HB0170 • 2026

Commission to Study African American Civil War Sailors in Maryland

Labor

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Delegates Bouchat and Moon
Last action: 2026-01-28
Official status: In the House - Hearing 2/17 at 1:00 p.m.
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Commission to Study African American Civil War Sailors in Maryland

Establishing the Commission to Study African American Civil War Sailors in Maryland; requiring the Commission to study the history of the African American sailors who fought for the Union Navy; requiring the Commission to make certain recommendations regarding the funding, design, construction, and location of an appropriate memorial dedicated to African American Civil War sailors; and requiring the Commission to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 1, 2026.

What This Bill Does

Establishing the Commission to Study African American Civil War Sailors in Maryland; requiring the Commission to study the history of the African American sailors who fought for the Union Navy; requiring the Commission to make certain recommendations regarding the funding, design, construction, and location of an appropriate memorial dedicated to African American Civil War sailors; and requiring the Commission to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 1, 2026.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-01-28 House
Hearing 2/17 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-01-14 House
First Reading Government, Labor, and Elections
2025-08-27 House
Pre-filed
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Commission to Study African American Civil War Sailors in Maryland

Official Summary Text

Establishing the Commission to Study African American Civil War Sailors in Maryland; requiring the Commission to study the history of the African American sailors who fought for the Union Navy; requiring the Commission to make certain recommendations regarding the funding, design, construction, and location of an appropriate memorial dedicated to African American Civil War sailors; and requiring the Commission to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 1, 2026.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0170*

HOUSE BILL 170
P1 6lr0746
HB 77/25 – HGO (PRE–FILED)
By: Delegates Bouchat and Moon
Requested: August 27, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Government, Labor, and Elections

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Commission to Study African American Civil War Sailors in Maryland 2

FOR the purpose of establishing the Commission to Study African American Civil War 3
Sailors in Maryland to study the history of the African American sailors who fought 4
for the Union Navy and make certain recommendations regarding a memorial 5
dedicated to African American Civil War sailors; and generally relating to the 6
Commission to Study African American Civil War Sailors in Maryland. 7

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 8
That: 9

(a) There is a Commission to Study African American Civil War Sailors in 10
Maryland. 11

(b) The Commission consists of the following members: 12

(1) one member of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the President of 13
the Senate; 14

(2) one member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the 15
House; and 16

(3) the following members, appointed by the Governor: 17

(i) one representative from the State Department of Education; 18

(ii) one representative from the State Archives; 19

(iii) one representative from the Department of Planning; 20

2 HOUSE BILL 170

(iv) one representative from the Governor’s Commission on 1
Maryland Military Monuments; 2

(v) one r epresentative from the Commission on African American 3
History and Culture; 4

(vi) one representative from Preservation Maryland, Inc.; and 5

(vii) one representative from the Heart of the Civil War Heritage 6
Area, Inc. 7

(c) The Governor shall designate the chair of the Commission. 8

(d) The State Archives shall provide staff for the Commission. 9

(e) A member of the Commission: 10

(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Commission; but 11

(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 12
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 13

(f) The Commission shall: 14

(1) study the history of African American Civil War sailors who fought for 15
the Union Navy in Maryland, including muster rolls, locations of service, and all 16
distinguished honors and recognitions awarded; and 17

(2) make findings and recommendations regarding the funding, design, 18
construction, and location of an appropriate memorial dedicated to the African American 19
Civil War sailors in Maryland. 20

(g) On or before December 1, 2026, the Commission shall report its findings and 21
recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State 22
Government Article, the General Assembly. 23

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 24
1, 2026. It shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and, at the end of June 30, 2027, this 25
Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no 26
further force and effect. 27