EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0283*
HOUSE BILL 283
E4 5lr1657
HB 912/24 – 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
Public Safety – Safe Neighborhoods – Pilot Program 2
FOR the purpose of requiring the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy to 3
establish a Safe Neighborhoods Pilot Program to provide doorbell cameras or 4
security systems with doorbell cameras to residents of high–crime areas; and 5
generally relating to the Safe Neighborhoods Pilot Program. 6
BY adding to 7
Article – Public Safety 8
Section 4–1801 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 18. Safe Neighborhoods Pilot 9
Program” 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Public Safety 15
SUBTITLE 18. SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS PILOT PROGRAM. 16
4–1801. 17
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 18
INDICATED. 19
(2) “HOME” MEANS A SINGLE –FAMILY DWELLING , SEMIDETACHED 20
DWELLING, MULTIFAMILY DWELLING , OR TOWNHOME . 21
2 HOUSE BILL 283
(3) “OFFICE” MEANS THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF CRIME 1
PREVENTION AND POLICY. 2
(4) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS PILOT 3
PROGRAM. 4
(5) “RESIDENT” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO RESIDES IN A HOM E IN A 5
DESIGNATED HIGH –CRIME AREA. 6
(B) THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF CRIME PREVENTION AND POLICY SHALL 7
ESTABLISH A SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS PILOT PROGRAM TO: 8
(1) PURCHASE DOORBELL CA MERAS OR SECURITY SY STEMS WITH 9
DOORBELL CAMERAS AND INSTALL THE CAMERAS OR SYSTEMS IN THE HO MES OF 10
RESIDENTS WHO APPLY TO PARTICIPATE IN TH E PROGRAM; 11
(2) ENGAGE COMMUNITY ORG ANIZATIONS AND RESID ENTS TO 12
PROMOTE COMMUNITY PA RTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM; 13
(3) PROVIDE TRAINING FOR RESIDENTS ON THE USE OF A DOORBELL 14
CAMERA OR SECURITY S YSTEM WITH A DOORBE LL CAMERA, INCLUDING HOW TO 15
ACCESS VIDEO PRODUCE D BY THE CAMERA ; 16
(4) ESTABLISH A PROCESS FOR RESIDENTS TO CON TACT LAW 17
ENFORCEMENT IN ORDER TO SUBMIT VIDEO OBTA INED BY A DOORBELL C AMERA AS 18
EVIDENCE; AND 19
(5) PROVIDE INFORMATION TO RESIDENTS ON THE PROCESS FOR THE 20
SUBMISSION OF VIDEO CAPTURED BY A DOORBE LL CAMERA TO LAW ENF ORCEMENT. 21
(C) THE OFFICE, IN COORDINATION WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMEN T 22
AGENCIES, SHALL: 23
(1) IDENTIFY HIGH –CRIME AREAS WITHIN L OCAL COMMUNITIES IN 24
THE STATE; 25
(2) ESTABLISH A PROCE SS FOR RESIDENTS OF HIGH–CRIME AREAS 26
IDENTIFIED BY THE OFFICE TO APPLY TO PA RTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM; AND 27
(3) FACILITATE TRAINING FOR RESIDENTS ON THE USE OF DOORBELL 28
CAMERAS AND SECURITY SYSTEMS WITH DOORBEL L CAMERAS. 29
(D) (1) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 2027, THE OFFICE SHALL REPORT 30 HOUSE BILL 283 3
TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE 1
GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, ON: 2
(I) THE CRIME RATE WITHI N THE IDENTIFIED HIG H–CRIME 3
AREAS FOLLOWING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TH E PROGRAM; 4
(II) THE TOTAL NUMBER O F CRIMES SOLVED WITH THE AID OF 5
EVIDENCE OBTAINED BY CAMERAS PROVIDED THR OUGH THE PROGRAM; 6
(III) THE SENSE OF SECURIT Y AMONG RESIDENT PAR TICIPANTS 7
OF THE PROGRAM; 8
(IV) THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM; 9
AND 10
(V) THE USEFULNESS AND VIABILITY OF THE PROGRAM BASED 11
ON A COST–BENEFIT ANALYSIS . 12
(2) THE OFFICE SHALL PUBLICLY POST THE REPORT REQU IRED 13
UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION O N ITS WEBSITE. 14
(E) THE OFFICE SHALL ADOPT RE GULATIONS TO IMPLEME NT THIS 15
SECTION, INCLUDING REGULA TIONS THAT: 16
(1) ENSURE THAT A DOORBE LL CAMERA OR SECURIT Y SYSTEM WITH 17
A DOORBELL CAMERA TH AT IS PROVIDED TO A RESIDENT OF A HIGH –CRIME AREA 18
INCLUDES 2 YEARS OF SERVICE AT NO COST TO THE RESID ENT; 19
(2) PROHIBIT A LAW ENFOR CEMENT AGENCY FROM C OMPELLING A 20
RESIDENT TO SHARE FO OTAGE OBTAINED BY A DOORBELL CAMERA OR S ECURITY 21
SYSTEM WITH A DOORBE LL CAMERA PROVIDED T HROUGH THE PROGRAM; AND 22
(3) INCLUDE MEASURES THA T PROTECT THE PRIVAC Y OF RESIDENTS 23
AND ENSURE THAT ANY DATA COLLECTED IS SE CURELY STORED AND PROTECTED 24
FROM UNAUTHORIZED AC CESS OR BREACHES . 25
(F) BEGINNING IN FISCAL Y EAR 2027 AND EACH FISCAL YEAR THEREAFTER , 26
THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUD E IN THE ANNUAL BUDG ET BILL AN APPROPRIA TION 27
OF $5,000,000 FOR THE PROGRAM TO BE USED ON LY TO: 28
(1) CARRY OUT TH E PURPOSES OF THE PROGRAM; AND 29
(2) COVER EXPENSES INCUR RED BY THE OFFICE THAT ARE 30 4 HOUSE BILL 283
ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE PROGRAM, INCLUDING PERSONNEL HIRED BY THE OFFICE 1
AND ASSIGNED TO THE PROGRAM. 2
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 3
October 1, 2025. It shall remain effective for a period of 3 years and, at the end of September 4
30, 2028, this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be 5
abrogated and of no further force and effect. 6