HB 207 lowers the residency requirement for undocumented students at Maryland public colleges to qualify for in-state tuition rates. It reduces the required period for which a student, parent, or guardian must have filed Maryland income tax returns from three years to two years before the academic year they seek the exemption. This change directly affects undocumented students enrolled in Maryland's public higher education institutions who previously needed to meet a longer tax-filing history. The bill amends Maryland Code, Education Section 15-106.8(b)(4) and takes effect July 1, 2025.
SB 22 establishes a 10-member Task Force to study how Maryland handles probate and fiduciary matters, such as wills, trusts, and guardianships. The Task Force, including judges, court officials, bar association members, and experts, will examine court efficiency, uniformity, and judge qualifications across Maryland’s orphans’ courts and circuit courts. It will analyze current procedures, compare practices in other states, and seek public input before making recommendations. The Task Force must report its findings to the Governor and legislature by January 1, 2026, but the bill itself does not change any laws - it only creates a study group to inform future policy.
HB 196 replaces outdated oversight structures for Maryland's veterans' programs. It repeals the War Memorial Commission and requires the Department of Veterans and Military Families to directly oversee the War Memorial Building, mandating regulations that maximize public and patriotic organization access - ideally at no cost. The bill also revises the Maryland Veterans Trust Fund Board of Trustees to include all state agency secretaries as ex-officio members and adds non-voting legislative representatives, while updating membership requirements for the Maryland Veterans Commission to include specific veteran representation. These changes directly affect the Department, veterans service organizations, and Baltimore City (which jointly owns the memorial), streamlining oversight and governance under the Department.
HB 211 grants collective bargaining rights to graduate assistants and postdoctoral associates at Maryland's public universities (including the University System, Morgan State, and St. Mary's College). The bill amends Maryland law to remove these workers from an existing exclusion, creating separate bargaining units for them - distinct from faculty or undergraduate student employees. Key provisions define "graduate assistant" as a graduate student in teaching/administrative/research roles and "postdoctoral associate" as a doctoral-level employee in research positions, explicitly including them in collective bargaining protections. This change directly affects these graduate and postdoctoral workers, allowing them to negotiate wages, benefits, and working conditions through union representation.
HB 138, the Burial Equity Act, expands eligibility for burial at Maryland's state veterans' cemeteries to include National Guard and military reserves members, removing their previous residency requirements. The bill eliminates the need for these service members to have been Maryland residents when entering service, at death, or for two years prior. Instead, it establishes a burial fee equal to the federal annual plot allowance for National Guard/reserve members and their eligible spouses or dependents. This change directly affects National Guard and military reserves veterans and their families seeking burial at state cemeteries, aligning Maryland's policy with federal standards for these service categories.
SB 180 modifies Maryland's handgun permit rules for retired law enforcement officers who retired in good standing. It changes the expiration period from 2 years to 5 years after issuance and sets renewal periods at 5 years (instead of 3 years). Retired officers are also exempt from renewal fees under this provision. The bill specifically targets this group, altering their existing permit terms without affecting other permit holders.
Signed by the President and the Speaker - Joint Resolution 1
Referred Rules
Favorable with Amendments Report by Ways and Means
House Requests Senate Recede
House Conference Committee Appointed (Delegates Ebersole, Patterson and Fair)
Referred Rules
