Criminal Law - Benefits Exploitation
Sponsor: Chris West (District 42)Committee: Judicial ProceedingsSubject: Criminal Law - Substantive CrimesStatus: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 663 (as of Sep 4, 2026)
What this bill does
Official synopsis
Prohibiting a person from knowingly recruiting, harboring, transporting, or obtaining an individual for the purpose of appropriating the government benefits of an individual for the benefit of the person or another through deception, coercion, exploitation, or isolation; prohibiting a person from aiding, abetting, or conspiring with one or more persons to violate a certain provision of the Act; imposing certain penalties based on the aggregate value of the government benefits involved in the violation; 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 (14)
MGA witness listFAV 13FavorableUNF 1Unfavorable
| Position | Witness | Organization | Testimony |
|---|---|---|---|
| FAV | Peters, Meganlobbyist | Alzheimer's Association | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Miicke, Sarahlobbyist | Baltimore Jewish Council | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Brown-Burnett, Gloria | Department of Human Services | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Roques, Carmel | Maryland Department of Aging | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Bright Gordon, Cornelia | Maryland Legal Aid | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Themelis, Nina | Mayor's Office of Government Relations | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Proctor, Karessa | NASW Maryland | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | West, Christopher | Senator Chris West | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | OMalley, Catherine | Women's Law Center | Position only |
| FAV | Kaplowitz, Richard KAP | Year | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Randolph, Ash-Lynnlobbyist | fello | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Senator West, Senator Westlegislator | Individual | Oral |
| FAV | Tibbals, Trudy | Individual | Position only |
| UNF | Williams, Krystal | MD Office of the Public Defender | Written (PDF) |
Organizations on record
felloFAV 1
Maryland Legal AidFAV 1
NASW MarylandFAV 1
Senator Chris WestFAV 1
Women's Law CenterFAV 1
YearFAV 1
Registered lobbyists who testified
FAVRandolph, Ash-LynnfelloRegistered for: Alliance of Maryland Dental Plans; City of Frederick; Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund; League of Life & Health Insurers of Maryland, Inc.; Planned Parenthood of Maryland