Police Discipline - Order to Show Cause

HB 31 allows police officers in Maryland who are denied a right under disciplinary rules to seek court intervention before a formal hearing. Specifically, officers can apply to a circuit court for an order requiring their law enforcement agency to explain why the right should not be granted. The bill specifies that countywide/local agency officers must file in their county’s circuit court, while statewide/bicounty agency officers file in Anne Arundel County circuit court. This process applies to disciplinary proceedings under Maryland’s Public Safety subtitle and takes effect October 1, 2026.