# Maryland SB 0140: Criminal Law - Benefits Exploitation

Maryland SB 0140, Criminal Law - Benefits Exploitation, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Chris West (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 663); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0140-2026RS
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland SB 0140
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Criminal Law - Benefits Exploitation
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-09-23
- Last action: 2026-05-26, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 663
- Sponsor: Chris West (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Criminal Law - Substantive Crimes, Crimes and Punishments -see also- Penalties and Sentnc; etc., Extortion, 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: 3 (218 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- New crime for stealing government benefits: benefit, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, the law makes it a crime to recruit, keep, move, or obtain a person to take their government benefits. It also bans helping or profiting from any such scheme. Covered benefits include Medicare, Medicaid, TANF, WIC, SNAP, Social Security and SSDI, veterans and pension bene…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Chris West (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-09 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 42 | 0 | 1 |
| 2026-04-08 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 132 | 0 | 4 |
| 2026-03-12 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 44 | 0 | 1 |

## Actions (16)

- 2026-05-26: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 663
- 2026-04-09: Passed Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-04-09: Third Reading Passed (42-0) (Senate)
- 2026-04-09: Senate Concurs House Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-04-08: Third Reading Passed (132-0) (House)
- 2026-04-06: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House)
- 2026-04-06: Favorable with Amendments {733322/1 Adopted (House)
- 2026-04-06: Favorable with Amendments Report by Judiciary (House)
- 2026-03-13: Referred Judiciary (House)
- 2026-03-12: Third Reading Passed (44-0) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Favorable with Amendments {593926/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings (Senate)
- 2026-01-14: First Reading Judicial Proceedings (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Hearing 1/20 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate)
- 2025-09-23: Pre-filed (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-05-26: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_663_sb0140e.pdf)
- Enrolled, 2026-04-09: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0140e.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-10: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0140t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-01-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0140f.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_663_sb0140e.pdf)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0140e.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0140t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0140f.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-SB0140-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).