Public Safety - Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission - Prohibition Against Certain Affiliation or Support by Police Officers

HB 1435 prohibits Maryland police officers from affiliating with, supporting, or advocating for white supremacist groups, ideologies, or causes, or participating in FBI-designated extremist groups that promote illegal violence. It defines such groups as those promoting white superiority, racial hatred, or violence against Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). The Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission must enforce this ban, which takes effect October 1, 2025. The law directly affects all current and future Maryland police officers.