HB 893

Business Regulation - Abandoned Cemeteries - Acquisition and Disposition

Sponsor: Terri L. Hill (District 12A)Committee: Economic MattersSubject: Business RegulationStatus: First Reading Finance (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Authorizing a governmental unit to acquire property on which an abandoned cemetery is located under certain circumstances and for a certain purpose; requiring a governmental unit that acquires property under the Act to make a certain effort to contact certain persons for a certain purpose; authorizing a person or organization to bring an action to request the court to transfer property acquired under the Act to the person or organization; etc.

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Testimony (21)

MGA witness list

FAV 14FavorableFWA 4Favorable with amendmentsUNF 2UnfavorableINFO 1Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Simmons, Christine	Anne Arundel Genealogical Society	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	DeMinco, Lynne	BCRW	Position only
FAV	Paul, Elizabeth	Friends of Halfway African American Cemetery	Written (PDF)
FAV	Myers, Katie	MCLA	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Edwards, Mark	Maryland Cemetery Legislative Advocates	Written (PDF)
FAV	Thompson, Elinor	Maryland Commissioner on African American History and Culture	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Fulginiti, Andrew	Maryland Department of Labor	Written (PDF)
FAV	McGuckian, Eileen	Montgomery Preservation, Inc. (MPI)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Redding, Nicholaslobbyist	Preservation Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	warden, candy	Rosa Bonheur Society	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Hill, Delegate Hilllegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Hill, Terri	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Mauer, William	Individual	Position only
FAV	Zinner, David	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Stierhoff, Johnlobbyist	Venable LLP	Written (PDF)
UNF	Kraska, Jennylobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FWA	Carr, Molly	Bethesda African Cemetary Coalition	Written (PDF)
FWA	Fisher, Yvonne	maryland Cemetery Legislative Advocates	Written (PDF)
FWA	Silver, Josh	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Stubblefield, Robert	Individual	Written (PDF)
INFO	Rappazzo, Deborah	Department of Labor-Office of Cemetery Oversight	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Anne Arundel Genealogical SocietyFAV 1

BCRWFAV 1

Bethesda African Cemetary CoalitionFWA 1

Department of Labor-Office of Cemetery OversightINFO 1

Friends of Halfway African American CemeteryFAV 1

maryland Cemetery Legislative AdvocatesFWA 1

Maryland Cemetery Legislative AdvocatesFAV 1

Maryland Commissioner on African American History and CultureFAV 1

Maryland Department of LaborFAV 1

MCLAFAV 1

Montgomery Preservation, Inc. (MPI)FAV 1

Preservation MarylandFAV 1

Rosa Bonheur SocietyFAV 1

Venable LLPUNF 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVRedding, NicholasPreservation MarylandRegistered for: Preservation Maryland

UNFStierhoff, JohnVenable LLPRegistered for: Abbott Laboratories; Annie E. Casey Foundation, Inc., The; Arts for Learning Maryland; Baltimore Community Foundation; Baltimore Gas and Electric Company; Baltimore Museum of Art…

UNFKraska, JennyRegistered for: Maryland Catholic Conference