HB 24 would incentive Maryland students to pursue cybersecurity studies and work in the cybersecurity field with local government.

Delegate Eric Luedtke introduced HB 24 to amend the Maryland Cybersecurity Public Service Scholarship Program and to establish a Maryland Cybersecurity Loan Assistance Repayment Program.

HB 24 would establish the Maryland Cybersecurity Loan Assistance Repayment Program to assist in the repayment of high education loans for professionals in the field of cyber security who work in the public sector, including in local government.

The legislation would amend the Maryland Cybersecurity Public Service Program in the following ways:

• Increasing the number of years a recipient may hold an award from 2 years to 3 for full-time students;
• Expanding the qualifying positions for a scholarship recipient to fulfill a work obligation, including employment with county government community colleges. (A current requirement of the scholarship program is that a recipient must work in Maryland in the public sector for an equal amount of years as scholarship time received.); and
• Establishing criteria for part-time students to be eligible for the scholarship, hold an award, and fulfill a work obligation.

Furthermore, if enacted, the law would develop and harvest partnerships between local high schools and community colleges to strengthen pipelines from career and technology education programs to high education studies in cybersecurity.

Access the full bill language and materials.

Stay tuned to Conduit Street for more on cybersecurity and other issues as the legislative session progresses.