In an Annapolis hearing room Wednesday, Gina Pryor was steeling herself to testify before the Maryland House of Delegates’ Judiciary Committee.
Committee Vice Chair Debra Davis could see Pryor was fighting to compose herself, and asked, “Are you going to be OK to proceed? Do you need to take a minute?”
Pryor’s voice shook as she thanked Davis and started her testimony: “I’m here to advocate for my granddaughter, the late Zoey Rose Marie Harrison.”
Pryor was there to ask lawmakers to pass “Zoey’s Law.” The bill, named for her 3-year-old granddaughter, “works to ensure that no other child becomes a victim, and no other family endures the pain that my family has gone through,” Pryor said.
Zoey was killed when she and her mother were hit by a car involved in a high-speed police chase.
The crash that killed Zoey on March 7, 2025, was one of three crashes — all in Prince George’s County — that all resulted in death as drivers attempted to flee police. All three crashes occurred within a span of just 30 days.
Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy sat at the witness table with Pryor.
“She was absolutely beautiful. She should be laughing and playing with her friends and family. Last March, almost exactly one year ago today, she was killed,” Braveboy said.
Maryland State Del. Nicole Williams, one of the sponsors of the bill, said it would call for a felony charge and greater penalties for drivers involved in crashes like the one that killed Zoey: up to 10 years in prison, fines of up to $5,000 or both.
“Zoey Harrison deserves more than a traffic level misdemeanor,” Williams said.
The bill was cross-filed with a Senate bill that was heard before the Senate’s Judicial Proceedings Committee.
A Prince George’s County law that also carries Zoey’s name was passed in November. That law requires police agencies in the county to document and report the details of all police pursuits to the county council each year.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
