Abandoned and Neglected Cemeteries Fund - Establishment

New fund for neglected Maryland cemeteries

Beginning October 1, 2025, Maryland's Department of Labor runs a dedicated fund to care for and restore abandoned or neglected cemeteries. Unspent money stays in the fund. Abandoned sites qualify when their operator has ended without transferring title, the property is condemned, or state records list no owner. They also qualify when no legally responsible person can be found and legal ownership cannot be determined. Neglected sites qualify through at least two local upkeep citations, disrepair from neglect, vandalism, loitering, other crime, or physical damage or decline. The fund accepts state budget money, interest earnings, and other accepted money, including donations. The Governor may include $250,000 in each annual budget, but this funding is not guaranteed. Beginning July 1, 2026, the law removes the income tax checkoff as a funding source. Money can pay only for cemetery work, fund administration, and donation promotion; promotion is capped at 5% of net proceeds. Spending must follow the state budget, and cemetery work must add to—not replace—other Office of Cemetery Oversight funding. The fund keeps its investment interest rather than sending it to the General Fund. By September 30 each year, the Secretary of Labor must report donations, promotional efforts, and a detailed accounting of fund use to lawmakers.