# Maryland SB 0243: Uniformed Services Spouses Act

Maryland SB 0243, Uniformed Services Spouses Act, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Bryan W. Simonaire (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-05-12 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 489); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0243-2026RS
- 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 0243
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Uniformed Services Spouses Act
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-15
- Last action: 2026-05-12, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 489
- Sponsor: Bryan W. Simonaire (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 15
- Subjects: State Government - Agencies, Offices, and Officials, Higher Education, Private Sector Labor and Industry, State Government - Personnel, Utility Regulation, Armed Forces and Uniformed Services, Community Colleges, Higher Education -see also- Comm Colleges; Med Schools; etc., Registration -see also- Motor Vehicle Registration, Spouses, State Universities and Colleges, Veterans
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 2 (178 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 5

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Scholarships usable out of state for military families: benefit, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, Senators may award up to 10% of senatorial scholarship funds to active service members or their spouses who study outside Maryland, if domiciled in Maryland. Delegate Scholarships may also be used at accredited schools outside Maryland for active service members or their…
- Optional hiring edge for military spouses: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, Maryland employers may give hiring and promotion preference to the spouse of an active service member. The Maryland Public Service Commission may also give this preference in its hiring and promotions. These preferences are optional for employers.
- Stronger campus support for veterans and spouses: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, every Maryland community college must train all student advisors on veterans’ and spouses’ needs and resources. Each college must employ at least one staff member who gives intensive enrollment and advising help to veterans and spouses. Each college must set up a veterans…
- 10-point boost for veterans and spouses: mixed, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, State hiring tests add 10 points for eligible spouses and eligible veterans. Former prisoners of war get 2 more points. The credit applies to selection tests used for State jobs. You cannot get the credit if you are a current State employee. Eligible veterans also lose th…
- Priority class registration for military families: mixed, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, Maryland public colleges must give priority course registration to an eligible service member or eligible spouse. The priority applies only within 15 years after the service member’s last active duty and ends after four academic years. Colleges must publish rules that exp…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Bryan W. Simonaire (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Dalya Attar (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Benjamin Brooks (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Mary Beth Carozza (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Arthur Ellis (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Brian J. Feldman (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Jason C. Gallion (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Dawn Gile (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Kevin M. Harris (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Katie Fry Hester (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Cheryl C. Kagan (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Benjamin F. Kramer (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Mary Washington (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: William C. Smith (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Ron Watson (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Chris West (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-08 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 134 | 0 | 2 |
| 2026-02-26 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 44 | 0 |   |

## Actions (15)

- 2026-05-12: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 489
- 2026-04-09: Returned Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-08: Third Reading Passed (134-0) (House)
- 2026-04-07: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2026-04-07: Favorable Report by Appropriations (House)
- 2026-03-30: Hearing 4/02 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-03-30: Hearing canceled (House)
- 2026-03-26: Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-02-27: Referred Appropriations (House)
- 2026-02-26: Third Reading Passed (44-0) (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: Favorable with Amendments {633427/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-02-23: Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2026-02-03: Hearing 2/12 at 2:00 p.m. (Senate)
- 2026-01-15: First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-05-12: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_489_sb0243t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-02-24: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0243t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-01-15: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0243f.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_489_sb0243t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0243t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0243f.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0243-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).