University of Maryland, College Park Campus - TerpsEXCEED Program - Funding
Summary
HB458 authorizes the Governor, beginning in fiscal year 2027, to include a $350,000 appropriation in the annual budget bill for the University of Maryland, College Park’s TerpsEXCEED program. TerpsEXCEED is a program designed to provide educational and employment opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities, and the bill frames the funding as a sustainable source to support the program’s management and future expansion.
The bill specifies a broad range of allowable uses for the funding. These include academic advising and counseling, class scheduling and registration support, outreach to professors, course modifications and accommodations, mentor tutoring, calendar management, student activity planning, resident assistant and resident director training, peer mentorship and career development courses, internship and job placement support, coordination with state disability agencies, management of self-directed waiver budgets and financial aid systems, post-program support, and cross-agency resource coordination for individualized student support and self-determination.
Impact
HB458 adds a new section to the Education Article, Section 13-107, creating statutory authorization for a recurring budget-line appropriation to the TerpsEXCEED program at the University of Maryland, College Park. It does not mandate an appropriation, but permits the Governor to include up to $350,000 in the annual budget bill starting in fiscal 2027. The bill therefore affects state budgeting authority and establishes a specific statutory framework for funding and program support for students with intellectual disabilities at the university.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support. It passed the House 114-24 and the Senate 46-0, indicating strong bipartisan approval and no recorded opposition in the Senate vote. The absence of committee transcript material limits insight into detailed debate, but the overwhelming vote margins suggest the measure was viewed favorably as a targeted higher-education and disability-support funding initiative.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is not the program itself, but the use of state budget authority to create an ongoing funding opportunity for a single university program. Because the appropriation is permissive rather than mandatory, the bill preserves executive discretion in the annual budget process, which may have reduced opposition. Any concerns would likely center on fiscal prioritization, precedent for earmarked university funding, or whether the amount is sufficient to meet the program’s stated goals, though no specific objections are reflected in the available record.