Protective Orders - Coercive Control
Sponsor: Susan K. McComas (District 34B)Committee: JudiciarySubject: Family LawStatus: Hearing 3/13 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Sep 4, 2026)
What this bill does
Official synopsis
Authorizing a person to petition for a protective order against another person who the petitioner alleges has engaged in controlling or coercive behavior toward the petitioner; and defining 'coercive control' as a pattern of emotional or psychological manipulation, maltreatment, threat of force, or intimidation used to compel an individual to act, or refrain from acting, against the individual's will.
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Testimony (17)
MGA witness listFAV 10FavorableUNF 7Unfavorable
| Position | Witness | Organization | Testimony |
|---|---|---|---|
| FAV | DeMinco, Lynne | BCRW | Position only |
| FAV | Cocchiola, Christine | Coercive Control Consulting, LLC | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| FAV | McLaughlin, Darlyn | Delegate Susan K. McComas, House of Delegates | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Clancy, Jennifer | Friends of Jennifer Clancy | Position only |
| FAV | Delegate McComas, Delegate McComaslegislator | Individual | Oral |
| FAV | Johnson, Esq, Erika Garrott | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Malpica, Eugenia | Individual | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Sienna, Joan | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Tibbals, Trudy | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Whittington, Christa | Individual | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Rattigan, Yuvelqui | Center For Hope | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Watkins, Caronlobbyist | Harris Jones & Malone | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Rodriguez, Amanda | Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force/ TurnAround, Inc. | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Vormelker, Will | Maryland Judiciary | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Ruth, Laure | Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Swanson, Robyn | Volunteer Legal Advocates | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | OMalley, Catherine | Women's Law Center | Written (PDF) |
Organizations on record
Registered lobbyists who testified
UNFWatkins, CaronHarris Jones & MaloneRegistered for: AFT Maryland; Aligned Data Centers; Associated Black Charities; Associated Builders & Contractors; Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) on behalf of National Strategies, LLC; Baltimore Civic Fund, Inc.…