Criminal Procedure - Crime Solvers Reward Fund - Establishment

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Caylin Young

Establishes a permanent Crime Solvers Reward Fund to grant money to law enforcement and county programs to pay rewards for information leading to arrests and convictions in murders

Withdrawn by Sponsor

Summary — HB 198: "Criminal Procedure — Crime Solvers Reward Fund — Establishment"

Status: Withdrawn by sponsor (withdrawn 2025‑03‑12)
Introduced: 2025 session (prefiled 2024; assigned to Judiciary & Appropriations)
Jurisdiction/Context: Maryland (bill text establishes a new subtitle in Criminal Procedure and creates a special fund administered by the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services)

Purpose / Intent

Create a permanent, special (nonlapsing) Crime Solvers Reward Fund to encourage public cooperation in solving serious violent crimes by providing grant money to law enforcement agencies and county reward programs to pay rewards to individuals who provide information that directly leads to identification, arrest, and conviction in murders or attempted murders involving a firearm.

Key provisions

Establishes the Crime Solvers Reward Fund (special, nonlapsing fund) held by the State Treasurer and administered by the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS).

Fund revenue sources: appropriations, federal grants, private contributions, interest earnings, and other accepted monies. Interest earnings credited to the Fund.

Fund use: only to award grants to law enforcement agencies or county reward programs so they can pay reward money to qualifying individuals.

Definition of qualifying information: information that directly leads to identification, arrest, and conviction of the perpetrator.

Reward eligibility (to be verified by grant recipient agency/program): the informant provided credible qualifying information, did not directly participate in the crime, and cooperated with law enforcement.

DPSCS must adopt implementing regulations (including application criteria and distribution criteria) and must report annually to the General Assembly by October 1 (first report due 10/1/2026) on number of rewards issued and total amounts paid.

Bill text specifies an effective date of October 1, 2025 (though the bill was later withdrawn).

Fiscal impact (as estimated in committee fiscal note)

The fiscal note assumes a viable program would be capitalized at $1.0 million annually (special fund revenue/expenditure of $1.0M each year) and that general fund expenditures would increase by at least $1.1M annually beginning FY2026 to cover capitalization and administration.

DPSCS administrative costs estimated minimum: $86,109 GF in FY2026 (to hire at least one program manager); ongoing personnel and operating costs rise in later years. DPSCS indicated a likely need for additional staff and possibly a grants management system (costs not fully estimated).

Local governments: potential revenue/expenditure increases to the extent local law enforcement or county reward programs receive grants.

Small business effect: none anticipated.

Who is affected

State: DPSCS (administration, rulemaking, reporting), Comptroller/State Treasurer (accounting/holding of fund).

Local law enforcement agencies and county-run reward programs (eligible to apply for grants and to award reward payments).

Members of the public who provide qualifying information (potential reward recipients).

Potential federal/private funders if they contribute.

Procedural / timeline notes

Although the bill included an October 1, 2025 effective date in its text and required the first annual report by October 1, 2026, legislative records indicate the sponsor withdrew the bill on March 12, 2025; it is therefore not pending law as of that withdrawal. If refiled, enactment would require appropriation language to fund the program.