SB 42

WES MOORE, Governor  Ch. 693
Chapter 693
  (Senate Bill 42)
AN ACT concerning
Reduction Facilities and Veterans Service Organizations – Hydrolyzed and Soil
  Remains – Immunity
FOR the purpose of providing that a registered reduction operator is not civilly liable for
     transferring and a veterans service organization is not civilly liable for receiving
     unclaimed hydrolyzed or soil remains of a veteran or an eligible dependent of a
     veteran for the purposes of disposition if acting in good faith; and generally relating
     to reduction facilities, veterans service organizations, and the disposition of
     unclaimed hydrolyzed or soil remains.
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
      Article – Business Regulation
      Section 5–101(a), (q), and (z)
      Annotated Code of Maryland
      (2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
      Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings
      Section 5–642
      Annotated Code of Maryland
      (2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
      SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
  Article – Business Regulation
5–101.
      (a)     In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.
     (q)  “Natural organic reduction” means the contained accelerated conversion of
human remains into soil.
      (z)    “Registered reduction operator” means an individual registered to operate a
reduction facility as a sole proprietor or on behalf of a sole proprietor or a permit holder.
  Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings
5–642.
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 Ch. 693  2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
     (a)   In this section, “veteran” has the meaning stated in § 9–901 of the State
Government Article.
        (b)    A licensed funeral establishment, REGISTERED REDUCTION OPERATOR, or
holder of a permit to engage in the business of a crematory who acts in good faith is not
civilly liable for transferring the unclaimed [cremated] CREMAINS OR HYDROLYZED OR
SOIL remains of a veteran or an eligible dependent of a veteran to a veterans service
organization for purposes of disposition as provided in § 5–803 of the Business Regulation
Article and § 7–406 of the Health Occupations Article.
       (c)   A veterans service organization that acts in good faith is not civilly liable for
receiving the unclaimed [cremated] CREMAINS OR HYDROLYZED OR SOIL remains of a
veteran or an eligible dependent of a veteran for purposes of disposition as provided in §
5–803 of the Business Regulation Article and § 7–406 of the Health Occupations Article.
      SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 2026.
Approved by the Governor, May 26, 2026.
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