Higher Education - Academic Program Approval - Objections Process Alteration and Study

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
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amendment.
*sb0983*

SENATE BILL 983
F2 6lr3700
CF HB 1628
By: Senator McCray
Introduced and read first time: February 15, 2026
Assigned to: Rules
Re–referred to: Education, Energy, and the Environment, February 22, 2026
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 6, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Higher Education – Academic Program Approval – Objections Process 2
Alteration and Study 3

FOR the purpose of repealing the requirement that a proposed new academic program be 4
a graduate program in order for the Maryland Higher Education Commission or 5
certain institutions of higher education to file an objection to implem entation of the 6
proposed program; requiring the Program Review Process Advisory Council to study 7
and make recommendations on extending the objection process for proposed 8
academic programs to include certain new undergraduate programs with 9
consideration of certain legal precedence regarding unnecessary program 10
duplication; and generally relating to objections to proposed new academic programs. 11

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
Article – Education 13
Section 11–206.1(e)(1) 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 16

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18

Article – Education 19

11–206.1. 20
2 SENATE BILL 983

(e) (1) Within 30 days of receipt of a notice of an institution’s intent to submit 1
a new program to the Commission in accordance with subsection (b) of this section, the 2
Commission may file, or the institutions of higher education in the State may file with the 3
Commission, an objection to implementation of a proposed [graduate] program provided 4
the objection is based on: 5

(i) Inconsistency of the proposed program with the institution’s 6
approved mission for a public institution of higher education and the mission statement 7
published in the official catalog of a private nonprofit institution of higher education; 8

(ii) Not meeting a regional or statewide need consistent with the 9
State Plan for Higher Education; 10

(iii) Unreasonable program duplication which wou ld cause harm to 11
the State or students attending institutions of higher education in the State; or 12

(iv) Unnecessary program duplication in violation of the State’s 13
equal educational opportunity obligations under State and federal law. 14

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 15

(a) The Program Review Process Advisory Council within the Maryland Higher 16
Education Commission shall study and make recommendations on extending the objection 17
process for proposed academic programs under § 11 –206.1 of the Ed ucation Article to 18
include new undergraduate programs proposed by a public institution of higher education 19
or a private nonprofit institution of higher education with consideration of relevant federal 20
and State legal precedence regarding unnecessary program duplication. 21

(b) On or before December 31, 2026, the Program Review Process Advisory 22
Council shall submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the Senate Education, 23
Energy, and the Environment Committee and the House Appropriations Committee , in 24
accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article. 25

SECTION 2. 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 26
July 1, 2026. It shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and, at the end of June 30, 2027, 27
this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and 28
of no further force and effect. 29