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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
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*sb0709*
SENATE BILL 709
F1, F2 6lr0737
CF HB 623
By: Senators Carozza, Brooks, Harris, Salling, Simonaire, and Watson
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
Committee Report: Favorable
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 3, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Education – Purple Star Schools Program and Purple Star Colleges Program 2
FOR the purpose of altering the definition of “military–connected student” under the Purple 3
Star Schools Program to conform with certain terms defined under State law ; 4
establishing the Purple Star Colleges Program to recognize certain colleges that 5
provide strong services and support for military –connected students; and generally 6
relating to the establishment of the Purple Star Colleges Program. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Education 9
Section 7–129(a) 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 13
Article – Education 14
Section 10–101(a), (c), and (h) through (j) 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 17
BY adding to 18
Article – Education 19
Section 11–2001 through 11–2003 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 20. Purple 20
Star Colleges Program” 21
Annotated Code of Maryland 22
2 SENATE BILL 709
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 1
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 2
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 3
Article – Education 4
7–129. 5
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 6
(2) “Military–connected student” means a student who is a dependent of: 7
(i) [An active duty uniformed services member; 8
(ii) A member of a reserve component] A SERVICE MEMBER; or 9
[(iii)] (II) A SERVICE member [described in item (i) or (ii) of this 10
paragraph] who was killed in the line of duty. 11
(3) “Program” means the Purple Star Schools Program. 12
10–101. 13
(a) In this division the following words have the meanings indicated. 14
(c) “Commission” means the Maryland Higher Education Commission. 15
(h) (1) “Institution of higher education” means an institution of postsecondary 16
education that generally limits enrollment to graduates of secondary schools, and awards 17
degrees at either the associate, baccalaureate, or graduate level. 18
(2) “Institution of higher education” includes public, private nonprofit, and 19
for–profit institutions of higher education. 20
(i) (1) “Institution of postsecondary education” means a school or other 21
institution that offers an educational program in the State for individuals who are at least 22
16 years old and who have graduated from or left elementary or secondary school. 23
(2) “Institution of postsecondary education” does not include: 24
(i) Any adult education, evening high school, or high school 25
equivalence program conducted by a public school system of the State; or 26
(ii) Any apprenticeship or on –the–job training program subject to 27
approval by the Apprenticeship and Training Council. 28
SENATE BILL 709 3
(j) “Private career school” means a privately owned and privately operated 1
institution of postsecondary education other than an institution of higher education that 2
furnishes or offers to furnish programs, whether or not requiring a payment of tuition or 3
fee, for the purpose of training, retraining, or upgrading individuals for gainful employment 4
as skilled or semiskilled workers or technicians in recognized occupati ons or in new and 5
emerging occupations. 6
SUBTITLE 20. PURPLE STAR COLLEGES PROGRAM. 7
11–2001. 8
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 9
INDICATED. 10
(B) “COLLEGE” MEANS: 11
(1) AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION; OR 12
(2) A PRIVATE CAREER SCHOOL. 13
(C) “MILITARY–CONNECTED STUDENT” MEANS A STUDENT WHO IS: 14
(1) A SERVICE MEMBER; 15
(2) A VETERAN; OR 16
(3) A SPOUSE OR DEPENDENT OF AN INDIVIDUAL DESCRIBED IN ITEM 17
(1) OR (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION. 18
(D) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE PURPLE STAR COLLEGES PROGRAM. 19
11–2002. 20
(A) THERE IS A PURPLE STAR COLLEGES PROGRAM. 21
(B) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO RECOGNI ZE COLLEGES THAT 22
PROVIDE STRONG SERVICES AND SUPPORT FOR MILITARY–CONNECTED STUDENTS. 23
(C) THE COMMISSION SHALL ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM. 24
11–2003. 25
(A) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION , THE COMMISSION 26
SHALL DESIGNATE A COLLEGE AS A PURPLE STAR COLLEGE IF THE COLLEGE 27
4 SENATE BILL 709
APPLIES AND MEETS THE CRITERIA ADOPTED BY THE COMMISSION FOR A PURPLE 1
STAR COLLEGE. 2
(B) AT A MINIMUM , THE COMMISSION’S CRITERIA FOR A PURPLE STAR 3
COLLEGE SHALL REQUIRE A COLLEGE TO: 4
(1) DESIGNATE A STAFF MEM BER AS A UNIFORMED S ERVICES 5
LIAISON, WHOSE DUTIES SHALL INCLUDE: 6
(I) IDENTIFYING MILITARY–CONNECTED STUDENTS WHO ARE 7
NEWLY ENROLLED AT THE COLLEGE; 8
(II) SERVING AS THE POINT OF CONTACT BETWEEN T HE 9
COLLEGE AND NEWLY ENROLLED MILITARY–CONNECTED STUDENTS; 10
(III) DETERMINING APPROPRIA TE COLLEGE SERVICES 11
AVAILABLE TO NEWLY ENROLLED MILITARY–CONNECTED STUDENTS; 12
(IV) ASSISTING IN COORDINA TING COLLEGE PROGRAMS FOR 13
NEWLY ENROLLED MILITARY–CONNECTED STUDENTS; AND 14
(V) GENERALLY ASSISTING IN A MILITARY –CONNECTED 15
STUDENT’S TRANSITION TO A NEW COLLEGE; 16
(2) ESTABLISH ON THE COLLEGE’S WEBSITE AN EASILY AC CESSIBLE 17
WEBPAGE THAT INCLUDE S LINKS TO RESOURCES FOR MILITA RY–CONNECTED 18
STUDENTS, INCLUDING LINKS TO INFORMATION REGARDING: 19
(I) RELOCATION TO, ENROLLMENT AT, REGISTRATION AT, AND 20
TRANSFERRING RECORDS TO THE COLLEGE; 21
(II) ACADEMIC PLANNING , COURSE SEQUENCES , AND 22
ADVANCED COURSES AVAILABLE AT THE COLLEGE; AND 23
(III) COUNSELING AND OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES AVA ILABLE 24
FOR MILITARY–CONNECTED STUDENTS TRANSITIONING INTO THE COLLEGE; 25
(3) MAINTAIN A TRANSITION PROGRAM LED BY STUDE NTS, IF 26
APPROPRIATE, THAT ASSISTS MILITARY–CONNECTED STUDENTS ENROLLED AT THE 27
COLLEGE; AND 28
SENATE BILL 709 5
(4) OFFER PROFESSIONAL DE VELOPMENT FOR STAFF MEMBERS ON 1
ISSUES RELATED TO MI LITARY–CONNECTED STUDENTS T RANSFERRING TO NEW 2
COLLEGES. 3
(C) A COLLEGE MAY PARTNER WITH ITS GOVERNING BODY TO FULFILL THE 4
COMMISSION’S CRITERIA TO QUALIFY AS A PURPLE STAR COLLEGE. 5
(D) THE COMMISSION, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE MARYLAND COLLEGE 6
COLLABORATION FOR STUDENT VETERANS COMMISSION, SHALL ADOPT 7
REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THIS SUBTITLE. 8
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 9
1, 2026. 10
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.