SB 501 requires Washington County and its municipalities to grant a 100% property tax credit for real property owned by Platoon 22, Incorporated, specifically when that property is used to provide housing for veterans. The bill amends Maryland's tax code to mandate this credit by law, directly affecting only Platoon 22's taxable property within Washington County. The credit covers the full amount of county and municipal property tax on qualifying veteran housing properties. This policy change applies to all taxable years beginning after June 30, 2026.
HB 1096 requires Baltimore City and Maryland counties to include written notice of eligible property tax credits on property tax bills sent to taxpayers. This applies to existing property tax credits (such as those for seniors or veterans) that taxpayers may qualify for but might not be aware of. If someone other than the taxpayer receives the bill, the recipient must forward the notice to the actual taxpayer in writing. The bill does not create new credits but ensures taxpayers receive clear information about existing ones through their tax billing process.
HB 216 prohibits individuals from exploiting government benefits through deception, coercion, or exploitation of vulnerable people. It specifically bans recruiting, harboring, transporting, or obtaining others to appropriate their benefits (including Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, Social Security, and veterans benefits) for personal gain or to benefit others. The law also prohibits financial gain from such exploitation or aiding/abetting these acts, with penalties including up to 25 years in prison or a $15,000 fine. It directly affects benefit recipients - particularly vulnerable populations like disabled or elderly adults - and those who exploit their benefits through threats, false promises, or controlling behavior. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.
SB 242, the Modernizing Civil Relief for Service Members Act, allows active-duty service members and their spouses to practice in Maryland under an occupational or professional license issued by another state, without needing to meet all of Maryland’s usual licensing requirements. It also expands eligibility for veterans’ licensing benefits to include former service members who were discharged more than a certain period before applying for a license. The bill creates new provisions (Subtitle 14A) in Maryland law to streamline this process and updates definitions to clarify who qualifies under these rules. These changes directly affect military personnel, their families, and veterans seeking to work in licensed professions across Maryland.
SB 215 updates Maryland laws to better support veterans and active uniformed service members. It standardizes definitions like "military protection order" and "active service member" across multiple state codes, ensuring all uniformed services (including National Guard) receive consistent protections. Key changes include: allowing service members on leave to fish without a trout stamp using official leave orders, modifying landlord remedies to protect active-duty renters, and updating eligibility for veterans' benefits. The bill also adjusts how the Maryland Veterans Trust Fund is administered to better serve veterans. These changes directly affect veterans, active service members, and local governments managing related programs.
HB 364 clarifies that "interment location" includes burial plots, mausoleums, and columbarium niches in Maryland's state veterans' cemeteries. It requires the Department of Veterans and Military Families to provide an outer burial receptacle (like a marker or niche) at no cost with every interment, replacing the previous requirement for a grave liner. This directly affects veterans and their eligible dependents (spouses, children under 21, or disabled adult children) who are buried in state veterans' cemeteries. The bill amends existing Maryland law to ensure this free marker provision is standard practice for all eligible interments.
SB 150 allows Maryland state departments (including Environment, General Services, and Labor) to add a voluntary "veteran status" notation to public profiles for certain licenses and certifications. It requires applicants to provide documentation (like a DD-214 or state certification) and explicitly consent to having the notation displayed and to being contacted about veterans' benefits. The bill applies to business licenses, health occupations credentials, and state-issued identification cards, with departments adding the notation only upon verified veteran status and applicant consent. This policy change does not create new benefits but provides a visible indicator of veteran status on state-issued public profiles.
SB 243 expands existing Maryland benefits for military service members to include their spouses. It provides spouses of active-duty service members and veterans with priority enrollment at public colleges, access to community college resources (including dedicated advisors and veteran resource centers), and eligibility for senatorial and delegate scholarships. The bill also extends hiring preferences for spouses in state government roles through the Public Service Commission. These benefits apply within 15 years of the service member’s last active duty and end after the spouse’s fourth academic year. The law amends specific sections of Maryland’s education, labor, and state personnel codes to include "spouse of an eligible service member" as a qualifying status.
HB 270, the Military Family Inclusion Act, adds specific military family representation requirements to four Maryland state boards and commissions. It modifies the Maryland Commission on Caregiving to require one "family caregiver of a service-disabled veteran" as a member, and amends the Maryland Veterans Commission to add "an organization representing military families" as a designated appointee. The bill also updates the Maryland Trust Fund Board to include an appointed representative from a military family organization and adjusts the Youth Advisory Council to include a service member appointed by the Department of Veterans and Military Families. These changes directly affect how these bodies are composed, ensuring military family perspectives are formally included in their governance structures. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.
SB 142 expands tuition and training assistance for Maryland National Guard members. It broadens eligible institutions to include private vocational/trade schools with 50% tuition waivers and adds covered expenses like tools, uniforms, certification fees, and digital resources. Active Guard members (enlisted or commissioned) attending approved institutions can receive 100% coverage for tuition and qualifying training costs, provided they commit to 2-4 years of continued service after course completion. The bill applies to undergraduate, graduate, vocational, and trade courses, with specific provisions if a member's unit disbands.
