SB 109 would expand eligibility for property tax payment deferrals in Anne Arundel County to include members of certain military reserve components (like National Guard reservists) and members of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Public Health Service. Currently, deferrals are available to seniors (62+), permanently disabled residents with specific federal benefits, or those meeting income requirements; this bill adds these two new federal service groups to the eligible categories. The change would allow qualifying members to delay paying county property taxes on their primary residence without needing to prove additional disability or age. The bill requires the county governing body to adopt a deferral program following specific rules and would take effect for tax years beginning after June 30, 2026.
SB 42 protects registered reduction operators (who process human remains into soil via natural organic reduction) and veterans service organizations from civil liability when transferring or receiving unclaimed hydrolyzed or soil remains of veterans or their eligible dependents, as long as they act in good faith. It amends Maryland law to clarify that these entities are not legally responsible for handling such remains for disposition purposes. The bill specifically replaces the term "cremated remains" with "hydrolyzed or soil remains" in relevant legal sections to align with new processing methods. This change directly affects veterans' remains management without altering existing disposition procedures or creating new requirements.
SB 939 expands bankruptcy exemptions for Maryland residents by including residential property held in a revocable trust as eligible for protection. It increases the exemption amount for owner-occupied homes to $150,000 for most filers and $300,000 for individuals aged 60+ who are veterans or have a long-term disability certified by a physician. The bill adjusts these amounts annually based on the Consumer Price Index and rounds to the nearest $25. This directly affects people filing for bankruptcy in Maryland who own homes through revocable trusts or meet the higher exemption criteria.
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.
SB 46 clarifies the definition of "interment" in Maryland law to include earth burials, mausoleum entombment, and columbarium niches for veterans' cemeteries. It requires the Department of Veterans and Military Families to provide an outer burial receptacle (instead of a grave liner) or a columbarium niche with marker at no cost for every burial. The bill also mandates funeral homes and crematories to share identifying information about unclaimed cremated remains with veterans service organizations to determine if they belong to veterans or eligible dependents, ensuring proper burial arrangements. This directly affects veterans, their families, funeral service providers, and cemetery administrators.
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.
HB 721, the Uniformed Services Spouses Act, extends existing Maryland benefits for military service members and veterans to include their spouses. It adds "eligible spouse" as a defined term to priority registration at public colleges (within 15 years of service member’s last active duty, max four academic years), community college resource centers with tailored support, and senatorial/Delegate scholarships for spouses of active service members. The bill also modifies hiring preferences for state public service roles to include spouses of veterans. These changes directly affect spouses of active-duty service members and veterans living in Maryland who seek education, career support, or scholarships. The law updates multiple sections of Maryland’s education and employment codes to include spouses in eligibility criteria previously limited to service members themselves.
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.
