Education - Certification of Scholarship Granting Organizations (Opting in on Opportunity Act)
Sponsor: William G. Folden (District 4)Committee: Education, Energy, and the EnvironmentSubject: Primary and Secondary EducationStatus: Hearing 2/27 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Sep 4, 2026)
What this bill does
Official synopsis
Requiring the State Department of Education to approve and certify a nonprofit organization that meets certain requirements as a scholarship granting organization; requiring the Department, beginning in 2027, to annually provide the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury a list of scholarship granting organizations; and requiring the Comptroller to make available online guidance that assists taxpayers in claiming a certain tax credit for certain contributions.
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Testimony (17)
MGA witness listFAV 6FavorableFWA 1Favorable with amendmentsUNF 6UnfavorableINFO 4Information only
| Position | Witness | Organization | Testimony |
|---|---|---|---|
| FAV | Greenhawk, Janet | Moms For Liberty Talbot | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Minicozzi, Michele | St. Mary's Ryken High School | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Meyerovich, Mark | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Palombi, Chris | Individual | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Senator Folden, Senator Foldenlegislator | Individual | Oral |
| FAV | Tibbals, Trudy | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Gupta, Riyalobbyist | Blueprint Coalition | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Stark, Fish | Center for Freethought Equality | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Sunderman, Gail | League of Women Voters Maryland (LWVMD) | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Johnson, Seanlobbyist | Maryland State Education Association | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Goldstein, Mathew | Secular Maryland | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Funk, Kenzie | Strong Schools Maryland | Written (PDF) |
| FWA | Carbery, Jowin | Self Directed | Oral |
| INFO | Sadwin, Rabbi Ariel | Agudath Israel of Maryland | Written (PDF) |
| INFO | Sadwin, Ariellobbyist | Maryland CAPE | Written (PDF) |
| INFO | O'Day, Garrettlobbyist | Maryland Catholic Conference | Written (PDF) |
| INFO | Rubin, Mickey | Teach Coalition | Written (PDF) |
Organizations on record
Blueprint CoalitionUNF 1
Maryland CAPEINFO 1
Secular MarylandUNF 1
Self DirectedFWA 1
Teach CoalitionINFO 1
Registered lobbyists who testified
UNFGupta, RiyaBlueprint CoalitionRegistered for: Strong Schools Maryland, care of The Fund for Educational Excellence
UNFJohnson, SeanMaryland State Education AssociationRegistered for: Maryland State Education Association