EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1544*
HOUSE BILL 1544
E4 5lr3605
By: Delegates Bhandari, Martinez, Pena–Melnyk, and Rosenberg
Introduced and read first time: February 25, 2025
Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Safety – Maryland Law Enforcement Public Service Medal and Key 2
Bridge Collapse Victims Memorial Tribute 3
FOR the purpose of establishing the Maryland Law Enforcement Public Service Medal; 4
establishing eligibility requirements for the medal and procedures for nomination, 5
selection, and the awarding of the medal; requiring a law enforcement agency to 6
grant a certain promotion to a medal recipient; requiring a certain ceremony to 7
annually honor and remember the sacrifices and contributions of certain workers; 8
and generally relating to the Maryland Law Enforcement Public Service Medal and 9
Key Bridge collapse victims memorial tribute. 10
BY adding to 11
Article – Public Safety 12
Section 3–801 and 3–802 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 8. Maryland Law 13
Enforcement Public Service Medal” 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 16
Preamble 17
WHEREAS, The State of Maryland recognizes the extraordinary bravery and 18
commitment of law enforcement officers who risk their lives to protect and serve the public; 19
and 20
WHEREAS, Law enforcement officers often face dangerous and life–threatening 21
situations in their duty to safeguard communities; and 22
WHEREAS, The heroic actions of Corporal Jeremy Herbert, Officer Garry Kirts, 23
Sergeant Paul Pastorek, and Officer Timothy Baublitz during the collapse of the Francis 24
Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024, demonstrated unparalleled courage and selflessness 25
in saving lives during a tragic crisis; and 26 2 HOUSE BILL 1544
WHEREAS, The Maryland General Assembly seeks to establish a formal recognition 1
for officers who display extraordinary valor, sacrifice, and dedication to public safety; and 2
WHEREAS, The Maryland General Assembly also recognizes the tragic loss of life of 3
the six workers who perished in the Key Bridge collapse, whose sacrifices should be 4
memorialized; now, therefore, 5
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND , 6
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 7
Article – Public Safety 8
SUBTITLE 8. MARYLAND LAW ENFORCEMENT PUBLIC SERVICE MEDAL. 9
3–801. 10
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 11
INDICATED. 12
(B) “MEDAL” MEANS THE MARYLAND LAW ENFORCEMENT PUBLIC 13
SERVICE MEDAL. 14
(C) “SECRETARY” MEANS THE SECRETARY OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND 15
CORRECTIONAL SERVICES. 16
3–802. 17
(A) (1) THERE IS A MARYLAND LAW ENFORCEMENT PUBLIC SERVICE 18
MEDAL. 19
(2) THE MEDAL IS THE HIGH EST STATE HONOR AWARDED T O LAW 20
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS FOR EXCEPTIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE , VALOR, AND 21
HEROISM. 22
(B) (1) THE GOVERNOR MAY AWARD TH E MEDAL TO SWORN LAW 23
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN MARYLAND WHO : 24
(I) HAVE DEMONSTRATED ACT S OF EXTRAORDINARY 25
COURAGE, BRAVERY, OR SELFLESSNESS WHIL E ON DUTY; 26
(II) HAVE RISKED OR SACRIF ICED THEIR LIVES BY SAVING 27
LIVES, PREVENTING SIGNIFICA NT CRIMES , OR RESPONDING TO CRI TICAL 28
EMERGENCIES ; OR 29 HOUSE BILL 1544 3
(III) HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY IM PACTED PUBLIC SAFETY , 1
INCLUDING RESPON DING TO DISASTERS, TERRORIST THREATS , OR SIGNIFICANT 2
PUBLIC EMERGENCIES . 3
(2) THE GOVERNOR MAY AWARD NO T MORE THAN FOUR MEDALS PER 4
CALENDAR YEAR . 5
(3) WHEN AN OFFICER IS AW ARDED A MEDAL POSTHUMOUSLY , THE 6
OFFICER’S NEXT OF KIN MAY RECEIVE OFFICIAL RECOGNITION AND 7
COMMENDATION ON THE OFFICER’S BEHALF. 8
(C) (1) A MEDAL REVIEW COMMITT EE SHALL BE ESTABLIS HED WITHIN 9
THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICES TO 10
EVALUATE NOMINATIONS AND SELECT RECIPIENT S FOR THE MEDAL . 11
(2) THE MEDAL REVIEW COMMITTEE SHALL CONS IST OF: 12
(I) THE SECRETARY, WHO SHALL SERVE AS T HE CHAIR OF THE 13
COMMITTEE ; 14
(II) THE SECRETARY OF STATE POLICE; 15
(III) ONE REPRESENTATIVE O F THE MARYLAND POLICE 16
TRAINING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION, CHOSEN BY THE SECRETARY; 17
(IV) ONE MEMBER OF THE SENATE OF MARYLAND, CHOSEN BY 18
THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE; 19
(V) ONE MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES, CHOSEN BY 20
THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE; AND 21
(VI) ONE COMMUNITY REPRES ENTATIVE WITH EXPERI ENCE 22
WORKING IN LAW ENFOR CEMENT OR PUBLIC SAFETY, CHOSEN BY THE SECRETARY. 23
(3) THE COMMITTEE SHALL : 24
(I) REVIEW NOMINATIONS S UBMITTED BY: 25
1. STATE AND LOCAL LAW E NFORCEMENT AGENCIES ; 26
2. STATE AND LOCAL ELECT ED OFFICIALS; AND 27
4 HOUSE BILL 1544
3. COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIO NS AND CIVILIANS; AND 1
(II) ANNUALLY S UBMIT A LIST OF NOT MORE THAN FOUR 2
RECOMMENDED AWARDEES TO THE GOVERNOR FOR FINAL APPROVAL . 3
(D) A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGEN CY SHALL GRANT A ONE –GRADE 4
PROMOTION TO AN EMPLOYEE WHO RECEIVES A MEDAL. 5
(E) (1) THE GOVERNOR SHALL PRESEN T THE MEDALS IN AN OFFICIAL 6
STATE CEREMONY HELD A NNUALLY IN ANNAPOLIS. 7
(2) AT THE CEREMONY , EACH MEDAL RECIPIENT SHALL RECEIVE : 8
(I) A GOLD MEDALLION BEARI NG THE STATE SEAL; 9
(II) A CERTIFICATE OF COMME NDATION SIGNED BY TH E 10
GOVERNOR AND THE PRES IDING OFFICERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY; AND 11
(III) A PERMANENT MARYLAND PUBLIC SERVICE HONOR ROLL 12
LISTING HOUSED AT TH E STATE HOUSE. 13
(3) THE CEREMONY SHALL AN NUALLY HONOR AND REM EMBER THE 14
SACRIFICES AND CONTR IBUTIONS OF THE FOLLOWING WORKERS WHO LOST THEIR 15
LIVES IN THE FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE COLLAPSE OF 2024: 16
(I) DORLIAN RONIAL CASTILLO CABRERA; 17
(II) CARLOS DANIEL HERNANDEZ ESTRELLA; 18
(III) ALEJANDRO HERNANDEZ FUENTES; 19
(IV) MIGUEL ANGEL LUNA GONZALEZ; 20
(V) JOSE MYNOR LOPEZ; AND 21
(VI) MAYNOR YASIR SUAZO–SANDOVAL. 22
(F) MEDAL PRODUCTION AND CEREMONY EXPENSES SHALL BE FUNDED 23
THROUGH: 24
(1) AN ANNUAL APPROPRIATI ON CONTAINED IN THE STATE BUDGET ; 25
AND 26
HOUSE BILL 1544 5
(2) GRANTS, PRIVATE SPONSORSHIPS , AND LAW ENFORCEMENT 1
FOUNDATION SUPPORT . 2
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That : 3
(a) The Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services shall convene the 4
medal review committee on or before September 1, 2025; and 5
(b) The first annual Maryland Law Enforcement Public Service Medal ceremony 6
shall be held on or before January 31, 2026. 7
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 8
30, 2025. 9