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.
*sb0334*
SENATE BILL 334
E1 5lr1301
HB 321/24 – JUD CF HB 943
By: Senators Waldstreicher and Smith, Smith, Muse, Love, Folden, and West
Introduced and read first time: January 15, 2025
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 3, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Criminal Law – Crimes of Malicious or Fraudulent Burning – Prohibitions and 2
Penalties 3
FOR the purpose of prohibiting a person from committing a certain crime of malicious or 4
fraudulent burning that results in the death of or serious physical injury to a 5
firefighter; and generally relating to crimes of malicious or fraudulent burning. 6
BY adding to 7
Article – Criminal Law 8
Section 6–112 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2021 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 – Criminal Law 14
6–112. 15
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 16
INDICATED. 17
2 SENATE BILL 334
(2) “CRIME OF MALICIOUS OR FRAUDULENT BURNING” MEANS A 1
VIOLATION OF § 6–104, § 6–105, OR § 6–106 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 2
(3) “SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURY” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 3
3–201 OF THIS ARTICLE. 4
(B) A PERSON MAY NOT COMMI T A CRIME OF MALICIO US OR FRAUDULENT 5
BURNING THAT RESULTS IN THE DEATH OF OR SERI OUS PHYSICAL INJURY TO A 6
FIREFIGHTER. 7
(C) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS GUIL TY OF A FELONY AND 8
ON CONVICTION IS SUB JECT TO IMPRISONMENT NOT EXCEEDING 10 YEARS. 9
(D) A SENTENCE IMPOSED UND ER THIS SECTION MAY BE SEPARATE FROM 10
AND CONSECUTIVE TO O R CONCURRENT WITH A SENTENCE IMPOSED F OR ANY 11
CRIME BASED ON THE A CT ESTABLISHING THE VIOLATION OF THIS SE CTION. 12
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 13
October 1, 2025. 14
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
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Speaker of the House of Delegates.