Veterans (Veteran Education) in Maryland

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 15, 2026

HB 1594: Veterans' Discounts Act

HB 1594, the Veterans' Discounts Act, requires Maryland government agencies to waive certain statutory fees for veterans. It applies to fees related to agricultural licenses, business permits, environmental regulations, natural resources access, and public safety services across multiple departments. Agencies must adopt specific regulations before implementing these fee waivers. The bill formalizes existing practices by creating a clear process for veterans to access reduced fees on government services, without expanding eligibility or creating new benefits.

Topics ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Memorials & Recognition Veteran Education Veteran Healthcare

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 9, 2026

HB 977: Veterans Benefits Matters - Claim Servicers - Requirements

HB 977 requires non-V.A. accredited claim servicers who charge fees for veterans benefits assistance to provide written fee agreements with specific disclosures. It mandates that these agreements include a notice stating free veterans benefits services are available through V.A. accredited organizations and that veterans must acknowledge this notice in writing. The bill also requires all advertisements for veterans benefits appeals services to include the same notice about free V.A. accredited options. Violations carry civil penalties up to $1,000 per violation, enforced by the Attorney General. This bill directly affects veterans seeking benefits and non-accredited claim servicers charging fees, aiming to increase transparency about available free assistance.

Topics ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Veteran Benefits Veteran Education Veteran Healthcare

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 16, 2026

HB 1390: Public Schools - Veterans' Day - Excused Student Absence

HB 1390 requires Maryland public schools to excuse student absences for observing Veterans' Day, directly affecting all public school students and their families. The bill amends Maryland's education code to explicitly add Veterans' Day to the list of excused absences, alongside existing holidays like Thanksgiving and Memorial Day. Schools must now excuse absences for Veterans' Day observance without requiring a specific reason or documentation. This change takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies uniformly across all Maryland public school districts.

Topics ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Memorials & Recognition Veteran Education

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 709: Education - Purple Star Schools Program and Purple Star Colleges Program

SB 709 creates Maryland's Purple Star Colleges Program to recognize institutions of higher education that provide strong support for military-connected students. The bill updates the definition of "military-connected student" to include service members, veterans, and their spouses/dependents, and establishes specific requirements for colleges seeking designation. To qualify, colleges must designate a uniformed services liaison, maintain a dedicated webpage with transition resources, offer student-led transition programs, and provide staff training on military-connected student needs. Administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, this program complements the existing Purple Star Schools Program and directly affects colleges and military-connected students statewide.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Higher Education Military Families Veteran Education

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 242: Modernizing Civil Relief for Service Members Act

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.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Professional Licensing Military Families National Guard & Reserve Veteran Education

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 12, 2026

HB 721: Uniformed Services Spouses Act

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.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Higher Education Military Families Veteran Education

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 623: Education - Purple Star Schools Program and Purple Star Colleges Program

HB 623 creates Maryland's Purple Star Colleges Program to recognize colleges providing strong support for military-connected students, while updating the existing Purple Star Schools Program. The bill directly affects military-connected students (including service members, veterans, and their spouses/dependents) and colleges, including both public/private higher education institutions and private career schools. Key provisions require colleges to appoint a military liaison to assist new military-connected students with transitions, and maintain an easily accessible website with resources on relocation, enrollment, academic planning, and support services. The Maryland Higher Education Commission will administer the program and establish minimum criteria for colleges to earn Purple Star designation.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Military Families Veteran Education

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 14, 2026

HB 720: Higher Education - Douglas J. J. Peters Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship - Repeal of Termination Date

HB 720 repeals the expiration date for the Douglas J. J. Peters Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship, removing the current cutoff of June 30, 2030, for awarding new scholarships and eliminating restrictions on renewing scholarships for recipients who received their initial award before that date. This change directly affects eligible veterans, active service members, or their dependents (spouses, children) who served in the Afghanistan or Iraq conflicts and meet Maryland residency and enrollment requirements at participating institutions. The bill maintains all existing provisions, including the 50% tuition coverage limit, 2.5 GPA requirement, and 5-year full-time renewal period. It ensures the scholarship program continues indefinitely without time-based restrictions on new awards or renewals.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Military Families Veteran Education

died · Maryland · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 273: Higher Education - Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program - Eligibility

SB 273 expands eligibility for Maryland's Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program to include individuals currently eligible for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Chapter 35 Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Benefit. This change directly affects family members of veterans or military personnel who qualify for Chapter 35 benefits but were previously excluded from the scholarship program. The bill adds a new verification method: applicants can submit a copy of their Chapter 35 eligibility certificate, or school officials can verify their Chapter 35 status if a certificate is unavailable. These updates simplify the process for qualifying individuals to access the scholarship, which supports education costs for dependents of military personnel, veterans, 9/11 survivors, and school employees injured or killed in line of duty.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid Memorials & Recognition Military Families Veteran Education

died · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 9, 2026

HB 100: Higher Education - Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program - Eligibility

HB 100 would expand eligibility for Maryland's Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program to include individuals who were eligible for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Chapter 35 Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Benefit. This change would directly affect current or former Chapter 35 beneficiaries applying for the scholarship, who previously lacked automatic eligibility under the program. The bill adds a new qualifying category to the existing criteria (such as military dependents, 9/11 victims' families, and school employee dependents) and establishes two verification methods: submitting a Chapter 35 certificate or having a school official verify eligibility. The proposed changes would take effect July 1, 2026, if enacted.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid Memorials & Recognition Military Families Veteran Education

All veterans bills