# Maryland SB 0421: Criminal Law - Destroying Funerary Objects and Cemetery Elements - Statute of Limitations and Prohibition

Maryland SB 0421, Criminal Law - Destroying Funerary Objects and Cemetery Elements - Statute of Limitations and Prohibition, is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Mike McKay (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-04-22 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 158) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0421-2025RS
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland SB 0421
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Criminal Law - Destroying Funerary Objects and Cemetery Elements - Statute of Limitations and Prohibition
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-21
- Last action: 2025-04-22, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 158
- Sponsor: Mike McKay (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Criminal Law - Procedures, Cemeteries, Crimes and Punishments -see also- Penalties and Sentnc; etc., Monuments and Memorials, Penalties and Sentences -see also- Death Penalty, Property Damage, Statutes of Limitation
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (181 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Cemetery protections expand, with longer prosecution deadlines: mixed, low. Beginning October 1, 2025, Maryland expands its ban on willfully destroying, damaging, defacing, or removing cemetery property to cover all cemetery grounds, including landscaping. Removal for repair or replacement remains allowed with a request or permission from the deceased’s heirs or descendant…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Mike McKay (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-07 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 137 | 0 | 3 |
| 2025-03-06 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 44 | 0 | 1 |

## Actions (15)

- 2025-04-22: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 158
- 2025-04-07: Returned Passed (Senate)
- 2025-04-07: Third Reading Passed (137-0) (House)
- 2025-04-02: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2025-04-02: Favorable Report by Judiciary (House)
- 2025-03-19: Hearing 3/25 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2025-03-07: Referred Judiciary (House)
- 2025-03-06: Third Reading Passed (44-0) (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Favorable with Amendments {763527/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2025-03-03: Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings (Senate)
- 2025-01-28: Hearing 1/31 at 10:00 a.m. (Senate)
- 2025-01-28: Hearing canceled (Senate)
- 2025-01-22: Hearing 1/31 at 11:00 a.m. (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: First Reading Judicial Proceedings (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2025-04-22: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/Chapters_noln/CH_158_sb0421t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2025-03-04: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0421t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2025-01-21: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0421f.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_158_sb0421t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0421t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0421f.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-SB0421-2025RS (as of 2026-10-17).