HB 572

Attorney General Actions and Climate Crimes Accountability Fund (Climate Crimes Accountability Act)

Sponsor: Sheila Ruth (District 44B)Committee: JudiciarySubject: Energy and ClimateStatus: Hearing 2/17 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Authorizing the Attorney General to investigate, commence, and prosecute or defend any suit or action that holds certain entities accountable for tortious or otherwise unlawful conduct that has contributed to climate change; authorizing the Attorney General to hire outside counsel to assist with an action under the Act if the Attorney General makes a certain determination; establishing the Climate Crimes Accountability Fund as a special, nonlapsing fund; etc.

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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 (44)

MGA witness list

FAV 29FavorableFWA 2Favorable with amendmentsUNF 13Unfavorable

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Mascioli, William	CCAN Volunteer	Written (PDF)
FAV	Dunning, Bryan	Center for Progressive Reform	Written (PDF)
FAV	Stegman, Matt	Chesapeake Bay Foundation	Written (PDF)
FAV	Baker, Brittanylobbyist	Chesapeake Climate Action Network	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	DuBois, Gwen	Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility	Written (PDF)
FAV	McGilvray, Laurie	Climate Justice Wing of the Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Goldberg, Donald M.	Climate Law & Policy Project	Written (PDF)
FAV	Stewart, Frances	Elders Climate Action Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bartolomeo, Kathleen	GCAN, MCRT	Position only
FAV	Organization, HoCo Climate Action	HoCo Climate Action	Written (PDF)
FAV	Smith, Virginia	IndivisibleHoCoMD	Written (PDF)
FAV	Martinez, Ashanti	Legislative Latino Caucus	Written (PDF)
FAV	Webster, Phil	Legislative body for the Unitarian Universalist faith, C/O Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis	Written (PDF)
FAV	Feighner, Liz	Liz Feighner, self	Position only
FAV	Rehr, Rebeccalobbyist	MD League of Conservation Voters	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bartock, Laura	Maryland Climate Partners	Written (PDF)
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Duckett-Randolph, Neka	Out 4 Justice	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	SWASC, UM	Social Work Advocates for Social Change	Written (PDF)
FAV	Merner, L Delta	Union of Concerned Scientists	Oral
FAV	Kaplowitz, Richard KAP	Year	Written (PDF)
FAV	Arndt, Dave	Individual	Position only
FAV	Cohn, Debbie	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Ruth, Delegate Ruthlegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Held, Karl	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kranz, Rhonda	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Northrup, Thomas	Individual	Oral
FAV	Piermattei, William	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Ruth, Sheila	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Price, Suzanne	Concerned Citizen	Position only
UNF	Marczyk, Bernielobbyist	Cornerstone Government Affairs	Written (PDF)
UNF	Peters, Sarahlobbyist	HBS	Written (PDF)
UNF	Smith, Tim	Maryland Asphalt Association	Written (PDF)
UNF	Allen, Hannahlobbyist	Maryland Chamber of Commerce	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Price, Sarahlobbyist	Maryland Retailers Alliance	Written (PDF)
UNF	McCauley, Kirk	WMDA/CAR	Written (PDF)
UNF	Ferrell, Valerie	Individual	Position only
UNF	Gross, Kenneth	Individual	Position only
UNF	Lang, Alan	Individual	Position only
UNF	Meyerovich, Mark	Individual	Position only
UNF	O'Halloran, Mike	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Tibbals, Trudy	Individual	Written (PDF)
FWA	Baker, Jeremy D	Maryland Department of the Environment	Written (PDF)
FWA	Kuspa, Julie	Maryland Office of the Attorney General	Oral + Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

CCAN VolunteerFAV 1

Center for Progressive ReformFAV 1

Chesapeake Bay FoundationFAV 1

Chesapeake Climate Action NetworkFAV 1

Chesapeake Physicians for Social ResponsibilityFAV 1

Climate Justice Wing of the Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Climate Law & Policy ProjectFAV 1

Concerned CitizenUNF 1

Cornerstone Government AffairsUNF 1

Elders Climate Action MarylandFAV 1

GCAN, MCRTFAV 1

HBSUNF 1

HoCo Climate ActionFAV 1

IndivisibleHoCoMDFAV 1

Legislative body for the Unitarian Universalist faith, C/O Unitarian Universalist Church of AnnapolisFAV 1

Legislative Latino CaucusFAV 1

Liz Feighner, selfFAV 1

Maryland Asphalt AssociationUNF 1

Maryland Chamber of CommerceUNF 1

Maryland Climate PartnersFAV 1

Maryland Department of the EnvironmentFWA 1

Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Maryland Office of the Attorney GeneralFWA 1

Maryland Retailers AllianceUNF 1

MD League of Conservation VotersFAV 1

Out 4 JusticeFAV 1

Social Work Advocates for Social ChangeFAV 1

Union of Concerned ScientistsFAV 1

WMDA/CARUNF 1

YearFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVBaker, BrittanyChesapeake Climate Action NetworkRegistered for: Chesapeake Climate Action Network Action Fund

FAVRehr, RebeccaMD League of Conservation VotersRegistered for: Maryland League of Conservation Voters

UNFMarczyk, BernieCornerstone Government AffairsRegistered for: Adobe Inc.; American Petroleum Institute; Amgen, Inc.; Annie E. Casey Foundation, Inc., The; AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP; Baltimore County Public Library Board of Trustees…

UNFPeters, SarahHBSRegistered for: Action Now Initiative, LLC; Alibaba; Ameresco; American Diabetes Association; Apartment & Office Building Association; Barwood Taxi Service…

UNFAllen, HannahMaryland Chamber of CommerceRegistered for: Maryland Chamber of Commerce

UNFPrice, SarahMaryland Retailers AllianceRegistered for: Maryland Retailers Alliance; Maryland Retailers Association