Republican Governor of Maryland, Larry Hogan, may be making the dream of attending college a reality for thousands of low and middle income students. He is planning on signing a bill next week that would give students free community college tuition.
The bill will set aside $15 million per hear in state funds to provide scholarships for students starting community college, and an additional $2 million over five years for students previously enrolled in college.
Hogan had previously been noncommittal when asked about the legislation, which passed on mostly party-line votes and by veto-proof margins in both chambers of the assembly.
“The governor remains committed to helping more students achieve their educational goals and looks forward to signing this bill into law,” a spokesman for Hogan said to the Baltimore Sun.
This legislation was passed by state lawmakers in both Democratic controlled houses last month. Maryland is not along in this kind of endeavor. Other states and cities, including in Rhode Island, New York and Oregon, have piloted similar tuition free programs.
The programs are viewed as politically popular, but experts say it’s still unclear if they are effective at increasing levels of education or stimulating the economy.
Watch the clip below and let us know if you think this will become a nation-wide phenomenon.
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