EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0966*
HOUSE BILL 966
D1 5lr3304
CF SB 655
By: Delegate Cardin
Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2025
Assigned to: Judiciary
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 18, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Courts – Artificial Intelligence Evidence Clinic Pilot Program – Establishment 2
FOR the purpose of establishing an Artificial Intelligence Evidence Clinic Pilot Program 3
within the Administrative Office of the Courts; requiring the Administrative Office 4
of the Courts to issue a request for proposals to select an entity to conduct the 5
Program and requiring the Administrative Office of the Courts to give preference to 6
certain entities in the selection process develop a grant application for the Program 7
and award grants to eligible institutions of higher education; authorizing the 8
Governor to include in the annual budget bill an appropriation to the Program and 9
establishing a certain limitation on the expenditure of appropriated funds; and 10
generally relating to the Artificial Intelligence Evidence Clinic Pilot Program. 11
BY adding to 12
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 13
Section 13–101.2 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 16
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 19
13–101.2. 20
2 HOUSE BILL 966
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 1
INDICATED. 2
(2) “ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGEN CE” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 3
3.5–801 OF THE STATE FINANCE AND PROCUREMENT ARTICLE. 4
(3) “OFFICE” MEANS THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS. 5
(4) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE EVIDENCE 6
CLINIC PILOT PROGRAM. 7
(B) THERE IS AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE EVIDENCE CLINIC PILOT 8
PROGRAM IN THE OFFICE. 9
(C) (1) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE EXPERTISE IN 10
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGE NCE TO THE CIRCUIT C OURTS AND THE DISTRICT COURT IN 11
THE FORM OF EXPERT T ESTIMONY ON THE AUTH ENTICITY OF ELECTRON IC 12
EVIDENCE THAT A COUR T DETERMINES MAY HAV E BEEN CREATED OR AL TERED 13
USING ARTIFICIAL INT ELLIGENCE. 14
(2) THE PROGRAM SHALL ENGAGE COLLEGE AND UNIVERSI TY 15
STUDENTS, RECENT GRADUATES , AND FACULTY AND TECH NOLOGY PROFESSIONALS 16
DEDICATED TO THE RES EARCH AND ADVANCEMEN T OF ARTIFICIAL INTE LLIGENCE 17
IN ORDER TO DEVELOP EXPERT WITNESS RESOU RCES FOR COURTS TO U SE IN CASES 18
IMPLICATING THE USE O F ARTIFICIAL INTELLI GENCE. 19
(3) THE PROGRAM SHALL PRIORIT IZE CIVIL CASES IN WHICH ONE OR 20
MORE PARTIES DO NOT HAVE LEGAL REPRESENT ATION OR REASONABLE ACCESS TO 21
EXPERT TESTIMONY . 22
(D) (1) THE OFFICE SHALL ISSUE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL S FOR THE 23
PROGRAM TO SELECT AN ENTITY TO MANAGE THE PROGRAM. 24
(2) AT A MINIMUM, THE REQUEST FOR PROP OSALS SHALL: 25
(I) STATE WITH SPECIFICIT Y THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM; 26
AND 27
(II) STATE WITH SPECIFICIT Y THE OBJECTIVES AND 28
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA THAT WILL BE USED TO MEASURE T HE SUCCESS OF THE 29
PROGRAM, INCLUDING AN ENTITY ’S WILLINGNESS TO : 30
1. LIST THE CLINIC AS A FOR–CREDIT COURSE ; AND 31
HOUSE BILL 966 3
2. ENABLE CREDIT SHARING ACROSS INSTITUTIONS OF 1
HIGHER EDUCATION . 2
(3) IN SELECTING AN ENTIT Y TO MANAGE THE PROGRAM, THE 3
OFFICE SHALL GIVE PRE FERENCE TO AN ENTITY THAT: 4
(I) IS A MARYLAND–BASED VENDOR ; 5
(II) HAS AN ACADEMIC FOCUS ON COMPUTER SCIENCE AND 6
TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND ADVANCEMENT ; 7
(III) HAS EXPERIENCE RELATI NG TO ARTIFICIAL 8
INTELLIGENCE ; AND 9
(IV) WILL MAXIMIZE THE USE OF STATE FUNDS THROUGH T HE 10
USE OF MECHANISMS , INCLUDING PREEXISTIN G MATERIALS , FUNDING 11
PARTNERSHIPS , AND RESOURCE MATCHIN G IN ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM, THE 12
OFFICE SHALL: 13
(1) DEVELOP A GRANT APPLI CATION FOR THE PROGRAM; AND 14
(2) AWARD GRANTS TO ELIGI BLE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER 15
EDUCATION. 16
(E) (1) FOR FISCAL YEARS 2027 AND 2028, THE GOVERNOR MAY 17
INCLUDE IN THE ANNUA L BUDGET BILL AN APP ROPRIATION OF $250,000 TO THE 18
PROGRAM. 19
(2) NOT MORE THAN 20% OF THE MONEY APPROPR IATED TO THE 20
PROGRAM MAY BE USED F OR ADMINISTRATIVE EX PENSES. 21
(F) THE TERMS OF THE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN TH E OFFICE AND AN 22
ENTITY SELECTED TO MANAGE T HE PROGRAM SHALL A GRANTEE MAY INCLUDE A 23
CLAUSE THAT REQUIRES THE OFFICE TO HOLD HARMLE SS THE ENTITY SELECTED 24
TO CONDUCT THE PROGRAM GRANTEE AGAINST ANY CLAIM AL LEGING LIABILITY OR 25
DAMAGES RELATING TO THE PROVISION OF EXP ERTISE IN ARTIFICIAL 26
INTELLIGENCE AS PART OF THE PROGRAM, EXCEPT IN CASES OF W ILLFUL OR 27
WANTON MISCONDUCT , GROSS NEGLIGENCE , OR INTENTIONALLY TOR TIOUS 28
CONDUCT. 29
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 30
1, 2025. 31