SB0864 • 2026

Higher Education - Tuition Exemption for Foster Care Recipients - Eligibility

Education

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Senator A. Washington
Last action: 2026-05-26
Official status: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 785
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the number of additional people who will qualify or any limits on the number of students receiving the exemption.

Tuition Exemption for Foster Care Recipients

This law changes the definition of a 'foster care recipient' to make more people eligible for free tuition at public colleges and universities.

What This Bill Does

Changes the age requirement from 13 years old to 8 years old for someone to be considered a foster care recipient.
Includes younger siblings of foster care recipients who are adopted or placed in guardianship by the same family as their older sibling.
Requires that foster care recipients must have lived in an out-of-home placement on or after their 8th birthday and for at least one year before being eligible for tuition exemption.

Who It Names or Affects

Foster care recipients who meet the new eligibility criteria can get free tuition at public colleges.
Public institutions of higher education must provide tuition exemptions to eligible foster care recipients.

Terms To Know

foster care recipient: A person who was placed in an out-of-home placement by the Department of Human Services and meets certain age requirements.
tuition exemption: An agreement that allows eligible students to attend public colleges without paying tuition fees.

Limits and Unknowns

The law only applies to foster care recipients who meet the new eligibility criteria.
It is unclear how many additional people will qualify for the tuition exemption under this change.
The law does not specify if there are any limits on the number of students who can receive the tuition exemption.

Bill History

2026-05-26 Post Passage
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 785
2026-04-09 House
Favorable Report by Appropriations
2026-03-31 House
Third Reading Passed (137-1)
2026-03-26 House
Hearing 3/31 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-03-26 Senate
Returned Passed
2026-03-23 House
Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed
2026-03-19 Senate
Favorable Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment
2026-03-09 House
Referred Appropriations
2026-03-05 Senate
Third Reading Passed (41-0)
2026-03-03 Senate
Favorable Adopted
2026-03-03 Senate
Second Reading Passed
2026-02-10 Senate
Hearing 3/11 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-02-06 Senate
First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Higher Education - Tuition Exemption for Foster Care Recipients - Eligibility
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - Senate - Committee - Education, Energy, and the Environment
Maryland General Assembly
Text - Third - Higher Education - Tuition Exemption for Foster Care Recipients - Eligibility
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - House - Committee - Appropriations
Maryland General Assembly
Text - Chapter - Higher Education - Tuition Exemption for Foster Care Recipients - Eligibility

Official Summary Text

Altering the definition of a "foster care recipient" to mean an individual who resided in an out-of-home placement on or after the individual's 8th birthday rather than 13th birthday for purposes of determining eligibility for a certain tuition exemption.

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.
*sb0864*

SENATE BILL 864
F2 6lr3145
CF HB 982
By: Senator A. Washington
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

Higher Education – Tuition Exemption for Foster Care Recipients – Eligibility 2

FOR the purpose of altering the definition of a “foster care recipient” to alter a certain age 3
for purposes of determining eligibility for a certain tuition exemption; and generally 4
relating to tuition exemptions for foster care recipients. 5

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 6
Article – Education 7
Section 15–106.1(a)(1) and (b)(1) 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 10

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 11
Article – Education 12
Section 15–106.1(a)(2) 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 15

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17

Article – Education 18

15–106.1. 19

2 SENATE BILL 864

(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 1

(2) (i) “Foster care recipient” means an individual who: 2

1. Was placed in an out –of–home placement by the 3
Department of Human Services; and 4

2. A. Resided in an out –of–home placement on the 5
individual’s 18th birthday or at the time t he individual graduated from high school or 6
successfully completed a GED; or 7

B. Resided in an out –of–home placement on or after the 8
individual’s [13th] 8TH birthday for at least 1 year and was placed into guardianship, 9
adopted, or reunited with at least one of the individual’s parents. 10

(ii) “Foster care recipient” includes a younger sibling of an individual 11
described in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph if the younger sibling is concurrently placed 12
into guardianship or adopted out of an out –of–home placement by the same guardianship 13
or adoptive family. 14

(b) (1) A foster care recipient or homeless youth is exempt from paying any 15
tuition at a public institution of higher education, regardless of that foster care recipient’s 16
or homeless youth’s receipt of any scholarship or grant if: 17

(i) The foster care recipient or homeless youth is enrolled at the 18
institution on or before the date that the foster care recipient or homeless youth reaches 19
the age of 25 years; 20

(ii) The foster care recipient or homeless youth is enrolled as a 21
candidate for a vocational certificate, an associate’s degree, or a bachelor’s degree; and 22

(iii) The foster care recipient or homeless youth has filed for federal 23
and State financial aid. 24

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 25
1, 2026. 26