EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTING LA W.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0122*
HOUSE BILL 122
E4 5lr1668
(PRE–FILED)
By: Delegate Young
Requested: November 1, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Judiciary
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Safety – Police Accountability – Police Officer Complainant 2
FOR the purpose of authorizing a police officer to file a complaint of police misconduct with 3
a police accountability board; and generally relating to police accountability. 4
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 5
Article – Public Safety 6
Section 3–102 and 3–113 7
Annotated Code of Maryland 8
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 9
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 10
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 11
Article – Public Safety 12
3–102. 13
(a) Each county shall have a police accountability board to: 14
(1) hold quarterly meetings with heads of law enforcement agencies and 15
otherwise work with law enforcement agencies and the county government to improve 16
matters of policing; 17
(2) appoint civilian members to charging committees and trial boards; 18
(3) receive complaints of police misconduct filed by members of the public 19
AND POLICE OFFICERS ; and 20
2 HOUSE BILL 122
(4) (i) on a quarterly basis, review outcomes of disciplinary matters 1
considered by charging committees; and 2
(ii) on or before December 31 each year, submit a report to the 3
governing body of the county that: 4
1. identifies any trends in the disciplinary process of police 5
officers in the county; and 6
2. makes recommendations on changes to policy that would 7
improve police accountability in the county. 8
(b) (1) (i) Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, the local 9
governing body shall: 10
1. establish the membership of a police accountability board; 11
2. establish the budget and staff for a police accountability 12
board; 13
3. appoint a chair of the police accountability board who has 14
relevant experience to the position; and 15
4. establish the procedures for record keeping by a police 16
accountability board. 17
(ii) An active police officer may not be a member of a police 18
accountability board. 19
(2) To the extent practicable, the membership of a police accountability 20
board shall reflect the racial, gender, and cultural diversity of the county. 21
(c) (1) A complaint of police misconduct filed with a police accountability board 22
shall include: 23
(i) the name of the police officer accused of misconduct; 24
(ii) a description of the facts on which the complaint is based; and 25
(iii) contact information of the complainant or a person filing on 26
behalf of the complainant for investigative follow–up. 27
(2) A complaint need not be notarized. 28
(d) A complaint of police misconduct filed with a police accountability board shall 29
be forwarded to the appropriate law enforcement agency within 3 days after receipt by the 30
board. 31 HOUSE BILL 122 3
3–113. 1
(a) The investigating unit of a law enforcement agency shall immediately review 2
a complaint [by a member of the public] alleging police officer misconduct. 3
(b) An administrative charging committee shall review and make a determination 4
or ask for further review within 30 days after completion of the investigating unit’s review. 5
(c) The process of review by the investigating unit through disposition by the 6
administrative charging committee shall be completed within 1 year and 1 day after the 7
filing of a complaint [by a citizen]. 8
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 9
October 1, 2025. 10