Maryland Legislative Update
Maryland Cemetery Legislative Advocates (MCLA) continues work to improve State protections for cemeteries. Two important bills – with House and Senate sponsors – are proposed for the 2026 Session. If passed, they would protect burial grounds from being neglected or erased and ensure that descendant communities, preservation efforts, and respectful treatment of the dead are at the center of decision-making in Maryland.
- Transfer of Ownership of Abandoned Cemeteries: This bill would create a legal pathway for a state, county, or municipal government to acquire abandoned cemeteries and transfer them to descendants, community groups, or nonprofits willing to maintain and preserve them. It enables entities, but does not require them to take action.
- Sale or Transfer of Cemeteries for Another Use: This proposal would require court review before any cemetery can be sold, transferred, or repurposed for non-cemetery use and would allow families, nonprofits, and community organizations to have a voice.
As these bills and others move through the legislative process, keep up through www.cpmbs.org.
Also notably, on December 1, the Inventory of Cemeteries and Burial Sites Workgroup, created by the General Assembly and tasked with establishing a statewide cemetery database system, submited its final report and solid recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly. You can see this report on www.cpmbs.org.