EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1420*
HOUSE BILL 1420
N2 5lr1328
By: Delegates Woorman, Taveras, Acevero, Hill, S. Johnson, Kaiser, Kaufman,
R. Lewis, Pasteur, Ruth, Schindler, Spiegel, Terrasa, White Holland, and
Wims
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2025
Assigned to: Judiciary
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Registers of Wills – Identity Verification Without Government–Issued 2
Identification 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the register of wills for each county and Baltimore City, in 4
consultation with the Maryland Registers of Wills Association, to offer a method by 5
which an individual without government–issued identification may prove the 6
individual’s identity as an heir or a beneficiary of a will; and generally relating to 7
identity verification with a register of wills. 8
BY adding to 9
Article – Estates and Trusts 10
Section 2–216 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
Article – Estates and Trusts 16
2–216. 17
EACH REGISTER, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE MARYLAND REGISTERS OF 18
WILLS ASSOCIATION, SHALL OFFER A METHOD BY WHICH AN INDIVIDUAL WITHOUT 19
GOVERNMENT –ISSUED IDENTIFICATIO N MAY PROVE THE INDIVI DUAL’S IDENTITY AS 20
AN HEIR OR A BENEFIC IARY OF A WILL. 21
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 22 2 HOUSE BILL 1420
October 1, 2025. 1