HB 455 Maryland House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Braille Flag Memorial Act of 2025

HB 455 requires Maryland's Department of Veterans and Military Families to place American braille tactile flags in one or more state veterans' cemeteries. These flags, designed by the Kansas Braille Transcription Institute, allow blind and visually impaired visitors to experience the American flag through touch. The bill directly affects blind veterans and visually impaired individuals who visit Maryland's five state veterans' cemeteries. It amends state law to mandate the department designate specific locations for these tactile flags as a memorial feature.

Issues: ✓ Veterans

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Jan 20, 2025 Signed May 6, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Braille Flag Memorial Act of 2025 → Third - Braille Flag Memorial Act of 2025 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill was amended to add more sponsors and include a committee report indicating favorable approval with amendments. The substantive policy content regarding the Braille Flag Memorial Act remains unchanged, with the same provisions for placing a Braille flag in state veterans' cemeteries to honor blind and visually impaired veterans.

Scope change

No substantive scope change; the bill's purpose and requirements remain the same. Only procedural elements (sponsors, committee status) were updated.

TECHNICAL

Added additional sponsors (Bagnall, Bhandari, Chisholm, Cullison, Guzzone, Hill, Hutchinson, S. Johnson, Kerr, Kipke, Lopez, Martinez, M. Morgan, Pena-Melnyk, Reilly, Rosenberg, Szeliga, Taveras, White Holland, and Woods) to the list of bill sponsors.

Added committee report status showing the bill was adopted with favorable recommendations and amendments.

Changed document header from 'A BILL ENTITLED' to 'CHAPTER ______' to reflect the bill's progression through the legislative process.

Floor votes · House of Delegates Feb 24, 2025

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 6, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 252

executive

Apr 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

Returned Passed

lower

Mar 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Mar 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed

upper

Mar 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

Feb 28, 2025

Committee

Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

Feb 27, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Feb 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

lower

Feb 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Health and Government Operations

lower

Feb 24, 2025

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (132-0-5)

house of delegates

Jan 20, 2025

Committee

First Reading Health and Government Operations

lower

35 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role

Legislator

Party

State

District