Committee endorses Senate Bill 9 adding program-approval language for MHEC; chair says she will pursue additional R1 university

The Appropriations Committee voted to approve Senate Bill 9, which the transcript describes as adding a letter of intent provision for program approval to the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC).

A sponsor and supporters thanked committee members for work on earlier related legislation and on SB9. Delegate Smith, who identified herself as chair of the committee referenced as "EED" in the transcript, said she and the committee are focused on having three public research (R1) universities in the state; she said she hopes Morgan State University will become the next R1 and that she will continue work toward that goal.

Committee members moved the bill favorably, seconded it, and approved it on a roll-call vote recorded in the transcript. The roll call recorded affirmative votes by members including Vice Chair Chang; Delegate Smith; Delegate Lewis; Delegate Shetty; Delegate Watson; Delegate Solomon; Delegate Grice; Delegate Jones; Delegate McCaskill; Delegate Ruff; Delegate McComas; Delegate Spiegel; Delegate Schindler; Delegate Mangione; Delegate Wallach; Delegate Heimbaugh; Delegate Acevedo; Delegate Metzger; Delegate Edelson; Delegate Harris; and Delegate Forbes. The transcript records the bill as having passed the committee.

The transcript does not include the full text of the legislative change, committee report language, or details about implementation steps. The action recorded is committee approval to move SB9 forward in the legislative process.