Workgroup to Study Adoption of a Statute for Assault in the Third Degree

SB 873 redefines "assault in the third degree" in Maryland law as a misdemeanor, replacing the previous "assault in the second degree." It defines "offensive contact" as nonconsensual physical touch a reasonable person would find offensive, excluding injuries, domestic crimes, or sexual offenses. The bill establishes District Court as the exclusive court for these cases, removes assault in the third degree as a lesser-included offense for other crimes, and adds it to the list of offenses eligible for expungement. It also repeals the existing "assault in the second degree" statute and clarifies that certain defenses (like bias based on race or gender) cannot be used in assault cases.