EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTING LA W.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1308*
HOUSE BILL 1308
E1, E2 5lr2496
CF 5lr3566
By: Delegates Alston, Acevero, Kaufman, Martinez, Miller, Pasteur, Roberson,
Sample–Hughes, Tomlinson, and Woods
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2025
Assigned to: Judiciary
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Crime of Violence – Medical Facilities and Places of Worship – Penalty 2
(Sacred Places Safety Act) 3
FOR the purpose of prohibiting a person from committing a crime of violence while the 4
person is in a medical facility or a place of worship; and generally relating to crimes 5
of violence. 6
BY adding to 7
Article – Criminal Law 8
Section 14–105 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 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
14–105. 15
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 16
INDICATED. 17
(2) “MEDICAL FACILITY” INCLUDES: 18
(I) A FACILITY AS DEFINE D IN § 10–101 OF THE 19
HEALTH – GENERAL ARTICLE; 20
(II) A HEALTH CARE FACILI TY AS DEFINED IN § 19–114 OF THE 21 2 HOUSE BILL 1308
HEALTH – GENERAL ARTICLE; AND 1
(III) AN AGENCY, A CLINIC, OR AN OFFICE OPERATED UNDER TH E 2
DIRECTION OF THE LOC AL HEALTH OFFICER OR UNDER THE REGULATORY 3
AUTHORITY OF THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. 4
(3) “PLACE OF WORSHIP ” MEANS A NONRESIDENTI AL LOCATION 5
WHERE MORE THAN ONE INDIVIDUAL ASSEMBLES FOR PURPOSES OF RELI GIOUS OR 6
SPIRITUAL OBSERVANCE . 7
(B) A PERSON MAY NOT COMMI T A CRIME OF VIOLENC E, AS DEFINED IN § 8
14–101 OF THIS TITLE, IN A MEDICAL FACILIT Y OR A PLACE OF WORS HIP. 9
(C) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS GUIL TY OF A FELONY AND , 10
IN ADDITION TO ANY O THER PENALTY IMPOSED FOR THE UNDERLYING CRIME OF 11
VIOLENCE, ON CONVICTION IS SUB JECT TO IMPRISONMENT NOT EXCEEDING 10 12
YEARS. 13
(D) A SENTENCE IMPOSED UND ER THIS SECTION MAY BE IMPOSED 14
SEPARATE FROM AND CO NSECUTIVE TO OR CONC URRENT WITH A SENTEN CE FOR 15
ANY CRIME BASED ON THE ACT ESTA BLISHING THE VIOLATI ON OF THIS SECTION . 16
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 17
1, 2025. 18