Bill > SB420

This bill requires public institutions of higher education in Maryland to collect and report data on students who are parents or legal guardians, including the ages of their children and the nature of their caregiving responsibilities, such as whether they are single parents or share responsibilities. The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) will develop the specific questions for this data collection in consultation with the institutions, and this information will be included on forms used to gather other demographic data from students. MHEC will then collect this student-level data from each institution and make it available in a standardized format. Furthermore, all public institutions of higher education must develop and post a plan on their websites to support pregnant and parenting students, which will include referrals to various government assistance programs, adoption services, institutional accommodations, and a network of healthcare providers. MHEC is mandated to submit a report to legislative committees by September 1, 2027, summarizing the collected data, and this information will not be considered a medical or health record.