Maryland 2022 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB1012 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW .
4	4	[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5	5	hb1012
6	6
7	7	HOUSE BILL 1012
8	8	D3, E4 2lr0510
9	9	CF 2lr2140
10	10	By: Delegate Wilkins
11	11	Introduced and read first time: February 10, 2022
12	12	Assigned to: Judiciary
13	13
14	14	A BILL ENTITLED
15	15
16	16	AN ACT concerning 1
17	17
18	18	Police Immunity and Accountability Act 2
19	19
20	20	FOR the purpose of specifying that a police officer who subjects or causes to be subjected 3
21	21	any individual to the deprivation of certain rights under the Maryland Constitution 4
22	22	or the U.S. Constitution is liable for certain damages; establishing that a police 5
23	23	officer is not immune from civil or criminal liability for violations of another 6
24	24	individual’s constitutional rights; requiring the Maryland Police Training and 7
25	25	Standards Commission to review certain cases brought under this Act; requiring an 8
26	26	officer’s employer or a local jurisdiction to satisfy certain judgments or settlements; 9
27	27	requiring an officer’s employer or a local jurisdiction to seek certain reimbursement; 10
28	28	extending the notice to file claim deadlines under the Local Government Tort Claims 11
29	29	Act and the Maryland Tort Claims Act when the claim arises from certain acts, 12
30	30	omissions, or violations by a police officer; and generally relating to actions against 13
31	31	police officers and government liability. 14
32	32
33	33	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 15
34	34	Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 16
35	35	Section 5–304 17
36	36	Annotated Code of Maryland 18
37	37	(2020 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 19
38	38
39	39	BY adding to 20
40	40	Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 21
41	41	Section 5–1301 and 5–1302 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 13. Police 22
42	42	Immunity and Accountability Act” 23
43	43	Annotated Code of Maryland 24
44	44	(2020 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 25
45	45
46	46	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 26
47	47	Article – State Government 27
48	48	Section 12–106 28 2 HOUSE BILL 1012
49	49
50	50
51	51	Annotated Code of Maryland 1
52	52	(2021 Replacement Volume) 2
53	53
54	54	Preamble 3
55	55
56	56	WHEREAS, The Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution protects 4
57	57	individuals from biased and discriminatory policing; and 5
58	58
59	59	WHEREAS, Every Maryland resident has the right to fair, safe, and equitable 6
60	60	policing; and 7
61	61
62	62	WHEREAS, In order to hold police officers accountable and to promote proper 8
63	63	policing, an officer who violates another individual’s constitutional rights under the State 9
64	64	or U.S. Constitution is not immune from civil or criminal liability for the violation; now, 10
65	65	therefore, 11
66	66
67	67	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
68	68	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13
69	69
70	70	Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 14
71	71
72	72	5–304. 15
73	73
74	74	(a) This section does not apply to an action: 16
75	75
76	76	(1) Against a nonprofit corporation described in § 5–301(d)(23), (24), (25), 17
77	77	(26), (28), or (29) of this subtitle or its employees; or 18
78	78
79	79	(2) Brought under § 5–117 of this title. 19
80	80
81	81	(b) (1) Except as provided in PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION A ND 20
82	82	subsections (a) and (d) of this section, an action for unliquidated damages may not be 21
83	83	brought against a local government or its employees unless the notice of the claim required 22
84	84	by this section is given within 1 year after the injury. 23
85	85
86	86	(2) NOTICE OF A CLAIM ARI SING FROM A TORTIOUS ACT OR OMISSION 24
87	87	OR A VIOLATION OF A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT COMMITTED BY A POLIC E OFFICER 25
88	88	SHALL BE GIVEN WITHI N 3 YEARS AFTER THE INJU RY. 26
89	89
90	90	(3) The notice shall be in writing and shall state the time, place, and cause 27
91	91	of the injury. 28
92	92
93	93	(c) (1) The notice required under this section shall be given in person or by 29
94	94	certified mail, return receipt requested, bearing a postmark from the United States Postal 30
95	95	Service, by the claimant or the representative of the claimant. 31
96	96	HOUSE BILL 1012 3
97	97
98	98
99	99	(2) Except as otherwise provided, if the defendant local government is a 1
100	100	county, the notice required under this section shall be given to the county commissioners 2
101	101	or county council of the defendant local government. 3
102	102
103	103	(3) If the defendant local government is: 4
104	104
105	105	(i) Baltimore City, the notice shall be given to the City Solicitor; 5
106	106
107	107	(ii) Howard County or Montgomery County, the notice shall be given 6
108	108	to the County Executive; and 7
109	109
110	110	(iii) Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Frederick County, 8
111	111	Harford County, or Prince George’s County, the notice shall be given to the county solicitor 9
112	112	or county attorney. 10
113	113
114	114	(4) For any other local government, the notice shall be given to the 11
115	115	corporate authorities of the defendant local government. 12
116	116
117	117	(d) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, unless the defendant can 13
118	118	affirmatively show that its defense has been prejudiced by lack of required notice, upon 14
119	119	motion and for good cause shown the court may entertain the suit even though the required 15
120	120	notice was not given. 16
121	121
122	122	(e) (1) [This] SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION, THIS 17
123	123	section does not apply if, within 1 year after the injury, the defendant local government has 18
124	124	actual or constructive notice of: 19
125	125
126	126	[(1)] (I) The claimant’s injury; or 20
127	127
128	128	[(2)] (II) The defect or circumstances giving rise to the claimant’s injury. 21
129	129
130	130	(2) FOR A CLAIM ARISING FROM A TORTIOUS ACT OR OMIS SION OR A 22
131	131	VIOLATION OF A CONST ITUTIONAL RIGHT COMM ITTED BY A POLICE OFFICER, THIS 23
132	132	SECTION DOES NOT APP LY IF, WITHIN 3 YEARS AFTER THE INJU RY, THE DEFENDANT 24
133	133	LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS ACTUAL OR CONSTRUCTI VE NOTICE OF: 25
134	134
135	135	(I) THE CLAIMANT’S INJURY; OR 26
136	136
137	137	(II) THE DEFECT OR CIRCUMS TANCES GIVING RISE T O THE 27
138	138	CLAIMANT’S INJURY. 28
139	139
140	140	SUBTITLE 13. POLICE IMMUNITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT. 29
141	141
142	142	5–1301. 30
143	143	4 HOUSE BILL 1012
144	144
145	145
146	146	(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 1
147	147	INDICATED. 2
148	148
149	149	(B) “LOCAL JURISDICTION” MEANS A COUNTY OR MU NICIPAL 3
150	150	CORPORATION . 4
151	151
152	152	(C) “MARYLAND POLICE TRAINING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION” MEANS 5
153	153	THE UNIT WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONAL 6
154	154	SERVICES ESTABLISHED UNDER § 3–202 OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY ARTICLE. 7
155	155
156	156	(D) “OFFICER” MEANS A POLICE OFFIC ER AS DEFINED IN § 3–201 OF THE 8
157	157	PUBLIC SAFETY ARTICLE. 9
158	158
159	159	5–1302. 10
160	160
161	161	(A) AN OFFICER WHO SUBJECTS OR CAUSES TO BE SUBJ ECTED ANY 11
162	162	INDIVIDUAL TO THE DE PRIVATION OF ANY RIG HTS, PRIVILEGES, OR IMMUNITIES 12
163	163	SECURED BY THE MARYLAND CONSTITUTION OR THE U.S. CONSTITUTION SHALL 13
164	164	BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES BROUGHT IN A N ACTION AGAINST THE OFFICER. 14
165	165
166	166	(B) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY O THER PROVISION OF LA W, AN OFFICER WHO 15
167	167	VIOLATES ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL ’S CONSTITUTIONAL RIG HTS UNDER THE 16
168	168	MARYLAND CONSTITUTION OR THE U.S. CONSTITUTION IS NOT I MMUNE FROM 17
169	169	CIVIL OR CRIMINAL LI ABILITY FOR THE VIOL ATION. 18
170	170
171	171	(C) (1) STATUTORY IMMUNITY PR OVIDED UNDER SUBTITLE 5 OF THIS 19
172	172	TITLE OR TITLE 12, SUBTITLE 1 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE OR COMMON 20
173	173	LAW PUBLIC OFFICIAL IMMUNITY DOES NOT AP PLY TO A CLAIM BROUG HT UNDER 21
174	174	THIS SECTION. 22
175	175
176	176	(2) QUALIFIED IMMUNITY IS NOT A DEFENSE TO LI ABILITY OR AN 23
177	177	IMMUNITY FROM SUIT UNDER THIS SECTION . 24
178	178
179	179	(D) THE MARYLAND POLICE TRAINING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION 25
180	180	SHALL: 26
181	181
182	182	(1) REVIEW ANY CASE BROUG HT UNDER THIS SECTIO N IN WHICH AN 27
183	183	OFFICER OR OFFICER’S EMPLOYER: 28
184	184
185	185	(I) WAS HELD LIABLE; OR 29
186	186
187	187	(II) ENTERED INTO A SETTLEMENT AG REEMENT; AND 30
188	188	HOUSE BILL 1012 5
189	189
190	190
191	191	(2) DETERMINE WHETHER THE OFFICER’S CERTIFICATION TO W ORK 1
192	192	IN THE STATE SHOULD BE REVOK ED. 2
193	193
194	194	(E) (1) IN AN ACTION BROUGHT UNDER THIS SECTION , THE COURT SHALL 3
195	195	AWARD REASONABLE ATT ORNEY’S FEES AND COURT COS TS TO A PREVAILING 4
196	196	PLAINTIFF. 5
197	197
198	198	(2) EACH SETTLEMENT AGREE MENT FOR AN ACTION B ROUGHT 6
199	199	UNDER THIS SECTION S HALL PROVIDE THAT TH E PLAINTIFF IS ENTIT LED TO 7
200	200	REASONABLE ATTORNEY ’S FEES AND COURT COSTS . 8
201	201
202	202	(F) (1) IN AN ACTION BROUGHT UNDER THIS SECTION , ANY FINAL 9
203	203	JUDGMENT OR SETTLEME NT AGAINST THE OFFICER OR THE O FFICER’S EMPLOYER 10
204	204	OR THE LOCAL JURISDI CTION WHERE THE OFFI CER IS EMPLOYED SHAL L BE 11
205	205	ENTERED AND SATISFIE D BY THE OFFICER ’S EMPLOYER OR THE LO CAL 12
206	206	JURISDICTION WHERE T HE OFFICER IS EMPLOY ED. 13
207	207
208	208	(2) THE OFFICER’S EMPLOYER OR THE LO CAL JURISDICTION WHERE 14
209	209	THE OFFICER IS EMPLO YED SHALL SEEK REIMB URSEMENT FROM THE OF FICER FOR 15
210	210	5% OR $25,000, WHICHEVER IS LESS , FROM ANY FINAL JUDGMENT OR SETTLEMENT 16
211	211	ENTERED AGAINST THE OFFICER’S EMPLOYER OR THE LO CAL JURISDICTION WHE RE 17
212	212	THE OFFICER IS EMPLO YED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION . 18
213	213
214	214	(G) THIS SECTION MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO LIMI T THE RIGHT OF AN 19
215	215	INDIVIDUAL TO SEEK R EMEDIES OTHERWISE AV AILABLE UNDER ANY OT HER 20
216	216	PROVISION OF LAW . 21
217	217
218	218	Article – State Government 22
219	219
220	220	12–106. 23
221	221
222	222	(a) This section does not apply to a claim that is: 24
223	223
224	224	(1) asserted by cross–claim, counterclaim, or third–party claim; or 25
225	225
226	226	(2) brought under § 5–117 of the Courts Article. 26
227	227
228	228	(b) (1) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, a claimant may not 27
229	229	institute an action under this subtitle unless: 28
230	230
231	231	[(1)] (I) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED I N PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS 29
232	232	SUBSECTION, the claimant submits a written claim to the Treasurer or a designee of the 30
233	233	Treasurer within 1 year after the injury to person or property that is the basis of the claim; 31
234	234	6 HOUSE BILL 1012
235	235
236	236
237	237	[(2)] (II) the Treasurer or designee denies the claim finally; and 1
238	238
239	239	[(3)] (III) the action is filed within 3 years after the cause of action arises. 2
240	240
241	241	(2) A CLAIM ARISING FROM A TORTIOUS ACT OR OMIS SION OR A 3
242	242	VIOLATION OF A CONST ITUTIONAL RIGHT COMMITTED BY A POLICE OFFICER SHALL 4
243	243	BE SUBMITTED WITHIN 3 YEARS AFTER THE IN JURY. 5
244	244
245	245	(c) (1) If a claimant fails to submit a written claim in accordance with 6
246	246	subsection [(b)(1)] (B)(1)(I) OR (2) of this section, on motion by a claimant and for good 7
247	247	cause shown, the court may entertain an action under this subtitle unless the State can 8
248	248	affirmatively show that its defense has been prejudiced by the claimant’s failure to submit 9
249	249	the claim. 10
250	250
251	251	(2) [Subsection (b)(1) and (2)] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (3) 11
252	252	OF THIS SECTION, SUBSECTION (B)(1)(I) AND (II) of this section does not apply if, within 12
253	253	1 year after the injury to person or property that is the basis of the claim, the State has 13
254	254	actual or constructive notice of: 14
255	255
256	256	(i) the claimant’s injury; or 15
257	257
258	258	(ii) the defect or circumstances giving rise to the claimant’s injury. 16
259	259
260	260	(3) FOR A CLAIM ARISING F ROM A TORTIOUS ACT O R OMISSION OR A 17
261	261	VIOLATION OF A CONSTITUTIONAL RIG HT COMMITTED BY A POLICE OFFICER, 18
262	262	SUBSECTION (B)(1)(II) AND (2) OF THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY IF, WITHIN 3 19
263	263	YEARS AFTER THE INJU RY TO PERSON OR PROP ERTY THAT IS THE BAS IS OF THE 20
264	264	CLAIM, THE STATE HAS ACTUAL OR C ONSTRUCTIVE NOTICE O F: 21
265	265
266	266	(I) THE CLAIMANT ’S INJURY; OR 22
267	267
268	268	(II) THE DEFECT OR CIRCUMSTAN CES GIVING RISE TO T HE 23
269	269	CLAIMANT’S INJURY. 24
270	270
271	271	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall be construed to 25
272	272	apply only prospectively and may not be applied or interpreted to have any effect on or 26
273	273	application to any cause of action arising before the effective date of this Act. 27
274	274
275	275	SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 28
276	276	October 1, 2022. 29