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SB 140

Criminal Law - Benefits Exploitation

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Chris West

SB 140 establishes criminal penalties for exploiting benefits recipients through fraud, misuse, or coercion in Maryland.

Passed Enrolled
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 140

Legislative bill overview

SB 140 creates new criminal penalties for the exploitation of benefits recipients in Maryland. The bill establishes offenses related to fraudulently obtaining, misusing, or coercing individuals to surrender public benefits, with enhanced penalties for repeat offenses or vulnerable victims.

Why is this important

Benefits exploitation represents a significant vulnerability for low-income and elderly populations who depend on government assistance programs. Creating specific criminal statutes provides law enforcement clearer tools to prosecute predatory behavior and may deter individuals from targeting vulnerable beneficiaries of programs like SNAP, TANF, and Social Security.

Potential points of contention

  • Definition scope: The bill's specific definitions of "exploitation" and "coercion" will determine whether it casts too wide a net (affecting legitimate debt collection or family financial arrangements) or remains too narrow to protect vulnerable people
  • Prosecution burden: Creating new criminal categories may require additional resources for investigation and prosecution, raising questions about implementation costs and priority relative to other crimes
  • Overlap with existing law: Concerns about whether this duplicates existing fraud, theft, or elder abuse statutes, creating unnecessary complexity rather than filling genuine gaps in current law

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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