SB 405
Department of Legislative Services
Maryland General Assembly
2021 Session
FISCAL AND POLICY NOTE
Third Reader - Revised
Senate Bill 405 (Senator Augustine)
Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Appropriations
Higher Education - Student Identification Cards - Required Information
This bill requires institutions of higher education to provide the telephone number for
Maryland’s Helpline, or an on-campus crisis center that operates 24 hours a day and
365 days a year, directly on student identification cards (or a sticker affixed to the card), if
the institution provides such a card. Additionally, the bill permits institutions to provide
numbers for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Crisis Text Line, National Domestic
Violence Hotline, or any on-campus crisis center on student identification cards. The bill
does not require institutions to reissue or reprint student identification cards in use on the
effective date of the bill or to reprint cards that were printed but not issued before the
effective date of the bill. The bill takes effect July 1, 2021.
Fiscal Summary
State Effect: State institutions of higher education can design new student identification
cards with existing resources, as discussed below. Revenues are not affected.
Local Effect: Local community colleges can likely design new student identification cards
with existing resources. Revenues are not affected.
Small Business Effect: Potential minimal.
Analysis
Current Law: No current law requires institutions of higher education to provide
information on a student identification card. A public institution of higher education may
not print or have printed an employee’s or a student’s Social Security number on any type
of identification card.
Chapter 446 of 2010 required each local board of education to provide each student in
grades 6 through 12 with the telephone number of the Maryland Youth Crisis Hotline by
(1) printing the number prominently in the school handbook and (2) printing the telephone
number on a student’s school identification card, if provided.
State Expenditures: University System of Maryland institutions and St. Mary’s College
of Maryland advise that redesigning student identification cards requires a one-time cost
of $2,000 to $3,000 at each institution. The Department of Legislative Services (DLS)
advises that this one-time cost can likely be absorbed within existing resources at public
institutions of higher education. Towson University advises that replacing all
“TU One Cards” (the university identification cards) would cost $45,000. However, DLS
advises that the bill does not require institutions of higher education to replace existing
identification cards that do not have the required information.
Additional Comments: Independent nonprofit four-year institutions of higher education
incur one-time costs to comply with the bill, which can likely be absorbed within existing
resources.
Additional Information
Prior Introductions: None.
Designated Cross File: HB 466 (Delegate Palakovich Carr) - Appropriations.
Information Source(s): Baltimore City Community College; University System of
Maryland; Morgan State University; St. Mary’s College of Maryland; Maryland
Department of Health; Department of Legislative Services
Fiscal Note History: First Reader - February 15, 2021
rh/rhh Third Reader - March 30, 2021
Revised - Amendment(s) - March 30, 2021
Analysis by: Michael E. Sousane Direct Inquiries to:
(410) 946-5510
(301) 970-5510
SB 405/ Page 2


Statutes affected:
Text - First - Higher Education - Student Identification Cards - Required Information: 15-126 Education
Text - Third - Higher Education - Student Identification Cards - Required Information: 15-126 Education