MD SB586

Repeals Maryland law requiring Methodist Church assets to be held in trust for the United Methodist Church and subject to its control and discipline

Repeals provision stating that absence of a trust clause in deeds executed before June 1, 1953 does not relieve local churches from connectional responsibilities to the United Methodist Church

Allows local churches to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Conference and retain ownership of their real property

Requires disaffiliating churches to reimburse the United Methodist Conference for financial investments the Conference made toward acquisition, maintenance, or improvement of the local church's real property

United Methodist Conference must provide disaffiliating churches with full transparent accounting of contributed funds; churches cannot be required to reimburse for investments they made themselves

Effective date: October 1, 2025