# Maryland HB 0216: Criminal Law - Benefits Exploitation

Maryland HB 0216, Criminal Law - Benefits Exploitation, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Aaron M. Kaufman (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 662); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0216-2026RS
- As of: 2026-10-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland HB 0216
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Criminal Law - Benefits Exploitation
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-09-23
- Last action: 2026-05-26, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 662
- Sponsor: Aaron M. Kaufman (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 16
- Subjects: Criminal Law - Substantive Crimes, Crimes and Punishments -see also- Penalties and Sentnc; etc., Extortion, Fines -see also- Penalties and Sentences, Harassment -see also- Threats, Medical Assistance, Penalties and Sentences -see also- Death Penalty, Public Benefits -see also- Housing; MedAsst; SupplNutrAsstP, Retirement -see also- Mandatory Retirement, Social Security, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Veterans
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 2 (175 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Ban on exploiting government benefits: benefit, low. The law bans exploiting government benefits. It is a crime to knowingly recruit, harbor, transport, or obtain a person to take their benefits using deception, coercion, exploitation, or isolation. It is also a crime to knowingly profit from a venture that does this, or to aid, abet, or conspire in…
- Defines coercion and covered benefits: benefit, low. The law defines key terms for this crime. Coercion includes threats, harm, taking IDs, giving controlled drugs, exposing immigration or criminal facts, cutting off medical care, or misusing control of an older or disabled adult’s money. It also defines deception, exploitation, and isolation. Covere…
- Tough penalties for benefits theft: benefit, low. The law sets jail time and fines based on the value taken. Less than $1,500: up to 1 year or up to $500, or both. $1,500 to under $25,000: up to 5 years or up to $10,000, or both. $25,000 to under $100,000: up to 10 years or up to $15,000, or both. $100,000 or more: up to 20 years or up to $25,000,…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Aaron M. Kaufman (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Lauren Arikan (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Jon S. Cardin (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Frank M. Conaway (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kris Fair (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jessica Feldmark (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Susan K. McComas (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: David Moon (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Gabriel M. Moreno (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Joseline A. Peña-Melnyk (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: N. Scott Phillips (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Gary Simmons (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Karen Simpson (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Sean A. Stinnett (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kym Taylor (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Chris Tomlinson (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Jamila J. Woods (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-08 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 44 | 0 | 1 |
| 2026-03-20 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 131 | 0 | 5 |

## Actions (14)

- 2026-05-26: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 662
- 2026-04-09: Returned Passed (House)
- 2026-04-08: Third Reading Passed (44-0) (Senate)
- 2026-04-07: Second Reading Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-07: Favorable Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-04-06: Favorable Report by Judicial Proceedings (Senate)
- 2026-03-23: Referred Judicial Proceedings (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Third Reading Passed (131-0) (House)
- 2026-03-19: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House)
- 2026-03-19: Favorable with Amendments {823622/1 Adopted (House)
- 2026-03-19: Favorable with Amendments Report by Judiciary (House)
- 2026-01-16: Hearing 1/27 at 2:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-01-14: First Reading Judiciary (House)
- 2025-09-23: Pre-filed (House)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-05-26: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_662_hb0216t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-19: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0216t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-01-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0216f.pdf)

## Related bills

- SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - Authorization (became law)
- SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishment (became law)
- SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law)
- SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-1 Specialists Act) (became law)
- SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits (became law)
- HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law)

## Sources
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_662_hb0216t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0216t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0216f.pdf)

## Related
- [SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - A…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0496-2026RS)
- [SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishm…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0366-2026RS)
- [SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0244-2026RS)
- [SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0148-2026RS)
- [SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0016-2026RS)
- [HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0529-2026RS)
- [Maryland bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland/bills)
- [Maryland state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0216-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).