The Prince George’s County Council voted unanimously to pass the Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business Act, a measure designed to give disabled veterans a competitive edge when bidding on county government contracts, during a county council meeting on Tuesday.
Listed as CB-024-2026, the bill helps veteran-owned firms by giving them a competitive edge in county contracting and requiring the county to track and report their progress. Sponsored by council chair Krystal Oriadha and council members Shayla Adams-Stafford (District 5), Timothy Adams (District 4), Eric Olsen (District 3), Edward Burroughs (District 8) and Wala Blegay (District 6), the legislation drew passionate support from veterans who considered the act long overdue.
Beverly Simmons, a disabled Air Force veteran and founder of the nonprofit Praying for Pennies, spoke about her medical retirement after nearly 22 years of service and her ongoing public service work delivering food and supplies to the homeless, school children and churches. While the legislation does not cover nonprofits, she explained that it would help her launch a new venture to serve the community.
“Approving this bill can finally assist me in finally establishing a consignment shop business to help people find furniture, clothing and supplies they need,” she said. “This bill will help me achieve this lifetime dream of owning a business as a veteran.”
Henry Turner, a disabled veteran and former chair of the county’s Commission for Veterans, noted that Prince George’s has the largest veteran population in Maryland and that Governor Wes Moore is also a veteran. He said the bill would boost local revenue by allowing veterans to build companies right in their own neighborhoods.
“We have many disabled veterans within our community,” Tunnel said. “This is an opportunity for those veterans to build companies here… this bill that you have initiated, that you have proposed, is the right thing.”
Retired Army Colonel James W. Whitehead Jr. framed the legislation as a rare moment of concrete action in a country that more often pays verbal tribute to its veterans. He said this bill would not only support existing veterans, but could encourage more veterans to move to Prince George’s county.
“In our community and in our nation, we always verbally tell our veterans how much we appreciate them,” Whitehead said. “This bill is a tangible example of actually doing something to support our veterans.”
Rodney Nolan, a retired Navy veteran and local business owner, supported the proposed legislation on behalf of the American Legion, which supports veterans who “continue to service beyond the uniform.” He said many veterans pursue entrepreneurship after retiring from service, “not just to build a business but to continue serving our communities through job creation, economic growth and mentorship.”
Nolan said veterans often face barriers when competing for government contracts. “This legislation…is not about giving a veteran an unfair advantage,” Nolan said. “It’s about leveling the playing field.”
He pointed to a proposed five-point bonus that could determine whether a small business wins or loses a competitive contract. He emphasized the importance of the bill’s requirement for the county to track its progress, noting that “what’s measured gets met, gets managed, and what’s managed delivers results.”
“This ensures that the county is not only committed in words, but also in action, to supporting service-disabled veteran entrepreneurs,” he said.
Glenn Bydume, a military veteran and retired fire battalion chief, noted that passing the legislation right after Memorial Day weekend was highly fitting. As the CEO of Diverse Solutions Associates LLC, a local logistics and consulting firm, Gardner said he was pleased to see the bill enacted.
“Veterans have some of the best work ethics you probably will find in any workforce,” Gardner said. “They get the job done.”
Wonzie Gardner Jr., a retired Air Force colonel who spent 14 years as a senior federal executive managing small and disadvantaged business programs, offered perspective from both sides of government contracting. Agreeing that military service builds an incredible work ethic, Gardner told the council that the bill’s impact would be felt far beyond the veteran community.
“I’m here as a veteran, and I’m also here as a former federal employee telling this council that if you pass this bill, this will be exponential in the lives of not only those service members… but for the county at large as well,” Gardner said. “This bill gives those veterans who have served across the country and in foreign shores the ability to come back and take part in the American dream.”
Gardner added that he was proud of the county’s direction and that the legislation gives returning service members a “fair shot” at entrepreneurship.
“We’ve served at home, we’ve served abroad,” Gardner said. “This bill is a must-pass to make sure that those veterans have this opportunity to serve here in Prince George’s County.”
The council voted 9-0 to enact the bill, a decision met by applause from the crowd. Council Chair Krystal Oriadha echoed the speakers’ statements that the bill is long overdue, and the local “veteran community has sadly been ignored.”
Other council members thanked the speakers for showing up to the session. Council member Wanika Fisher pointed out that Black veterans in particular have historically been underserved upon returning home.
“The blood is built for a flag, and sometimes a country that is not there for you when you come back,” Fisher said. “It just feels very complete to do the little bit that we can to repay that.”
Adams-Stafford said the bill reflects the county’s broader economic development goals.
“This is what we mean when we say Prince George’s County is open for business,” Adams Stafford said. “We’re taking our local leaders who are already running businesses and helping them to do business here in the county.”