EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0240*
HOUSE BILL 240
D1 5lr1660
HB 978/24 – JUD (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
Courts – Maryland Judicial Public Text Messaging System – Report 2
FOR the purpose of requiring the Administrative Office of the Courts to provide an annual 3
report to the General Assembly containing certain information on the Maryland 4
Judicial Public Text Messaging System; and generally relating to the Maryland 5
Judicial Public Text Messaging System. 6
BY adding to 7
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 8
Section 13–103 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2020 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 – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 14
13–103. 15
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANI NGS 16
INDICATED. 17
(2) “MARYLAND JUDICIAL PUBLIC TEXT MESSAGING SYSTEM” 18
MEANS TEXT NOTIFICAT ION ABOUT COURT EVEN TS AND RELATED CASE 19
INFORMATION PERMANEN TLY AUTHORIZED UNDER THE ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER 20
OF THE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OF MARYLAND ON APRIL 22, 21
2020. 22
2 HOUSE BILL 240
(3) “SYSTEM” MEANS THE MARYLAND JUDICIAL PUBLIC TEXT 1
MESSAGING SYSTEM. 2
(B) BEGINNING DECEMBER 1, 2025, AND EACH DECEMBER 1 THEREAFTER , 3
THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS SHALL REPORT T O THE GENERAL 4
ASSEMBLY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, 5
ON THE MARYLAND JUDICIAL PUBLIC TEXT MESSAGING SYSTEM. 6
(C) THE REPORT SHALL INCL UDE THE FOLLOWING IN FORMATION ON THE 7
SYSTEM FOR THE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR: 8
(1) THE NUMBER OF INDIVID UALS WHO REQUESTED NOTIFICATION 9
UNDER THE SYSTEM; 10
(2) THE NUMBER OF INDIVID UALS WHO DECLINED TO RECEIVE 11
NOTIFICATION; 12
(3) THE TOTAL NUMBER OF N OTIFICATIONS SENT RE GARDING 13
PROCEEDINGS ; 14
(4) THE NUMBER OF NOTIFIC ATIONS SENT AT LEAST 7 DAYS BEFORE 15
A PROCEEDING ; 16
(5) THE NUMBER OF NOTIFIC ATIONS SENT 6 OR FEWER DAYS BEFORE 17
A PROCEEDING AND THE NUMBER OF THOSE NOTI FICATIONS SENT AT LE AST 1 DAY 18
BEFORE A PROCEEDING ; 19
(6) THE NUMBER OF NOTIFIC ATIONS THAT FAILED T O DELIVER; 20
(7) THE NUMBER OF REQUEST S BY PARTICIPANTS FO R ASSISTANCE; 21
AND 22
(8) THE RATE OF FAILURE T O APPEAR BY PARTICIP ANTS IN THE 23
SYSTEM COMPARED WITH THAT OF INDIVIDUALS DECLINING PARTICIPAT ION IN THE 24
SYSTEM. 25
(D) IN ADDITION TO INFORM ATION REQUIRED UNDER SUBSECTION (C) OF 26
THIS SECTION, THE REPORT SHALL IN CLUDE A REVIEW OF AN Y FUTURE PLANS FOR 27
DEVELOPMENT , EXPANSION, AND IMPLEMENTATION O F THE SYSTEM. 28
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 29
1, 2025. 30