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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
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*sb0042*
SENATE BILL 42
D1, C2, J2 6lr0612
(PRE–FILED) CF HB 677
By: Senator Simonaire
Requested: June 2, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
Reassigned: Judicial Proceedings, January 16, 2026
Committee Report: Favorable
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 2, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Reduction Facilities and Veterans Service Organizations – Hydrolyzed and Soil 2
Remains – Immunity 3
FOR the purpose of providing that a registered reduction operator is not civilly liable for 4
transferring and a veterans service organization is not civilly liable for receiving 5
unclaimed hydrolyzed or soil remains of a veteran or an eligible dependent of a 6
veteran for the purposes of disposition if acting in good faith; and generally relating 7
to reduction fac ilities, veterans service organizations , and the disposition of 8
unclaimed hydrolyzed or soil remains. 9
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 10
Article – Business Regulation 11
Section 5–101(a), (q), and (z) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 15
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 16
Section 5–642 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 19
2 SENATE BILL 42
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Business Regulation 3
5–101. 4
(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. 5
(q) “Natural organic reduction” means the contained accelerated conversion of 6
human remains into soil. 7
(z) “Registered reduction operator” means an individual registered to operate a 8
reduction facility as a sole proprietor or on behalf of a sole proprietor or a permit holder. 9
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 10
5–642. 11
(a) In this section, “veteran” has the meaning stated in § 9 –901 of the State 12
Government Article. 13
(b) A licensed funeral establishment, REGISTERED REDUCTION OPERATOR, or 14
holder of a permit to engage in the business of a crematory who acts in good faith is no t 15
civilly liable for transferring the unclaimed [cremated] CREMAINS OR HYDROLYZED OR 16
SOIL remains of a veteran or an eligible dependent of a veteran to a veterans service 17
organization for purposes of disposition as provided in § 5 –803 of the Business Regulation 18
Article and § 7–406 of the Health Occupations Article. 19
(c) A veterans service organization that acts in good faith is not civilly liable for 20
receiving the unclaimed [cremated] CREMAINS OR HYDROLYZED OR SOIL remains of a 21
veteran or an eligible depen dent of a veteran for purposes of disposition as provided in § 22
5–803 of the Business Regulation Article and § 7–406 of the Health Occupations Article. 23
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 24
October 1, 2026. 25