While some legislators in Annapolis focus on broad tuition-capping legislation to ensure higher education’s affordability, some are pushing less publicized bills aimed at cutting tuition costs for specific Maryland residents.
General Assembly committees will hold hearings on several higher education bills this week. If the committees approve the bills, they then go back to the floor of the House of Delegates or Senate for further review, debate and possible amendments.
A few bills that became law last session affected several scholarship funds and programs, but the bills proposed so far this session would give more assistance with tuition payment.
Senate Bill 153: National Guard waivers
A Senate committee will hear testimony today on a bill that would provide tuition waivers for members of the Maryland National Guard enrolled at one of the state’s higher education institutions, provided that the guard members plan on giving at least two more years of service. Another higher ed bill designed to ease the transition from being deployed to being a full-time student for National Guard members.
House Bill 296: Scouts’ exemption
Delegates in the House Appropriations Committee heard a bill yesterday that would give tuition exemptions to Eagle Scouts and their Girl Scouts equivalents who are awarded a Gold Award. The exemption is only available to in-state students.
House Bill 192: Firefighters’ tuition
This bill, heard in the House Appropriations Committee yesterday, would give tuition reimbursements to career and volunteer firefighters and ambulance and rescue squad members. It would cover the costs for such students at any University System of Maryland institution except the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and the University of Maryland, University College. The bill also repeals the requirement that these people be state residents.
