EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1409*
HOUSE BILL 1409
E1 2lr3179
CF SB 956
By: Delegate Kerr
Introduced and read first time: February 17, 2022
Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Criminal Law – Threats to Public Officials 2
FOR the purpose of adding health officers, election administrators, and public employees 3
responsible for inspecting and enforcing housing and building codes and standards 4
to the list of public officials against whom it is illegal to make certain threats; and 5
generally relating to the prohibition on making or sending threats to public officials. 6
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – Criminal Law 8
Section 3–708 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 11
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13
Article – Criminal Law 14
3–708. 15
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 16
(2) “Local official” means an individual serving in a publicly elected office 17
of a local government unit, as defined in § 10–101 of the State Government Article. 18
(3) (i) “State official” has the meaning stated in § 5–101 of the General 19
Provisions Article. 20
(ii) “State official” includes the Governor, Governor –elect, 21
Lieutenant Governor, and Lieutenant Governor–elect. 22
2 HOUSE BILL 1409
(4) “Threat” includes: 1
(i) an oral threat; or 2
(ii) a threat in any written form, whether or not the writing is signed, 3
or if the writing is signed, whether or not it is signed with a fictitious name or any other 4
mark. 5
(b) A person may not knowingly and willfully make a threat to take the life of, 6
kidnap, or cause physical injury to: 7
(1) a State official[,]; 8
(2) a local official[,]; 9
(3) a deputy State’s Attorney[,]; 10
(4) an assistant State’s Attorney[, or]; 11
(5) an assistant Public Defender; 12
(6) A HEALTH OFFICER ; 13
(7) AN ELECTION ADMINIST RATOR; OR 14
(8) A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBLE FOR INSPECTING AND 15
ENFORCING HOUSING AN D BUILDING CODES AND STANDARDS . 16
(c) A person may not knowingly send, deliver, part with, or make for the purpose 17
of sending or delivering a threat prohibited under subsection (b) of this section. 18
(d) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction 19
is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding $2,500 or both. 20
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 21
1, 2022. 22