Bill
Bill > HB375
summary
Introduced
01/19/2026
01/19/2026
In Committee
01/19/2026
01/19/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
Authorizing, under certain circumstances, a personal representative to petition the orphans' court to interpret a decedent's will in accordance with the decedent's intent as demonstrated by certain extrinsic evidence; authorizing the personal representative to require a certain legatee to demonstrate the use of a legacy under the decedent's will; requiring the court to interpret a will in a certain manner if certain language is included in the will; etc.
AI Summary
This bill, also known as "Granny's Law," allows a personal representative, who is an individual that managed the decedent's affairs or acted as their caregiver, to ask a court to interpret a will according to the decedent's wishes if the will includes a gift to a health provider or charity in a sector facing documented need or inequality, and the decedent's life showed an interest in addressing these issues. The personal representative must provide evidence, such as the decedent's lifetime actions, to prove this intent, and if the will contains specific broad powers for the representative, the court must defer to their judgment unless there's clear evidence of fraud. Furthermore, the bill permits the personal representative to require a recipient of such a gift (a legatee) to show how the money was used, and if they cannot demonstrate it was used as intended to address health equity issues, the personal representative can ask the court to order the return of the gift or its value to the estate. The bill also establishes a state policy to address health outcome disparities and will be applied retroactively to wills probated on or after October 1, 2021, taking effect on October 1, 2026.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
House Judiciary Hearing (13:00:00 2/4/2026 ) (on 02/04/2026)
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0375?ys=2026RS |
| BillText | https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0375f.pdf |
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