# Maryland SB 0042: Reduction Facilities and Veterans Service Organizations - Hydrolyzed and Soil Remains - Immunity

Maryland SB 0042, Reduction Facilities and Veterans Service Organizations - Hydrolyzed and Soil Remains - Immunity, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Bryan W. Simonaire (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 693) (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0042-2026RS
- As of: 2026-10-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland SB 0042
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Reduction Facilities and Veterans Service Organizations - Hydrolyzed and Soil Remains - Immunity
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-06-02
- Last action: 2026-05-26, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 693
- Sponsor: Bryan W. Simonaire (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Civil Actions and Procedures, Courts and Court Personnel - Statewide, Business Regulation, Health Occupations, Death -see also- Homicide; Murder; Wrongful Death, Dependents -see also- Minors; Vulnerable Adults, Liability, Veterans
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (180 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Legal shield for unclaimed veterans' remains: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, licensed funeral homes, registered reduction operators, and crematory permit holders get civil immunity. They are not liable if, acting in good faith, they transfer unclaimed cremated, hydrolyzed, or soil remains of a veteran or eligible dependent to a veterans service or…
- New definitions for reduction services: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, Maryland defines natural organic reduction as a contained, faster process that turns human remains into soil. It also defines a registered reduction operator as a person registered to run a reduction facility. These definitions clarify who must register or hold permits an…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Bryan W. Simonaire (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-07 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 136 | 0 | 2 |
| 2026-03-19 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 44 | 0 | 1 |

## Actions (15)

- 2026-05-26: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 693
- 2026-04-08: Returned Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-07: Third Reading Passed (136-0) (House)
- 2026-04-03: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2026-04-03: Favorable Report by Health (House)
- 2026-03-20: Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-03-20: Referred Health (House)
- 2026-03-19: Third Reading Passed (44-0) (Senate)
- 2026-03-18: Second Reading Passed (Senate)
- 2026-03-18: Favorable Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-16: Favorable Report by Judicial Proceedings (Senate)
- 2026-01-17: Hearing 1/29 at 3:00 p.m. (Senate)
- 2026-01-16: Reassigned to Judicial Proceedings (Senate)
- 2026-01-14: First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2025-06-02: Pre-filed (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-05-26: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_693_sb0042t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-18: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0042t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-01-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0042f.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_693_sb0042t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0042t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0042f.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-SB0042-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).