EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb0017*
SENATE BILL 17
E2, E1 4lr1384
(PRE–FILED) CF HB 667
By: Senator West
Requested: November 1, 2023
Introduced and read first time: January 10, 2024
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted with floor amendments
Read second time: March 3, 2024
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Criminal Law – Crimes Relating to Animals – Conviction and Sentencing 2
FOR the purpose of establishing that each domestic or farm animal harmed in a violation 3
of a prohibition against animal cruelty is a separate offense and shall be deemed an 4
individual victim for purposes of the sentencing guidelines stacking rule; 5
establishing that a conviction for a crime relating to animals may not merge with a 6
conviction for any other crime based on the act establishing the violation and that a 7
sentence imposed may be separate from and consecutive to or concurrent with a 8
sentence based on the act establishing a violation; and generally relating to crimes 9
relating to animals. 10
BY adding to 11
Article – Criminal Law 12
Section 10–627 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 15
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17
Article – Criminal Law 18
10–627. 19
2 SENATE BILL 17
(A) THIS SECTION APPLIES ONLY TO A DOMESTIC O R FARM ANIMAL . 1
(B) FOR THE PURPOSES OF T HIS SUBTITLE, EACH ANIMAL HARMED I N A 2
VIOLATION OF THIS SU BTITLE IS A SEPARATE OFFENSE AND SHALL BE DEEMED AN 3
INDIVIDUAL VICTIM FO R PURPOSES OF THE SE NTENCING GUIDELINES STACKING 4
RULE. 5
(B) (C) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY O THER LAW, A CONVICTION UNDER THIS 6
SUBTITLE MAY NOT MER GE WITH A CONVICTION FOR ANY OTHER CRIME BASED ON 7
THE ACT ESTABLISHING THE VIOLATION OF THI S SUBTITLE. 8
(C) (D) A SENTENCE IMPOSED UND ER THIS SUBTITLE MAY BE SEPARATE 9
FROM AND CONSECUTIVE TO OR CONCURRENT WIT H A SENTENCE FOR ANY CRIME 10
BASED ON THE ACT EST ABLISHING THE VIOLAT ION OF THIS SUBTITLE . 11
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 12
October 1, 2024. 13
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
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Speaker of the House of Delegates.