Veterans

SB 301, the Veterans' Discounts Act, authorizes Maryland state agencies to waive certain fees set by law for veterans. It requires these agencies to adopt specific regulations before implementing fee waivers, ensuring consistent application. The bill affects veterans seeking reduced fees for services like business licenses, professional registrations, and recreational permits managed by various state departments. It amends multiple sections across Maryland’s code (including Agriculture, Business Regulation, and Natural Resources) to establish this waiver framework. The law creates a formal process for fee reductions but does not specify which fees or veterans qualify.

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.