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HB 214

Higher Education - Academic Forgiveness Policy - Established

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Anne Healey

Maryland bill establishes academic forgiveness policy allowing higher education students to exclude poor grades from academic records under specified conditions.

Hearing 2/24 at 1:00 p.m.
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Bill Summary · HB 214

Legislative bill overview

HB 214 establishes an academic forgiveness policy for higher education institutions in Maryland, likely allowing students to exclude poor academic performance from their records under specified conditions. The bill has completed initial readings in the Appropriations Committee and is scheduled for a hearing in late February 2026.

Why is this important

Academic forgiveness policies directly affect student academic records, transcript presentation, and eligibility for academic honors or scholarships. This can influence students' employment prospects, graduate school admissions, and financial aid eligibility, while also affecting institutional graduation rates and academic standing metrics used in college rankings.

Potential points of contention

  • Definition and scope: Uncertainty about which grades qualify for forgiveness (failing grades only vs. low passing grades), how many courses are eligible, and whether there are time limits after which forgiveness is no longer available
  • Institutional burden and consistency: Questions about implementation costs, administrative oversight, and whether all Maryland higher education institutions must adopt identical policies or have flexibility in application
  • Transparency and fairness: Concerns about whether employers and graduate programs will have access to complete academic history, and whether forgiveness policies could mask patterns of academic struggle or create disparities in outcomes based on student demographics

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

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