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Board hears update on bills to require court review before cemetery sales; local church cited
Summary
Board members were briefed on two Maryland house bills slated for Feb. 25 hearings, including HB 892 which would require court review before a cemetery can be sold or repurposed; a member cited Saint Thomas Church, which may be sold and contains more than 200 graves, as a local example. The board agreed to track the hearings and coordinate outreach.
The Chair reported that two state house bills affecting cemetery protections are scheduled for hearings on Feb. 25 before the House Economic Matters and House Health committees, and urged the board to follow the measures.
"HB 892 requires court review before a cemetery can be sold, transferred, or repurposed for non-cemetery use," the Chair said, describing the bills as giving families, descendants and local nonprofits a voice earlier in the process.
A board member said the legislation is directly relevant to local cases. "I'm actually in contact with the Methodist Church because they're going to most likely sell it, but it has over 200 graves," said Speaker 1 (Committee member), noting the church site could illustrate why statutory protections matter.
Board members discussed a companion bill that would clarify what it means for a cemetery to be "abandoned," and noted the county's role in identifying and preserving burial sites. The Chair said the bills "follow right along with what our mission is," emphasizing protection and the ability to restore sites that have been neglected.
Members agreed to monitor the Feb. 25 hearings and to share coalition communications with staff; the Chair offered to forward the coalition email to Grace so the board could review hearing materials in advance.
No public comments were recorded on the bills during the meeting.
