SB 662

Higher Education - Appointment of Secretary and Student Financial Assistance - Accommodations at Public Institutions for Religious Beliefs

Sponsor: Chair, Education, Energy, and the Environment CommitteeCommittee: Education, Energy, and the EnvironmentSubject: Higher EducationStatus: First Reading House Rules and Executive Nominations (as of Nov 9, 2023)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Providing that the Secretary of Higher Education is appointed by, and serves at the pleasure of, the Governor; requiring each institution of higher education to adopt a written policy that provides reasonable academic accommodations for students to practice sincerely held faith-based or religious beliefs; altering eligibility criteria for, and the process for awards from, the Delegate Howard P. Rawlings Program of Educational Excellence Awards; altering the administration of the Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship; etc.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (16)

MGA witness list

FAV 11FavorableFWA 4Favorable with amendmentsINFO 1Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Lostumbo, Rachel	CollegeTracks	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Kurtinitis, Sandra	Community	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Adewole, Mary	First Generation College Bound	Written (PDF)
FAV	Atabong, Kelly	First Generation College Bound	Written (PDF)
FAV	Ebobissè, Samuel	First Generation College Bound	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Moore III, Kenneth	First Generation College Bound	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Power, Matt	Maryland Independent College and University Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Vasquez-Reyes, Jefferson	Montgomery College	Oral
FAV	Solembrino, Zachary	Wor-Wic Community College	Written (PDF)
FAV	Chair, Education, Energy, and the Environment Comm, Chair, Education, Energy, and the Environment Comm	Individual	Oral
FAV	Phillips, Bradlobbyist	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Fisher, Joseph	First Generation College Bound	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Tadlock, Jimmy	Medical Education Resource Initiatives for Teens, INC (MERIT)	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Horne, David	Towson University	Oral
FWA	Hogan, Patricklobbyist	University System of Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
INFO	Towers, Lee	Maryland Higher Education Commission	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

CollegeTracksFAV 1

CommunityFAV 1

First Generation College BoundFAV 4FWA 1

Maryland Higher Education CommissionINFO 1

Maryland Independent College and University AssociationFAV 1

Medical Education Resource Initiatives for Teens, INC (MERIT)FWA 1

Montgomery CollegeFAV 1

Towson UniversityFWA 1

University System of MarylandFWA 1

Wor-Wic Community CollegeFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVPhillips, BradRegistered for: Maryland Association of Community Colleges

FWAHogan, PatrickUniversity System of MarylandRegistered for: ALS Association, The; Adobe Inc.; Amgen, Inc.; Annie E. Casey Foundation, Inc., The; AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP; Capital One…