# Maryland HB 0261: Estates and Trusts - Priority of Claims on an Estate - Unpaid Child Support

Maryland HB 0261, Estates and Trusts - Priority of Claims on an Estate - Unpaid Child Support, is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Catherine M. Forbes (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-04-22 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 225) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0261-2025RS
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland HB 0261
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Estates and Trusts - Priority of Claims on an Estate - Unpaid Child Support
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2024-10-18
- Last action: 2025-04-22, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 225
- Sponsor: Catherine M. Forbes (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Estates and Trusts, Estates and Trusts -see also- Beneficiaries, Family Law -see also- Adoption; Alimony; Annulment; etc., Support of Dependents -see also- Alimony
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (185 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Unpaid child support gets higher estate priority: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2025, Maryland gives unpaid child support sixth priority when an estate cannot pay all claims. The estate’s representative must pay support owed by the person who died after the family allowance but before taxes. This puts child support ahead of medical bills and other lower-pr…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Catherine M. Forbes (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-02 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 47 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-13 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 138 | 0 | 1 |

## Actions (12)

- 2025-04-22: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 225
- 2025-04-02: Returned Passed (House)
- 2025-04-02: Third Reading Passed (47-0) (Senate)
- 2025-03-27: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (Senate)
- 2025-03-27: Favorable Report by Judicial Proceedings (Senate)
- 2025-03-14: Referred Judicial Proceedings (Senate)
- 2025-03-13: Third Reading Passed (138-0) (House)
- 2025-03-12: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2025-03-12: Favorable Report by Judiciary (House)
- 2025-01-10: Hearing 1/22 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2025-01-08: First Reading Judiciary (House)
- 2024-10-18: Pre-filed (House)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2025-04-22: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/Chapters_noln/CH_225_hb0261t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2025-03-12: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb0261t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2025-01-08: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb0261f.pdf)

## Related bills

- SB 0227: Workers' Compensation - Payment From Uninsured Employers' Fund - Revisions (vetoed)
- HB 0482: Occupational Licensing and Certification - Criminal History - Predetermination Review Process (vetoed)
- HB 0384: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established (vetoed)
- SB 0157: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established (vetoed)
- HB 1294: Commercial Law - Credit Regulation - Earned Wage Access and Credit Modernization (became law)
- HB 0228: Maryland Veterans Trust – Assistance to Members of the Maryland National Guard (signed)

## Sources
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/Chapters_noln/CH_225_hb0261t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb0261t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb0261f.pdf)

## Related
- [SB 0227: Workers' Compensation - Payment From Uninsured Employers' Fund - Revisions](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0227-2025RS)
- [HB 0482: Occupational Licensing and Certification - Criminal History - Predetermination…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0482-2025RS)
- [HB 0384: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0384-2025RS)
- [SB 0157: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0157-2025RS)
- [HB 1294: Commercial Law - Credit Regulation - Earned Wage Access and Credit Modernization](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB1294-2025RS)
- [HB 0228: Maryland Veterans Trust – Assistance to Members of the Maryland National Guard](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0228-2025RS)
- [Maryland bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland/bills)
- [Maryland state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0261-2025RS (as of 2026-10-17).