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*sb0167*
SENATE BILL 167
M1 6lr0618
(PRE–FILED)
By: Senator Simonaire Senators Simonaire, Brooks, Harris, and Hester
Requested: July 3, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 7, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Department of Natural Resources – Licenses, Permits, Registrations, and Public 2
Profiles – Notation of Veteran Status 3
FOR the purpose of authorizing the Department of Natural Resources to establish a certain 4
process to include a notation of veteran status on a license, permit, registr ation, or 5
public profile; and generally relating to veterans and licenses, permits, registrations, 6
and public profiles of the Department of Natural Resources. 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Natural Resources 9
Section 1–403.2 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Natural Resources 15
1–403.2. 16
(A) THE DEPARTMENT MAY ESTABLISH A PROC ESS TO INCLUDE A 17
NOTATION INDICATING VETERAN STATUS ON A LICENSE, PERMIT, REGISTRATION, 18
2 SENATE BILL 167
OR PUBLIC PROFILE. 1
(B) IF THE DEPARTMENT ESTABLISHES A PROCESS UNDER TH IS SECTION, 2
AN APPLICATION FOR A LICENSE, PERMIT, OR REGISTRATION SHALL ALLOW THE 3
APPLICANT TO REQUEST THAT A NOTATION OF THE APPLICANT’S VETERAN STATUS 4
BE INCLUDED ON THE LICENSE, PERMIT, REGISTRATION, OR PUBLIC PROFILE. 5
(C) AN APPLICANT FOR A LI CENSE, PERMIT, OR REGISTRATION WHO 6
REQUESTS THAT A NOTATION OF THE APPLICANT’S VETERAN STATUS BE INCLUDED 7
ON THE LICENSE, PERMIT, REGISTRATION, OR PUBLIC PROFILE SHALL: 8
(1) SUBMIT TO THE DEPARTMENT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING: 9
(I) A CERTIFICATION OF VET ERAN STATUS OBTAINED FROM 10
THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 11
9–905 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE; 12
(II) A FEDERAL CERTIFICATE OF RELEASE OR DISCHARGE 13
FROM ACTIVE DUTY (DD FORM 214); OR 14
(III) ANY OTHER DOCUMENTATI ON CERTIFYING VETERAN 15
STATUS ACCEPTABLE TO THE DEPARTMENT; AND 16
(2) INDICATE THAT THE APPLICANT CONSENTS TO: 17
(I) HAVING A NOTATION ON THE APPLICANT ’S LICENSE , 18
PERMIT, REGISTRATION, OR PUBLIC PROFILE INDICATING THAT THE APPLICANT IS 19
A VETERAN; AND 20
(II) BEING CONTACTED BY APPROPRIATE EXECUTIVE BRANCH 21
AGENCIES REGARDING T HE APPLICANT ’S ELIGIBILITY FOR STATE OR FEDERAL 22
VETERANS’ BENEFITS. 23
(D) IF AN APPLICANT SUBMI TS THE DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED UNDER 24
SUBSECTION (C)(1) OF THIS SECTION AND CONSENTS TO BEING CONTACTED UNDER 25
SUBSECTION (C)(2) OF THIS SECTION , THE DEPARTMENT SHALL INCLUDE A 26
NOTATION OF VETERAN STATUS ON THE LICENS E, PERMIT, REGISTRATION, OR 27
PUBLIC PROFILE. 28
(E) IN ACCORDANCE WITH §§ 4–304 THROUGH 4–325 OF THE GENERAL 29
PROVISIONS ARTICLE AND ANY OTHER APPLICABLE LAW, AND ON REQUEST BY AN 30
EXECUTIVE BRANCH AGENCY , THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ELECTRONICALLY 31
TRANSMIT TO THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH AGENCY APPROPR IATE INFORMATION 32
SENATE BILL 167 3
ABOUT EACH LICENSE HOLDER , PERMIT HOLDER , REGISTRANT, OR INDIVIDUAL 1
WITH A PUBLIC PROFIL E WHO HAS CONSENTED TO BEING CONTACTED U NDER 2
SUBSECTION (C)(2) OF THIS SECTION. 3
(F) THE DEPARTMENT MAY ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THIS 4
SECTION. 5
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 6
October 1, 2026. 7
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.