Criminal Law - Destroying Funerary Objects and Cemetery Elements - Statute of Limitations and Prohibition

SB 421 updates Maryland's criminal law to better protect cemetery property. It extends the time limit for prosecuting crimes involving cemetery damage to three years after local authorities discovered the violation (previously based on when the offense occurred), and explicitly prohibits willfully destroying, damaging, or removing cemetery landscaping or grounds. The bill applies directly to anyone who harms funerary objects, structures, fences, or cemetery landscaping, including vandals or those improperly altering cemetery grounds. It clarifies that routine maintenance (like trimming trees or mowing grass) remains permitted, while adding landscaping to the list of protected elements under existing criminal penalties. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.