Criminal Justice (Law Enforcement)

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Jan 29, 2026

HB 464: Criminal Procedure - No-Knock Search Warrants - Repeal

HB 464 repeals Maryland's existing law allowing no-knock search warrants, requiring law enforcement officers to always announce their presence and authority before entering a residence during a search. This directly affects police officers executing search warrants and residents living in properties subject to searches. The bill removes all exceptions permitting entry without notice, mandating that officers provide audible announcement of their authority and purpose prior to entry. It specifically repeals provisions in Maryland's Criminal Procedure and Public Safety codes that previously permitted no-knock warrants under certain conditions.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRepeals no-knock warrants requiring officer announcements, enhancing police accountability and resident civil rights protection.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

Track

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 12, 2026

HB 563: Criminal Law - Emergency Response Animal - Prohibited Actions Against

HB 563 strengthens protections for law enforcement and search/rescue animals by making it a crime to harm them during their duties. The bill prohibits intentionally harassing, interfering with, injuring, or killing emergency response animals (including police dogs, horses used by police, and search/rescue dogs), and adds penalties for these acts. Violations are classified as misdemeanors with fines up to $15,000 or jail terms up to 5 years, depending on the severity. This directly affects anyone who targets these animals while they are performing official law enforcement or rescue tasks. The law replaces an outdated provision that previously allowed intentional harm to such animals.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill explicitly strengthens law enforcement protections by criminalizing harm to police/search-rescue animals, enhancing operational effectiveness within criminal justice system.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Law Enforcement Policing

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 12, 2026

HB 130: Task Force to Study Deed Fraud

HB 130 prohibits intentional fraud in property transactions, making it illegal to sell, convey, or lease real property you don’t own or to acquire property through deception, intimidation, or undue influence. It establishes criminal penalties (felony up to 10 years/$7,500 fine for major violations) and creates a new Deed Fraud Prevention Grant Fund to provide grants for identifying and preventing such fraud, including coordination with legal aid organizations. The bill also requires law enforcement to collect and analyze data on deed fraud incidents. These provisions directly affect property owners vulnerable to fraud, local governments seeking prevention grants, and law enforcement agencies handling related cases. The bill does not address broader housing policy but focuses on criminalizing specific fraudulent acts and funding prevention efforts.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates a new Deed Fraud Prevention Grant Fund requiring state budget allocation to fund fraud prevention programs, aligning with 'funds essential programs' indicator.90% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProhibits deed fraud with criminal penalties and funds prevention efforts, strengthening enforcement against property crime.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

passed · Maryland · Senate Mar 26, 2026

SB 202: Police Discipline - Order to Show Cause

SB 202 creates a new legal process for Maryland police officers who believe they were denied a right during disciplinary proceedings. It allows officers to request a court order requiring their law enforcement agency to explain why the right (such as the right to present evidence or appeal) should not be granted, before a disciplinary hearing occurs. Officers must apply to the circuit court in their county (for local agencies) or Anne Arundel County (for statewide agencies), and the bill takes effect October 1, 2026. This is a procedural change affecting how officers challenge disciplinary actions, not the substance of discipline itself.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill strengthens officer procedural rights in disciplinary cases, creating barriers to timely discipline and weakening oversight of law enforcement conduct.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Law Enforcement Policing

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in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Jan 29, 2026

HB 113: Criminal Procedure - Expungement of Records - Resisting Arrest and Making a False Statement to a Law Enforcement Officer

HB 113 would allow individuals convicted of misdemeanor resisting arrest (§9-408) or making false statements to police (§9-501, §9-502) to petition for expungement of those records under Maryland law. It directly affects people with these specific misdemeanor convictions who currently cannot clear such records. The bill amends the expungement statute (§10-110(a)(1)(xii)) to add these offenses to the list of eligible misdemeanors. This change applies only to misdemeanor offenses (not felonies) and would take effect October 1, 2026, if passed.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAdds misdemeanor resisting arrest/false statements to expungement eligibility, advancing criminal justice reform by clearing records for eligible individuals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

Track

in committee · Maryland · Senate Jan 23, 2026

SB 321: Public Safety - Law Enforcement Agencies - Use of Body-Worn Cameras

SB 321 requires all Maryland law enforcement agencies to mandate body-worn cameras for every sworn officer while they are in uniform, in public, and performing law enforcement duties. It directly affects all sworn officers across Maryland, with specific deadlines: named agencies (State Police, Anne Arundel, Howard, and Harford County) must comply by July 1, 2023, and other county agencies by July 1, 2025. Agencies must develop their own policies governing camera use, but the mandate applies uniformly regardless of an officer’s rank. The bill amends Maryland’s public safety code to establish this requirement, focusing on transparency during public interactions. It does not specify data retention or public access details, only the operational mandate for officers.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates body cameras for officers to enhance police accountability and transparency, directly aligning with criminal justice reform indicators like improved oversight.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing Tags Public Safety

Track

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Jan 16, 2026

HB 309: Judicial Facilities - Stops, Detentions, and Arrests - Limitations

HB 309 prohibits law enforcement from stopping, detaining, or arresting individuals for civil offenses (like unpaid fines) while they are inside a courthouse or within one mile of it for court-related purposes. It requires officers to notify a judge or court administrator before such actions and mandates they avoid disrupting court proceedings. Evidence obtained in violation is inadmissible in court, and individuals wrongfully stopped can sue for damages, attorney fees, or court costs. The law applies to all judicial facilities, including courthouses, hearing centers, and surrounding areas within 1,000 feet, but excludes arrests for criminal offenses, warrants, or other legally authorized actions.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProhibits arrests for civil offenses in courthouses, mandates judicial notification, inadmissible evidence for violations, and enables civil suits - enhancing civil rights and law enforcement accountability in criminal justice.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Judges Law Enforcement

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in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 23, 2026

HB 449: Juvenile Justice Restoration Act

HB 449, the Juvenile Justice Restoration Act, requires law enforcement officers to consult with an attorney before questioning a child (under 18) in custody. It mandates that officers first notify the child’s parent/guardian and ensure the child speaks with an attorney - either one retained by the parent or provided by the Office of the Public Defender - before any interrogation. Exceptions only apply if an officer believes immediate public safety is threatened (with limited questions) or if a parent consents to skip the attorney consultation. The bill also requires detailed records of notifications and attorney contact, and creates a strong presumption that any statement obtained without compliance is inadmissible in court. The Office of the Public Defender must develop policies to guide attorneys on these new requirements.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires attorney consultation before questioning minors, protecting juvenile rights and aligning with criminal justice reform indicators like enhanced due process.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Juvenile Justice Law Enforcement

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in committee · Maryland · Senate Jan 14, 2026

SB 171: Mail Theft

SB 171 proposes to update Maryland's mail theft laws by adding new prohibitions against stealing mail or packages under specific circumstances and banning possession of "arrow keys" in certain contexts. The bill creates two new sections (3-905 and 3-905.1) in the Criminal Law Article, explicitly making mail theft a criminal offense and clarifying jurisdiction for prosecuting such cases. It also revises court jurisdiction rules to ensure District Courts can handle mail theft violations, adding them to the list of cases under the court's authority. This legislation directly affects individuals who steal mail or packages, as well as law enforcement and courts handling these offenses. The bill is currently in the pre-filed stage, with no votes recorded yet.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates new criminal offenses for mail theft and clarifies prosecution jurisdiction, strengthening enforcement within criminal justice system.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Drug Policy Law Enforcement

Track

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 16, 2026

HB 588: Missing and Murdered American Indian and Alaskan Native Women and Girls - Day of Awareness and Reporting Requirement

HB 588 designates May 5 as an annual "Missing and Murdered American Indian and Alaskan Native Women and Girls Awareness Day" for the Governor to proclaim. It requires the Department of State Police to submit a report to the Maryland General Assembly by December 1, 2026, on whether law enforcement agencies collect sufficient data about violence against these communities. The report must include policy recommendations to improve data collection methods, coordinate with federal agencies during investigations, and raise public awareness. This bill directly affects state agencies and aims to address gaps in tracking violence against American Indian and Alaskan Native women and girls, who face disproportionately high rates of violence.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires improved data collection on violence against Native women/girls, aligning with criminal justice reform by enhancing law enforcement transparency and accountability.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing Tags Tribal Nations

Track