EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTING 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.
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SENATE BILL 273
E5, E1 4lr0119
(PRE–FILED) CF 4lr0120
By: Chair, Judicial Proceedings Committee (By Request – Departmental – Public
Safety and Correctional Services)
Requested: September 12, 2023
Introduced and read first time: January 10, 2024
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 22, 2024
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
State and Local Correctional Facilities – Operation of Unmanned Aircraft 2
– Image Recording and Delivery of Contraband 3
FOR the purpose of prohibiting a person from intentionally using operating an unmanned 4
aircraft over a correctional facility to record images of a State or local correctional 5
the facility without the authorization of the managing official of the correctional 6
facility or the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services; prohibiting a 7
person from using an unmanned aircraft to deliver contraband to a person detained 8
or confined in a place of confinement; and generally relating to unmanned aircraft 9
and correctional facilities. 10
BY adding to 11
Article – Correctional Services 12
Section 8–804 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2017 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 15
BY adding to 16
Article – Criminal Law 17
Section 9–417.1 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 20
2 SENATE BILL 273
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Correctional Services 3
8–804. 4
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 5
INDICATED. 6
(2) “AIRCRAFT” MEANS A DEVICE THAT IS USED OR INTENDED TO BE 7
USED FOR FLIGHT IN T HE AIR. 8
(3) “UNMANNED A IRCRAFT” MEANS AN AIRCRAFT TH AT IS OPERATED 9
WITHOUT THE POSSIBIL ITY OF DIRECT HUMAN INTERVENTION FROM WI THIN OR ON 10
THE AIRCRAFT. 11
(B) A PERSON MAY NOT INTEN TIONALLY PHOTOGRAPH OR OTHERW ISE 12
RECORD IMAGES OF A C ORRECTIONAL FACILITY THROUGH THE USE OF A N 13
UNMANNED AIRCRAFT OPERATE AN UNMANNED AIRCRAFT OVER A CORR ECTIONAL 14
FACILITY FOR THE PUR POSE OF PHOTOGRAPHIN G OR RECORDING IMAGE S OF THE 15
CORRECTIONAL FACILIT Y THROUGH THE USE OF THE UNMANNED AIRCRAF T 16
WITHOUT THE AUTHORIZ ATION OF THE MANAGIN G OFFICIAL OF THE 17
CORRECTIONAL FACILIT Y OR THE SECRETARY. 18
(C) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS GUIL TY OF A MISDEMEANOR 19
AND ON CONVICTION IS SUBJECT TO IMPRISONM ENT NOT EXCEEDING 3 YEARS OR A 20
FINE NOT EXCEEDING $1,000 OR BOTH. 21
(D) A CORRECTIONAL FACILIT Y SHALL POST SIGNAGE WARNING OF T HE 22
PROVISIONS OF THIS S ECTION ON THE EXTERI OR OF THE PROPERTY I N AN AREA 23
VISIBLE TO THE GENER AL PUBLIC. 24
Article – Criminal Law 25
9–417.1. 26
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 27
INDICATED. 28
(2) “AIRCRAFT” MEANS A DEVICE THAT IS USED OR INTENDED TO BE 29
USED FOR FLIGHT IN T HE AIR. 30
SENATE BILL 273 3
(3) “UNMANNED AIRCRAFT ” MEANS AN AIRCRAFT TH AT IS OPERATED 1
WITHOUT THE POSSIBIL ITY OF DIRECT HUMAN INTERVENTION FROM WI THIN OR ON 2
THE AIRCRAFT. 3
(B) A PERSON MAY NOT DELIV ER ANY CONTRABAND TO A PERS ON 4
DETAINED OR CONFINED IN A PLACE OF CONFIN EMENT USING AN UNMAN NED 5
AIRCRAFT. 6
(C) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS GUIL TY OF A MISDEMEANOR 7
AND ON CONVICTION IS SUBJECT TO IMPRISONM ENT NOT EXCEEDING 3 YEARS OR A 8
FINE NOT EXCEEDIN G $1,000 OR BOTH. 9
(D) A CORRECTIONAL FACILIT Y SHALL POST SIGNAGE WARNING OF THE 10
PROVISIONS OF THIS S ECTION ON THE EXTERI OR OF THE PROPERTY I N AN AREA 11
VISIBLE TO THE GENER AL PUBLIC. 12
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 13
October 1, 2024. 14
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.