MarylandSB 02772025 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Health Equality for Service Members Act

Sponsored By: Bryan W. Simonaire (Republican)

Signed by Governor

State Government - Agencies, Offices, and OfficialsPublic HealthHealth OccupationsHousing and Community DevelopmentArmed Forces -see also- Military Department; VeteransHealth -see also- COVID19; EnvHlth; MedCon; etc.Health, Department ofHealth Occupations -see also- (specific health occupations)Housing -see also- Apartments; Condos; Mobile & Manuf HomesReportsRules and RegulationsVeterans

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

13 provisions identified: 11 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.

Military moves preserve disability service eligibility

Beginning October 1, 2025, eligible dependents of Maryland legal residents keep disability and waiver eligibility during assignment-related military moves. These protections cover Developmental Disabilities Administration services, home- and community-based waivers, other waivers, and waiting-list status. Services must restart after the dependent returns to Maryland and requests them, provided the dependent remains otherwise eligible. Children stay on the Autism Waiver registry unless their family requests removal. Children who become eligible while away keep that eligibility when their family returns.

Community care grants support military families

Beginning October 1, 2025, the Sheila E. Hixson program provides competitive matching grants to local nonprofits for behavioral health programs. Eligible nonprofits serve behavioral health needs or military-connected people; programs serve active service members, veterans, and their spouses, children, or stepchildren. Grants help establish or expand programs, and nonprofits must supply matching funds. Programs must meet national standards and combine mental health and substance-use treatment. They must also connect people promptly with appropriate community care when they leave the program.

Veterans gain short-term behavioral health help

Beginning October 1, 2025, Maryland coordinates behavioral health care statewide for eligible veterans who live in Maryland. Within budget limits, the Health Department provides or funds short-term care when immediate Veterans Affairs care is unavailable. Veterans must meet Behavioral Health Administration eligibility and medical-necessity requirements; care ends when adequate Veterans Affairs services become available. Covered services include crisis care, assessments, therapy, substance-use early intervention, detoxification, and medication-assisted treatment. The Department must seek reimbursement from Veterans Affairs or other insurers and separately track the money used.

Veteran households receive equal housing priority

Beginning October 1, 2025, Maryland housing agencies must give veteran households equal priority for vouchers and housing assistance payments. The law uses Maryland’s shared definition of veteran. Equal priority also covers households with children under 18, foster children ages 18–23, people experiencing homelessness, disabled people, or elderly people. Priority does not guarantee a voucher or payment.

Faster health licenses for military families

Beginning October 1, 2025, Maryland health boards must assign advisors and speed applications for service members, eligible veterans, and spouses. Veterans must have left active duty within one year before applying; spouses of these veterans or active service members qualify. Surviving spouses qualify when the active service member died within one year before the application. Boards must issue credentials within 15 business days of a completed application when the applicant meets the licensing requirements. Boards must credit active service members’ relevant experience and substantially equivalent military education or training that meets other licensing rules. Boards must also help applicants find ways to fill education or experience gaps and publish application-help information online.

Military optometrists gain a licensing option

Beginning October 1, 2025, Maryland’s optometry board may waive an active-practice requirement for qualifying applicants. Applicants must have served as Uniformed Services optometrists for three years. The board decides whether to grant the waiver.

Military discipline can limit health practice

Beginning October 1, 2025, specified Maryland health boards may act on discipline imposed by the Uniformed Services or Veterans Affairs. The conduct must also be grounds for discipline under the relevant Maryland law. Possible actions include license denial, reprimand, probation, suspension, or revocation; no particular outcome is automatic. Military or Veterans Affairs medical discipline also blocks visiting physicians from using the Maryland-license exception for qualifying hospital training or teaching. Those physicians may still seek Maryland licenses; the law also authorizes administrative penalties up to $50,000 under specified licensing rules.

Free vital records for military members

Beginning October 1, 2025, current and former Uniformed Services members receive copies of vital records without a fee. Surviving spouses and children also qualify when the record supports a dependent or beneficiary claim. For others, listed fees remain $12 for fetal death, marriage, and divorce verification certificates, and additional death certificates ordered together. Listed birth certificate and certain death-record fees remain $10.

Military assignments support kinship care arrangements

Beginning October 1, 2025, a parent or guardian’s active Uniformed Services assignment counts as a serious family hardship. That hardship can support a Maryland informal kinship-care affidavit. The child must live with the person filing the affidavit because of that hardship.

Military members’ chosen funeral agents recognized

Beginning October 1, 2025, Maryland recognizes a service member’s designated person as authorized to direct disposition of their remains. The service member must have died while serving in the Uniformed Services. The designation must appear on the Department of Defense Record of Emergency Data, DD Form 93, or its successor.

Deployed health workers can receive renewal relief

Beginning October 1, 2025, health boards may grant renewal relief to Uniformed Services members deployed outside the United States or its territories. The deployment must directly cause the late renewal. Boards may allow late renewal without a penalty or reinstatement fee. They may also allow reasonable extra time after renewal for continuing education, competency requirements, or criminal history checks. Relief is not automatic.

Veteran care homes retain approval exception

Beginning October 1, 2025, qualifying comprehensive-care facilities are exempt from Maryland’s certificate-of-need requirement. Admissions must be limited to honorably discharged veterans, qualifying former reserve members, or nonveteran spouses of eligible veterans. Residents must meet residency requirements set by the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families. The exception does not guarantee more care beds or lower prices.

Automatic military license renewals end

Beginning October 1, 2025, covered Maryland licensees on noncareer active duty lose automatic one-year renewals without an application or fee. The repeal applies when their licenses otherwise expire. This provision does not state the fees or steps required under regular renewal procedures.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Bryan W. Simonaire
Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

Jack Bailey
Republican • Senate
Jason C. Gallion
Republican • Senate
J.B. Jennings
Republican • Senate
Johnny Mautz
Republican • Senate
Johnny Ray Salling
Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 179 • No: 0

House vote • 3/31/2025

Third Reading Passed

Yes: 132 • No: 0 • Other: 3

Senate vote • 3/12/2025