONS W HO APPLY 8
TO A POSTSECONDARY I NSTITUTION FOR THE EDWARD T. AND MARY A. CONROY 9
MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, AN APPLICANT MAY SUB MIT A COPY OF THE 10
APPLICANT’S CERTIFICATE OF ELIGIBILITY FOR THE CHAPTER 35 SURVIVORS’ AND 11
DEPENDENTS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE BENEFIT. 12

(III) IF AN APPLICANT IS UNABLE TO OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE OF 13
ELIGIBILITY UNDER SU BPARAGRAPH (II) OF THIS PARAGRAPH , A SCHOOL 14
CERTIFYING OFFICIAL OR AN INSTITUTIONAL LIAISON MAY VERIFY T HAT THE 15
APPLICANT IS OR WAS ELIGIBLE FOR THE CHAPTER 35 SURVIVORS’ AND 16
DEPENDENTS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE BENEFIT. 17

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 18
1, 2026. 19