# Maryland SB 0581: Civil Actions - Tortious Injury to or Death of Pet - Compensatory Damages (Buddy's Law)

Maryland SB 0581, Civil Actions - Tortious Injury to or Death of Pet - Compensatory Damages (Buddy's Law), is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Shaneka Henson (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-04-22 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 100); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0581-2025RS
- 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 0581
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Civil Actions - Tortious Injury to or Death of Pet - Compensatory Damages (Buddy's Law)
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-27
- Last action: 2025-04-22, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 100
- Sponsor: Shaneka Henson (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Civil Actions and Procedures, Civil Actions -see also- Small Claims, Damages, Death -see also- Homicide; Murder; Wrongful Death, Domestic Animals -see also- Birds; Dogs, Injury
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 2 (185 yes, 1 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Higher compensation cap for pet owners: mixed, medium. Beginning October 1, 2025, Maryland raises the compensation cap for wrongfully injuring or killing a pet from $10,000 to $25,000. For injuries, compensation covers reasonable and necessary veterinary care. For deaths, it also includes the pet’s fair market value before death. The law covers domesti…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Shaneka Henson (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-02 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 138 | 1 |   |
| 2025-03-12 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 47 | 0 |   |

## Actions (13)

- 2025-04-22: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 100
- 2025-04-03: Returned Passed (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: Third Reading Passed (138-1) (House)
- 2025-04-02: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2025-04-01: Favorable Report by Judiciary (House)
- 2025-03-13: Referred Judiciary (House)
- 2025-03-12: Third Reading Passed (47-0) (Senate)
- 2025-03-11: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2025-03-11: Floor Amendment {163420/1 (Senator Henson) Adopted (Senate)
- 2025-03-11: Favorable Adopted (Senate)
- 2025-03-10: Favorable Report by Judicial Proceedings (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Hearing 2/11 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate)
- 2025-01-27: First Reading Judicial Proceedings (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2025-04-22: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/Chapters_noln/CH_100_sb0581t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2025-03-11: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0581t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2025-01-27: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0581f.pdf)

## Related bills

- HB 0384: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established (vetoed)
- SB 0227: Workers' Compensation - Payment From Uninsured Employers' Fund - Revisions (vetoed)
- HB 0482: Occupational Licensing and Certification - Criminal History - Predetermination Review Process (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_100_sb0581t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0581t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0581f.pdf)

## Related
- [HB 0384: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0384-2025RS)
- [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)
- [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-SB0581-2025RS (as of 2026-10-19).