HB 686, "Zoey's Law," increases penalties for drivers who flee police and cause death during the chase. It reclassifies causing death while attempting to elude police as a felony, raising the maximum penalty to 5 years for a first offense and 10 years for repeat offenses, with fines up to $5,000. The bill directly affects drivers who evade law enforcement and result in a fatality, replacing prior misdemeanor penalties. This change applies to all drivers who fail to stop for police signals (e.g., lights, sirens) and cause death, regardless of whether the driver was fleeing for a "crime of violence."
HB 159 proposes to amend Maryland law regarding mail theft by creating new prohibitions on stealing mail or packages under specific circumstances. The bill establishes two new sections (3-905 and 3-905.1) in the Criminal Law Article, defining prohibited acts and penalties for mail theft. It also clarifies that violations of these new provisions will be tried in District Court or Circuit Court, depending on the offense severity. This bill directly affects individuals who steal or possess stolen mail or packages, and it is currently pending in the Maryland General Assembly.
HB 169 allows individuals with past misdemeanor or felony convictions to petition courts for expungement (removal of court records) after specific waiting periods: 5 years for misdemeanors and 7 years for felonies following completion of sentences, parole, or probation. Courts may grant expungement if a person demonstrates "good cause," considering factors like the crime's nature, rehabilitation success, public safety risk, and the impact of the conviction on employment or housing. If denied, the decision cannot be appealed, and the person must wait 3 years before reapplying for the same conviction. This bill directly affects Maryland residents seeking to clear past criminal records to improve access to jobs, housing, and other opportunities.
HB 83, the Family and Law Enforcement Protection Act, modifies Maryland's domestic violence protective order process to strengthen firearm safety measures. The bill requires petitioners seeking protective orders to provide specific details about a respondent's firearms - including make, model, location, and whether stored in a vehicle - if the petition alleges abuse involving firearms. Judges must then order the respondent to surrender all firearms and firearm licenses in cases where abuse involved firearm use, threats with a firearm, or serious bodily harm (with or without firearm threat). This directly affects domestic violence victims and respondents in protective order cases, creating clearer mechanisms for law enforcement to enforce firearm surrender during temporary protective orders under Sections 4-504(e) and 4-505(a)(viii) of Maryland's Family Law.
SB 327 repeals specific sections of Maryland's criminal law that prohibited certain drug-related items. It removes prohibitions on "drug paraphernalia" and "controlled paraphernalia" defined in sections 5-619 and 5-620, including items like syringes, gelatin capsules, and diluents (e.g., lactose, quinine) used with controlled substances. The bill also modifies related definitions in sections 5-101(h), (p), and (i)-(q). This repeal would eliminate criminal penalties for possessing these items under the repealed sections, directly affecting individuals who might have previously faced charges for such possession. The change removes existing legal barriers but does not create new allowances for drug use.
SB 44 would require forfeiture of pension benefits for public employees convicted of specific crimes committed while performing job duties. It applies to members of systems like police, teachers, correctional officers, and judges' pensions. The bill establishes procedures for courts to review requests for partial benefit payments within one year of conviction, considering factors like crime severity and financial need. It also protects existing court orders for spousal support or child custody from being altered by the forfeiture.
HB 184 prohibits using personal identifying information (like Social Security numbers or bank details) or artificial intelligence/deepfake representations to cause harm, such as physical injury, emotional distress, or financial loss. It specifically bans maliciously sharing personal data online to harass someone or using AI-generated content that mimics real people to deceive others for fraud, health care access, or other benefits. Victims can file civil lawsuits against those who cause harm through these actions. The bill defines "deepfakes" as computer-generated images indistinguishable from real people (excluding cartoons or sculptures) and clarifies that harm includes emotional or economic damage. It updates Maryland’s criminal law to address identity fraud involving AI, without restricting legitimate uses of technology.
This bill expands Maryland's juvenile sex offender registry to include specific offenses like child pornography violations, sexual acts against minors, and certain sexual offenses that would be crimes if committed by adults. It requires juveniles (at least 14 years old at the time of the offense) found guilty in court for these offenses to be registered in a separate juvenile registry, distinct from the adult registry. The bill also allows school superintendents or their designees to access the registry for safety purposes, in addition to law enforcement. Juveniles on the registry must update their information and provide a digital photo every three months until they turn 18 or lose juvenile court jurisdiction, whichever occurs later. The changes will take effect on October 1, 2026.
HB 577 prohibits the manufacture, sale, purchase, possession, or transfer of "machine gun convertible pistols" in Maryland after a specified date. These are defined as semiautomatic pistols with a special trigger mechanism that can be easily converted to automatic fire using common tools or a "pistol converter" device. The bill creates new criminal penalties for violating this ban, with key exceptions allowing law enforcement use, licensed dealer transactions for specific purposes, and inheritance by qualified individuals. It does not affect standard semiautomatic firearms or restrict existing lawfully owned weapons.
HB 477 modifies Maryland's evidence rules to allow certain out-of-court statements in assault in the second degree cases where the defendant caused the witness's unavailability. It permits such statements as evidence if the court finds by a preponderance of evidence that the defendant engaged in wrongdoing to make the witness unavailable. The bill requires statements to have been given under oath, written and signed, or recorded verbatim, and mandates early notice to the defense about the statement's use. This directly affects criminal trials for assault in the second degree by expanding admissible evidence while adding procedural safeguards. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.
