# Maryland HB 0677: Reduction Facilities and Veterans Service Organizations - Hydrolyzed and Soil Remains - Immunity

Maryland HB 0677, Reduction Facilities and Veterans Service Organizations - Hydrolyzed and Soil Remains - Immunity, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by LaToya Nkongolo (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 692) (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0677-2026RS
- As of: 2026-10-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland HB 0677
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Reduction Facilities and Veterans Service Organizations - Hydrolyzed and Soil Remains - Immunity
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-02-02
- Last action: 2026-05-26, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 692
- Sponsor: LaToya Nkongolo (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 6
- Subjects: Civil Actions and Procedures, Courts and Court Personnel - Statewide, Business Regulation, Health Occupations, Civic Organizations, Cremation, Dependents -see also- Minors; Vulnerable Adults, Liability, Morticians, Transportation -see also- Aircraft; Airports; Boats; etc, Veterans
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (173 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Immunity for funeral homes and veterans groups: benefit, low. Beginning Oct 1, 2026, licensed funeral homes, registered reduction operators, and crematories are protected from civil lawsuits when they act in good faith to transfer unclaimed veteran remains to a veterans service organization for disposition. The protection covers cremains, hydrolyzed remains,…
- New definitions for reduction operators: benefit, low. Beginning Oct 1, 2026, state law defines two key terms. "Natural organic reduction" means turning human remains into soil in a contained, accelerated process. A "registered reduction operator" is a person registered to run a reduction facility, as a sole proprietor or for a permit holder. These def…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: LaToya Nkongolo (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Steven J. Arentz (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Mike Griffith (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Darrell Odom (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Mike Rogers (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Stuart Michael Schmidt (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Gary Simmons (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-13 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 45 | 0 | 2 |
| 2026-03-04 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 128 | 0 | 4 |

## Actions (14)

- 2026-05-26: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 692
- 2026-04-13: Returned Passed (House)
- 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (45-0) (Senate)
- 2026-04-09: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-09: Favorable Report by Judicial Proceedings (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Referred Judicial Proceedings (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Third Reading Passed (128-0) (House)
- 2026-03-03: Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2026-03-03: Favorable Adopted (House)
- 2026-03-03: Favorable Report by Health (House)
- 2026-02-05: Hearing 2/18 at 1:30 p.m. (House)
- 2026-02-05: Hearing canceled (House)
- 2026-02-04: Hearing 2/18 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-02-02: First Reading Health (House)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-05-26: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_692_hb0677t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-03: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0677t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-02-02: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0677f.pdf)

## Related bills

- SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - Authorization (became law)
- SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishment (became law)
- SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law)
- SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-1 Specialists Act) (became law)
- SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits (became law)
- HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law)

## Sources
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_692_hb0677t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0677t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0677f.pdf)

## Related
- [SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - A…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0496-2026RS)
- [SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishm…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0366-2026RS)
- [SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0244-2026RS)
- [SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0148-2026RS)
- [SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0016-2026RS)
- [HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0529-2026RS)
- [Maryland bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland/bills)
- [Maryland state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0677-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).