MD HB1165

Apprenticeship programs used in state procurements must have a completion rate of at least 25%, as verified by the Maryland Department of Labor, if the program has graduated at least one apprenticeship cohort.

Completion rate is measured as the percentage of apprentices in a cohort who receive a certificate of completion within 1 year after their projected completion date, excluding those terminated during probation.

Contractors awarded covered procurements valued at $1,000,000 or more must utilize either a registered apprenticeship program or an eligible internship program.

The bill establishes definitions for five types of apprenticeship programs: group joint, group nonjoint, individual joint, individual nonjoint, and waiver programs, based on employer sponsorship and collective bargaining participation.

Effective date: October 1, 2026.