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Veterans capital plans on hold after federal grant miss; secretary urges Burial Equity Act to restore eligibility
Summary
Yoshadar Arai, a Department of Legislative Services budget analyst, told the Capital Budget Subcommittee that federal grant timing and eligibility have put the new state veterans home on hold and that several cemetery projects depend on removing Maryland’s residency requirement for burial to qualify for federal funding.
Yoshadar Arai, budget analyst for the Department of Legislative Services, presented the department’s fiscal 2026 capital analysis and told the Capital Budget Subcommittee that federal grant timing and eligibility are the main uncertainties for several veterans cemetery and facility projects.
Arai reported that fiscal 2026 includes $113,000 in general obligation (G.O.) geobonds for the Crownsville Veterans Cemetery expansion and improvement project to continue project design. The analyst said the federal Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) requires no state residency requirement for state cemetery grant eligibility, but Maryland law currently requires Maryland residency for burial at state veteran cemeteries. "Two departmental bills, House Bill 138 and Senate Bill 237 introduced this session aim to remove the state residency requirement making the state eligible for the federal grant program," Arai said.
Arai also reported the new state veterans home project is on hold because the state did not receive the anticipated federal grant award. The governor’s fiscal 2026 plan includes a proposed transfer…
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