Senate Bill 277, presented Jan. 28 to the Senate Finance Committee, is part of an eight‑bill package to modernize Maryland’s laws touching military service. Sponsor Sen. Brian Simon Ayers said the package updates more than 500 references across roughly 230 statutory sections and replaces inconsistent, locally defined terms with centralized, federally aligned definitions.

“The problem is definitions are locally defined … and they all have little different definitions,” Sen. Simon Ayers told the committee, arguing the changes will reduce confusion and align state law with federal terminology such as the definition in 37 U.S.C. 101 for “uniformed services.” The sponsor said the bill centralizes definitions under a single statutory location so future updates — for example, the addition of the U.S. Space Force — would not require edits in dozens of separate statutes.

Veterans organizations and advocacy groups testified in support. Joseph Pruden of the American Legion described the measure as an important step to “honor service and make lives during and after their service much simpler.” The Maryland Military Coalition sought an amendment clarifying that members of the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) and NOAA would continue to receive the same rights and benefits as veterans who earned a DD Form 214 and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.

Committee members asked whether the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Maryland Military Department had weighed in; the sponsor said they were generally supportive of the concept but awaited any fiscal notes for the full package. The sponsor said the package was developed with 12 state departments, military advocates and legal experts and that further technical amendments were expected.

Ending: Supporters said the overhaul would simplify administration and reduce future drafting burdens; advocates urged a favorable report with technical amendments to ensure no unintended gaps in veteran benefits.