EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0112*
SENATE BILL 112
E1 5lr1367
SB 842/24 – JPR (PRE–FILED)
By: Senators Ready, Bailey, Carozza, Klausmeier, Mautz, Salling, Watson, and
West
Requested: October 25, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Criminal Law – Second Degree Assault – Sports Official 2
FOR the purpose of prohibiting a person from intentionally causing physical injury to 3
another if the person knows or has reason to know that the other is an official, an 4
umpire, a referee, or a judge officiating at a sporting event; authorizing a police 5
officer to arrest a person without a warrant if the police officer has probable cause to 6
believe that the person has committed a certain assault; and generally relating to 7
second degree assault. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
Article – Criminal Law 10
Section 3–203 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 13
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 14
Article – Criminal Procedure 15
Section 2–203 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 18
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBL Y OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
Article – Criminal Law 21
3–203. 22
(a) A person may not commit an assault. 23 2 SENATE BILL 112
(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, a person who violates 1
subsection (a) of this section is guilty of the misdemeanor of assault in the second degree 2
and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding 3
$2,500 or both. 4
(c) (1) In this subsection, “physical injury” means any impairment of physical 5
condition, excluding minor injuries. 6
(2) A person may not intentionally cause physical injury to another if the 7
person knows or has reason to know that the other is: 8
(i) a law enforcement officer engaged in the performance of the 9
officer’s official duties; 10
(ii) a parole or probation agent engaged in the performance of the 11
agent’s official duties; [or] 12
(iii) a firefighter, an emergency medical technician, a rescue squad 13
member, or any other first responder engaged in providing emergency medical care or 14
rescue services; OR 15
(IV) AN OFFICIAL, AN UMPIRE, A REFEREE, OR A JUDGE WHO IS 16
OFFICIATING AT A SPO RTING EVENT. 17
(3) (I) A person who violates paragraph [(2)] (2)(I), (II), OR (III) of this 18
subsection is guilty of the felony of assault in the second degree and on conviction is subject 19
to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $5,000 or both. 20
(II) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES PARAGRAPH (2)(IV) OF THIS 21
SUBSECTION IS GUILTY OF THE MISDEMEANOR O F ASSAULT IN THE SEC OND DEGREE 22
AND ON CONVICTION IS SUBJECT TO IMPRISONM ENT NOT EXCEEDING 10 YEARS OR 23
A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $2,500 OR BOTH. 24
Article – Criminal Procedure 25
2–203. 26
(a) A police officer without a warrant may arrest a person if the police officer has 27
probable cause to believe: 28
(1) that the person has committed a crime listed in subsection (b) of this 29
section; and 30
(2) that unless the person is arrested immediately, the person: 31
SENATE BILL 112 3
(i) may not be apprehended; 1
(ii) may cause physical injury or property damage to another; or 2
(iii) may tamper with, dispose of, or destroy evidence. 3
(b) The crimes referred to in subsection (a)(1) of this section are: 4
(1) manslaughter by vehicle or vessel under § 2–209 of the Criminal Law 5
Article; 6
(2) malicious burning under § 6–104 or § 6–105 of the Criminal Law Article 7
or an attempt to commit the crime; 8
(3) malicious mischief under § 6–301 of the Criminal Law Article or an 9
attempt to commit the crime; 10
(4) a theft crime where the value of the property or services stolen is less 11
than $1,000 under § 7–104 or § 7–105 of the Criminal Law Article or an attempt to commit 12
the crime; 13
(5) the crime of giving or causing to be given a false alarm of fire under § 14
9–604 of the Criminal Law Article; 15
(6) indecent exposure under § 11–107 of the Criminal Law Article; 16
(7) a crime that relates to controlled dangerous substances under Title 5 of 17
the Criminal Law Article or an attempt to commit the crime; 18
(8) the wearing, carrying, or transporting of a handgun under § 4–203 or § 19
4–204 of the Criminal Law Article; 20
(9) carrying or wearing a concealed weapon under § 4–101 of the Criminal 21
Law Article; 22
(10) prostitution and related crimes under Title 11, Subtitle 3 of the 23
Criminal Law Article; [and] 24
(11) violation of a condition of pretrial or posttrial release under § 5–213.1 25
of this article; AND 26
(12) ASSAULT IN THE SECON D DEGREE UNDER § 3–203(C)(2)(IV) OF 27
THE CRIMINAL LAW ARTICLE. 28
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 29
October 1, 2025. 30