Sen. Bryan Simonaire

Maddy summarySB 204 establishes the Maryland Civic Excellence Program within the State Department of Education to recognize public school students who demonstrate proficiency in civics and civic literacy. Local school systems can choose to participate, using state-developed guidelines (to be finalized by 2027-2028) to determine student eligibility. Participating schools may award a "Seal of Civic Excellence" and attach it to students' high school diplomas. The program requires annual reports from participating schools starting July 2028, and schools may collaborate with civic organizations to support implementation. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 76 modifies Anne Arundel County's Class C (veterans' organization) liquor license rules by removing the requirement that members must have served in a war. It adds eligible members to include those working for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Public Health Service. This change directly affects veterans' organizations seeking to operate licensed venues in Anne Arundel County, allowing them to include these federal employees in their membership. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and does not alter other license conditions like minimum membership size or dues.

Maddy summarySB 825 creates a Critical Infrastructure Protection Branch within Maryland’s Coordination and Analysis Center to strengthen state-level security for essential systems. The branch will identify threats, prioritize critical infrastructure (like utilities, hospitals, and transportation), and coordinate responses with state agencies and private owners. It requires the Department of Emergency Management to act during infrastructure attacks and mandates the Department of Information Technology to let critical infrastructure owners join the Maryland Information Sharing and Analysis Center while meeting specific cybersecurity reporting standards. This bill directly affects infrastructure operators (e.g., power companies, hospitals) and state agencies responsible for emergency response and cybersecurity.

Maddy summarySB 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.

Maddy summarySB 53 requires the Maryland Port Administration to provide written notice to Anne Arundel County's state legislative delegation before holding a public hearing on acquiring land or property improvements in the county. This applies specifically to land acquisitions by the Port Administration within Anne Arundel County, directly affecting the Port Administration and county officials. The bill mandates that the county delegation must approve the acquisition after the public hearing, with automatic approval if no written objection is received within 90 days of the request. If enacted, the law would take effect on October 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 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.

Maddy summarySB 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.

Maddy summarySB 250 updates Maryland's estate law to clarify rules for cases where two or more people die simultaneously with no clear evidence of who died first. It establishes a 120-hour rule: if evidence doesn't show one person survived the other by at least 120 hours (5 days), the survivor is deemed to have predeceased the other for inheritance purposes. This affects heirs, beneficiaries, life insurers, and courts handling disputed property, joint accounts, or life insurance payouts. The bill renumbers existing sections and adds clear procedures to prevent inheritance disputes when death timing is uncertain. It does not change existing estate plans but provides a default rule for unresolved cases.

Maddy summarySB 418 allows members of the U.S. Foreign Service and their spouses to practice their profession in Maryland using a license obtained in another state, under specific conditions. The bill amends Maryland law to create a new licensing pathway for these individuals, removing barriers that would otherwise require them to obtain a new Maryland license. This directly affects Foreign Service employees and their spouses who relocate to Maryland for assignments, enabling them to continue working without restarting licensing processes. The change applies across multiple licensed professions covered under Maryland’s occupational licensing statutes.

Maddy summarySB 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.