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HB 455

Education - Certification of Scholarship Granting Organizations (Opting in on Opportunity Act)

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Chris Adams and 27 co-sponsors

Maryland bill establishes certification process for scholarship granting organizations, likely enabling tax-credit funded scholarships for student educational choice.

Hearing 2/26 at 1:00 p.m.
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Bill Summary · HB 455

Legislative bill overview

HB 455 establishes a certification process for scholarship granting organizations in Maryland, likely creating a framework for tax-credit scholarship programs similar to education savings account (ESA) or opportunity scholarship models. The bill would allow eligible organizations to be certified to distribute scholarships to students, presumably with some form of state oversight or tax incentive structure.

Why is this important

This bill could expand educational options for families by creating a mechanism for private scholarships, potentially funded through tax credits, to support student tuition at schools of their choice. The real-world impact depends heavily on implementation details—specifically how scholarships are funded, distributed, and what schools/programs qualify, which will determine whether this increases educational access or primarily benefits certain student populations.

Potential points of contention

  • Funding mechanism: Whether tax-credit scholarships reduce public school revenue and how the state ensures sufficient funding for traditional public education
  • Accountability and oversight: What certification standards organizations must meet, how scholarship distribution is monitored, and whether there are adequate consumer protections
  • Access equity: Whether scholarships primarily benefit affluent families or have meaningful provisions ensuring low-income students can participate, and whether all school types (traditional public, charter, private, religious) are eligible recipients

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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