HB 1354

Business Regulation - Cemeteries - Requirements for Sale or Transfer or Government Acquisition

Sponsor: Gary Simmons (District 12B)Committee: Economic MattersSubject: Business RegulationStatus: Hearing 3/05 at 1:00 p.m. (Economic Matters) (as of Dec 1, 2025)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Prohibiting certain owners of a cemetery from selling or transferring the cemetery without the approval of the Director of the Office of Cemetery Oversight; authorizing a governmental unit to acquire an abandoned cemetery under certain circumstances; and establishing requirements for the sale, transfer, or government acquisition of a cemetery.

AI analysis is off. Set ANTHROPIC_API_KEY to enable summaries, pros and cons, and questions.

Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (0)

MGA witness list

FAV 9FavorableFWA 9Favorable with amendmentsINFO 1Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Simmons, Christine	Anne Arundel Genealogical Society	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Edwards, Mark	Maryland Cemetery Legislative Advocates	Written (PDF)
FAV	Jorch, Bill	Maryland Municipal League	Written (PDF)
FAV	warden, candy	Rosa Bonheur Society	Written (PDF)
FAV	Fisher, Yvonne	maryland Cemetery Legislative Advocates	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Simmons, Delegate Simmonslegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Johnson, Jennifer	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Simmons, Gary	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Zinner, David	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Ehrenberg, Pamela	BACC	Written (PDF)
FWA	Coleman-Adebayo, Marsha	Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Martin, Charles	Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition	Written (PDF)
FWA	Gutman, Ari	Bethesda african cemetery coalition	Written (PDF)
FWA	Reverend ADEBAYO, Segun	MACEDONIA BAPTIST CHURCH	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Ballentine, Tom	NAIOP Maryland	Written (PDF)
FWA	Pumphrey, Paul	Individual	Oral
FWA	Silver, Josh	Individual	Written (PDF)
FWA	Stubblefield, Robert	Individual	Written (PDF)
INFO	Dove, John	Maryland Department of Labor	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Anne Arundel Genealogical SocietyFAV 1

BACCFWA 1

Bethesda african cemetery coalitionFWA 1

Bethesda African Cemetery CoalitionFWA 2

MACEDONIA BAPTIST CHURCHFWA 1

maryland Cemetery Legislative AdvocatesFAV 1

Maryland Cemetery Legislative AdvocatesFAV 1

Maryland Department of LaborINFO 1

Maryland Municipal LeagueFAV 1

NAIOP MarylandFWA 1

Rosa Bonheur SocietyFAV 1