HB 448 Maryland House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Modernization of Military Laws Act

HB 448, the Modernization of Military Laws Act, updates Maryland laws to better support veterans, active service members, and military families. It standardizes key definitions like "veteran" and "uniformed services" across all state laws, requires the Secretary of Veterans and Military Families to create transition support policies, and eases voting access by allowing military members to file candidacy certificates remotely with an affidavit. The bill also updates housing and employment discrimination protections for veterans and clarifies election rules for service members. These changes directly affect military personnel, veterans, and their families across Maryland’s state government and election systems.

Sub-Topics: Employment Discrimination

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Jan 16, 2025 Signed May 6, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Modernization of Military Laws Act → Third - Modernization of Military Laws Act · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill text was updated to reflect its progression from first to third reading, adding co-sponsors and committee approval status. The substantive content of the bill itself remains unchanged, with no new policy provisions, funding, eligibility criteria, or definitions added or removed. The changes are primarily administrative and procedural, documenting the bill's legislative journey rather than altering its actual provisions.

TECHNICAL

Added co-sponsors (Delegates Alston, Bagnall, Bhandari, Chisholm, Cullison, Guzzone, Hill, Hutchinson, S. Johnson, Kaiser, Kerr, Lopez, Martinez, M. Morgan, Pena-Melnyk, Reilly, Rosenberg, Ross, Szeliga, Taveras, White Holland, Woods, and Woorman) and committee report status (Favorable with amendments) to the header.

Added procedural milestones including House action (Adopted) and second reading date (February 27, 2025) to the header.

Changed the bill title from 'A BILL ENTITLED' to 'CHAPTER ______' to reflect its progression through the legislative process.

Reorganized the explanatory notes and formatting of the bill's operative sections, but the actual legal text and provisions remain identical.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 18, 2025 · House of Delegates Mar 1, 2025

How they voted

43–0

Passed · 3 other

Total votes 46

Mar 18, 2025

D Democratic33

31 Yea 2

93% Yea

R Republican13

12 Yea 1

92% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 6, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 254

executive

Apr 5, 2025

Lower · Passed

Returned Passed

lower

Apr 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Apr 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable Adopted

upper

Apr 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

Mar 18, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (43-0-3)

senate

Mar 12, 2025

Committee

Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Mar 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

lower

Mar 10, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Health and Government Operations

lower

Mar 1, 2025

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (138-0-2)

house of delegates

Jan 16, 2025

Committee

First Reading Health and Government Operations

lower

23 primary · 0 co-sponsors