Maryland Senate passes batch of third‑reading bills on Feb. 17, 2026
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Summary
The Maryland Senate on Feb. 17 advanced a package of third‑reading measures covering veterans’ cemetery rules, tax changes, education and health coverage, and more; most bills passed by wide margins during a busy floor session in Annapolis.
The Maryland Senate in Annapolis passed a large group of bills on the third reading on Feb. 17, 2026, approving measures on veterans’ cemetery procedures, tax code changes, health coverage mandates and several departmental and technical updates.
Senate Bill 46 (Sen. Simon Ayre), dealing with state veterans cemeteries and interment, was declared passed after the clerk announced "42 votes in the affirmative" on final passage. A series of additional third‑reading bills were approved in succession: SB25 (income tax changes affecting cybersecurity technology and service tax credits) passed with 41 affirmative votes; SB58 (property tax credit for service‑station conversions) passed with 42 affirmative votes; SB163 (income tax additions/modifications related to federal tax‑exempt income) passed with 42 affirmative votes; SB170 (task force on education funding and student population growth) passed with 42 affirmative votes; SB188 (Maryland Transportation Authority revenue bond limit increase) passed with 36 affirmative votes; SB247 (biotechnology investment tax credit conversion to a grant program) passed with 42 affirmative votes; SB356 (income tax credit for a parent of a stillborn child) passed with 40 affirmative votes; and SB379 (recovery residence grant program funding) passed with 41 affirmative votes.
Many of the measures were described on the floor as technical or departmental fixes, or as committee‑recommended policy changes. For example, the sponsor of SB136 (a second‑reader committee report) characterized that bill as "a technical fix" to ensure police officers of the Alcohol, Tobacco and Cannabis Commission were correctly included under collective bargaining law; committee amendments were adopted without objection and the bill was ordered printed for third reading.
Several votes were recorded and announced by the clerk during the session. Nominations reported under the executive nominations calendar were also considered; the clerk announced the Senate had advised and consented to the nominees on report number 1 by recorded vote (42 affirmative), and a separately considered nominee (number 16) likewise received 42 affirmative votes.
The Senate moved on to a full slate of second‑reader committee reports and arranged many of those bills for third reading in the coming days. The day’s floor work concluded with committee scheduling announcements and the Senate adjourning for the next day.
The body is expected to resume business on Feb. 18 with additional third‑reading work and committee hearings scheduled later in the week.
