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SB 690

Family Empowerment Scholarship Program

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Shev Jones

Expands the Maryland scholarship program to include correctional officers, applying the same eligibility, service, and repayment rules as for police and probation officers.

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Bill Summary · SB 690

SB 690 — Higher Education: Scholarships for Correctional Officers

Status: Hearing scheduled 3/05 at 1:00 p.m.
Introduced: February 21, 2025 (effective date in bill text: July 1, 2025)
Primary sponsor(s): Senators Bailey and Smith (Maryland)

Main purpose

Expand the existing Maryland Police Officers and Probation Agents Scholarship Program to include correctional officers, rename the program to explicitly cover police officers, probation agents, and correctional officers, and apply the same eligibility, award, and service-obligation rules to correctional officers.

Key provisions

  • Renames the scholarship subtitle to the “Maryland Police Officers, Probation Agents, and Correctional Officers Scholarship Program.”
  • Adds a statutory definition reference for “correctional officer” (cross-references Correctional Services Article §8–201).
  • Makes correctional officers eligible for scholarships both:
    • As students enrolled in degree programs that further their intent to become a correctional officer after graduation, and
    • As current correctional officers pursuing degrees to further their careers.
  • Applies existing program rules to correctional officers, including:
    • Recipient requirements: Maryland residency or Maryland high‑school graduate; acceptance/enrollment at an “eligible institution” (public four‑year institution or community college); full‑time or part‑time undergraduate or graduate enrollment in qualifying program; sign letter of intent to perform service obligation.
    • Service obligation: work as a police officer, probation agent, or correctional officer for at least 5 years within the 8‑year period after graduation.
    • Repayment: recipients must repay scholarship funds if they fail to satisfy degree or service‑obligation requirements.
  • Appropriations: retains the statutory direction that the Governor’s budget include at least $5.0 million annually for the program, allocated $2.5M for students intending to enter service and $2.5M for continuing officers.
  • Effective date: July 1, 2025.

Fiscal and administrative impact

  • Adding correctional officers is not expected to materially increase ongoing State spending given historically small award counts; average award in FY 2024 was about $3,500.
  • One‑time system modification cost: estimated $6,000 (MDCAPS enhancements) in FY 2026.
  • Existing annual budget direction for the program is $5.0 million; separate budget proposals (BRFA) have sought to reduce mandated appropriations for this and related programs to $200,000 beginning FY 2026 — a potential caveat for future funding.

Who would be affected

  • Prospective students preparing for careers as correctional officers and current correctional officers enrolled in eligible Maryland public institutions.
  • Maryland Higher Education Commission (Office of Student Financial Assistance) — administration, selection, and publicity responsibilities.
  • State budget (potential increase in scholarship recipients if demand rises).

Procedural/timing notes

  • Hearing scheduled for March 5 (per bill information).
  • If enacted, provisions take effect July 1, 2025.
  • Related legislation: companion bills noted in chamber files; the bill interacts with prior acts establishing the scholarship and loan assistance programs (Ch. 59 of 2021; Ch. 100 of 2023).

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

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