Uniformed Services Spouses Act - Hiring Preferences and Educational Benefits for Military Spouses

Maryland Legislative Events

Published February 26th, 2026

Detected April 7th, 2026

Summary

Maryland Senate Bill 243 passed the Maryland General Assembly on February 26, 2026 with a 44-0 Senate vote. The bill extends hiring preferences at the Public Service Commission and educational benefits including priority registration and scholarship eligibility to spouses of active-duty service members and veterans. The bill was favorably reported by both the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee and the House Appropriations Committee after receiving amendments.

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What changed

Maryland enacted SB243, the Uniformed Services Spouses Act, expanding employment and educational benefits to military spouses. The bill requires the Public Service Commission to apply hiring preferences to spouses of active service members and veterans, and mandates that public institutions of higher education provide priority registration, access to community college resources, and eligibility for senatorial and Delegate scholarships for qualifying spouses.

Maryland employers and educational institutions must prepare to implement new compliance obligations. Public universities and colleges should develop priority registration processes and financial aid procedures for military spouses. The Public Service Commission must update recruitment and hiring practices to accommodate spousal preferences. With bipartisan sponsorship and unanimous Senate passage, the bill signals broader policy support for military family recognition in the state.

What to do next

Review and update hiring policies to incorporate spouse of active service member and veteran preferences for applicable positions
Coordinate with financial aid offices to implement senator and delegate scholarship eligibility for military spouses
Implement priority registration systems for eligible military spouse students at public institutions

Source document (simplified)

ChangeBridge / Maryland / SB243 Passed SB243 Senate Bill Passed 2026-02-26

Uniformed Services Spouses Act

Applying certain provisions of law regarding priority registration at public institutions of higher education, resources and support at community colleges, senatorial and Delegate scholarships, and preferences in hiring by the Public Service Commission to the spouses of active service members and veterans; etc.

Bill Details

State Maryland

Session 2026 Regular Session

Chamber Senate

Official Source mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation...

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Action History

2026-04-07 H Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed 2026-04-07 H Favorable Report by Appropriations 2026-03-30 H Hearing 4/02 at 1:00 p.m. 2026-03-30 H Hearing canceled 2026-03-26 H Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m. 2026-02-27 H Referred Appropriations 2026-02-26 S Third Reading Passed (44-0) 2026-02-24 S Second Reading Passed with Amendments 2026-02-24 S Favorable with Amendments {633427/1 Adopted 2026-02-23 S Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment 2026-02-03 S Hearing 2/12 at 2:00 p.m. 2026-01-15 S First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment

Votes

2026-02-26 Third Reading Passed Yea: 44 Nay: 0

Committee Referrals

2026-01-15 S Education, Energy, and the Environment 2026-02-27 H Appropriations

Amendments

2026-02-24 Favorable with Amendments 633427/1 Adopted Adopted

Bill Text Versions

2026-01-15 Introduced 2026-02-24 Engrossed

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 Registration Spouses State Universities and Colleges Veterans Legislative data powered by LegiScan (CC BY 4.0)