Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB81 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3		EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	4		[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5		-	Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
6		-	Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
7		-	amendment.
8	5		sb0081
9	6
10	7		SENATE BILL 81
11	8		E1 5lr0899
12		-	SB 496/24 – JPR (PRE–FILED) CF ~~HB 445~~
	9	+	SB 496/24 – JPR (PRE–FILED) CF 5lr0898
13	10		By: Senator Kagan
14	11		Requested: September 19, 2024
15	12		Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
16	13		Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
17		-	Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
18		-	Senate action: Adopted
19		-	Read second time: February 7, 2025
20	14
21		-	~~CHAPTER ______~~
	15	+	A BILL ENTITLED
22	16
23	17		AN ACT concerning 1
24	18
25	19		Criminal Law – Interference With a Public Safety Answering Point – Penalties 2
26	20
27	21		FOR the purpose of prohibiting a person from taking certain actions with the intent to 3
28	22		interrupt or impair the functioning of a public safety answering point; prohibiting a 4
29	23		person from taking certain actions that interrupt or impair the functioning of a 5
30	24		public safety answering point; and generally relating to public safety answering 6
31	25		points. 7
32	26
33	27		BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
34	28		Article – Criminal Law 9
35	29		Section 7–302(c) and (d) 10
36	30		Annotated Code of Maryland 11
37	31		(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 12
38	32
39	33		SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
40	34		That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
41	35
42	36		Article – Criminal Law 15
43	37
44	38		7–302. 16
45	39
46	40		(c) (1) A person may not intentionally, willfully, and without authorization: 17
47		-	2 SENATE BILL 81
48	41
	42	+	(i) access, attempt to access, cause to be accessed, or exceed the 18
	43	+	person’s authorized access to all or part of a computer network, computer control language, 19
	44	+	computer, computer software, computer system, computer service, or computer database; 20
	45	+	or 21
49	46
50		-	(i) access, attempt to access, cause to be accessed, or exceed the 1
51		-	person’s authorized access to all or part of a computer network, computer control language, 2
52		-	computer, computer software, computer system, computer service, or computer database; 3
53		-	or 4
54		-
55		-	(ii) copy, attempt to copy, possess, or attempt to possess the contents 5
56		-	of all or part of a computer database accessed in violation of item (i) of this paragraph. 6
57		-
58		-	(2) A person may not commit an act prohibited by paragraph (1) of this 7
59		-	subsection with the intent to: 8
60		-
61		-	(i) cause the malfunction or interrupt the operation of all or any part 9
62		-	of a computer, computer network, computer control language, computer software, computer 10
63		-	system, computer service, or computer data; or 11
64		-
65		-	(ii) alter, damage, or destroy all or any part of data or a computer 12
66		-	program stored, maintained, or produced by a computer, computer network, computer 13
67		-	software, computer system, computer service, or computer database. 14
68		-
69		-	(3) A person may not intentionally, willfully, and without authorization: 15
70		-
71		-	(i) possess, identify, or attempt to identify a valid access code; or 16
72		-
73		-	(ii) publicize or distribute a valid access code to an unauthorized 17
74		-	person. 18
75		-
76		-	(4) A person may not commit an act prohibited under this subsection with 19
77		-	the intent to interrupt or impair the functioning of: 20
78		-
79		-	(i) the State government; 21
80		-
81		-	(ii) a service, device, or system related to the production, 22
82		-	transmission, delivery, or storage of electricity or natural gas in the State that is owned, 23
83		-	operated, or controlled by a person other than a public service company, as defined in § 24
84		-	1–101 of the Public Utilities Article; 25
85		-
86		-	(iii) a service provided in the State by a public service company, as 26
87		-	defined in § 1–101 of the Public Utilities Article; 27
88		-
89		-	(iv) a health care facility, as defined in § 18–338.1 of the 28
90		-	Health – General Article; or 29
91		-
92		-	(v) a public school, as defined in § 1–101 of the Education Article. 30
93		-
94		-	(5) (i) This paragraph does not apply to a person who has a bona fide 31
95		-	scientific, educational, governmental, testing, news, or other similar justification for 32
96		-	possessing ransomware. 33 SENATE BILL 81 3
	47	+	(ii) copy, attempt to copy, possess, or attempt to possess the contents 22
	48	+	of all or part of a computer database accessed in violation of item (i) of this paragraph. 23 2 SENATE BILL 81
97	49
98	50
99	51
100		-	(ii) A person may not knowingly possess ransomware with the intent 1
101		-	to use the ransomware for the purpose of introduction into the computer, computer 2
102		-	network, or computer system of another person without the authorization of the other 3
103		-	person. 4
	52	+	(2) A person may not commit an act prohibited by paragraph (1) of this 1
	53	+	subsection with the intent to: 2
104	54
105		-	(6) A PERSON MAY NOT COMMI T AN ACT PROHIBITED UNDER THIS 5
106		-	SUBSECTION WITH THE INTENT TO INTERRUPT OR IMPAIR THE FUNCTI ONING OF A 6
107		-	PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWER ING POINT, AS DEFINED IN § 1–301 OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY 7
108		-	ARTICLE. 8
	55	+	(i) cause the malfunction or interrupt the operation of all or any part 3
	56	+	of a computer, computer network, computer control language, computer software, computer 4
	57	+	system, computer service, or computer data; or 5
109	58
110		-	(7) A PERSON MAY NOT COMMI T AN ACT PROHIBITED UNDER THIS 9
111		-	SUBSECTION THAT INTE RRUPTS OR IMPAIRS TH E FUNCTIONING OF A P UBLIC 10
112		-	SAFETY ANSWERING POI NT, AS DEFINED IN § 1–301 OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY 11
113		-	ARTICLE. 12
	59	+	(ii) alter, damage, or destroy all or any part of data or a computer 6
	60	+	program stored, maintained, or produced by a computer, computer network, computer 7
	61	+	software, computer system, computer service, or computer database. 8
114	62
115		-	(d) (1) A person who violates subsection (c)(1) of this section is guilty of a 13
116		-	misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or a fine 14
117		-	not exceeding $1,000 or both. 15
	63	+	(3) A person may not intentionally, willfully, and without authorization: 9
118	64
119		-	(2) A ~~person who violates subsection (c)(2)~~ or ~~(3) of this section: 16~~
	65	+	(i) possess, identify, or attempt to identify a valid access code; or 10
120	66
121		-	(i) if the aggregate amount of the loss is $10,000 or more, is guilty 17
122		-	of a felony and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not 18
123		-	exceeding $10,000 or both; or 19
	67	+	(ii) publicize or distribute a valid access code to an unauthorized 11
	68	+	person. 12
124	69
125		-	(ii) if the aggregate amount of the loss is less than $10,000, is guilty 20
126		-	of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a 21
127		-	fine not exceeding $5,000 or both. 22
	70	+	(4) A person may not commit an act prohibited under this subsection with 13
	71	+	the intent to interrupt or impair the functioning of: 14
128	72
129		-	(3) ~~A person who violates subsection (c)(4) of this section: 23~~
	73	+	(i) the State government; 15
130	74
131		-	(i) if the aggregate amount of the loss is $10,000 or more, is guilty 24
132		-	of a felony and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not 25
133		-	exceeding $100,000 or both; or 26
	75	+	(ii) a service, device, or system related to the prod uction, 16
	76	+	transmission, delivery, or storage of electricity or natural gas in the State that is owned, 17
	77	+	operated, or controlled by a person other than a public service company, as defined in § 18
	78	+	1–101 of the Public Utilities Article; 19
134	79
135		-	(ii) if the aggregate amount of the loss is less than $10,000, is guilty 27
136		-	of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a 28
137		-	fine not exceeding $25,000 or both. 29
	80	+	(iii) a service provided in the State by a public service company, as 20
	81	+	defined in § 1–101 of the Public Utilities Article; 21
138	82
139		-	(4) A person who violates subsection (c)(5) of this section is guilty of a 30
140		-	misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 2 years or a fine 31
141		-	not exceeding $5,000 or both. 32
	83	+	(iv) a health care facility, as defined in § 18–338.1 of the 22
	84	+	Health – General Article; or 23
	85	+
	86	+	(v) a public school, as defined in § 1–101 of the Education Article. 24
	87	+
	88	+	(5) (i) This paragraph does not apply to a person who has a bona fide 25
	89	+	scientific, educational, governmental, testing, news, or other similar justification for 26
	90	+	possessing ransomware. 27
	91	+
	92	+	(ii) A person may not knowingly possess ransomware with the intent 28
	93	+	to use the ransomware for the purpose of introduction into the computer, computer 29
	94	+	network, or computer system of another person without the authorization of the other 30
	95	+	person. 31
	96	+
	97	+	(6) A PERSON MAY NOT COMMI T AN ACT PROHIBITED UNDER THIS 32 SENATE BILL 81 3
	98	+
	99	+
	100	+	SUBSECTION WITH THE INTENT TO INTERRUPT OR IMPAIR THE FUNCTIONING OF A 1
	101	+	PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWER ING POINT, AS DEFINED IN § 1–301 OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY 2
	102	+	ARTICLE. 3
	103	+
	104	+	(7) A PERSON MAY NOT COMMI T AN ACT PROHIBITED UNDER THIS 4
	105	+	SUBSECTION THAT INTE RRUPTS OR IMPAIRS TH E FUNCTIONING OF A PUB LIC 5
	106	+	SAFETY ANSWERING POI NT, AS DEFINED IN § 1–301 OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY 6
	107	+	ARTICLE. 7
	108	+
	109	+	(d) (1) A person who violates subsection (c)(1) of this section is guilty of a 8
	110	+	misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or a fine 9
	111	+	not exceeding $1,000 or both. 10
	112	+
	113	+	(2) A person who violates subsection (c)(2) or (3) of this section: 11
	114	+
	115	+	(i) if the aggregate amount of the loss is $10,000 or more, is guilty 12
	116	+	of a felony and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not 13
	117	+	exceeding $10,000 or both; or 14
	118	+
	119	+	(ii) if the aggregate amount of the loss is less than $10,000, is guilty 15
	120	+	of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a 16
	121	+	fine not exceeding $5,000 or both. 17
	122	+
	123	+	(3) A person who violates subsection (c)(4) of this section: 18
	124	+
	125	+	(i) if the aggregate amount of the loss is $10,000 or more, is guilty 19
	126	+	of a felony and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not 20
	127	+	exceeding $100,000 or both; or 21
	128	+
	129	+	(ii) if the aggregate amount of the loss is less than $10,000, is guilty 22
	130	+	of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a 23
	131	+	fine not exceeding $25,000 or both. 24
	132	+
	133	+	(4) A person who violates subsection (c)(5) of this section is guilty of a 25
	134	+	misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 2 years or a fine 26
	135	+	not exceeding $5,000 or both. 27
	136	+
	137	+	(5) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES SUBSECTION (C)(6) OF THIS SECTION IS 28
	138	+	GUILTY OF A FELONY A ND ON CONVIC TION IS SUBJECT TO I MPRISONMENT NOT 29
	139	+	EXCEEDING 5 YEARS OR A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $25,000 OR BOTH. 30
	140	+
	141	+	(6) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES SUBSECTION (C)(7) OF THIS SECTION IS 31
	142	+	GUILTY OF A FELONY A ND ON CONVICTION IS SUBJECT TO IMPRISONM ENT NOT 32
	143	+	EXCEEDING 10 YEARS OR A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $50,000 OR BOTH. 33
142	144		4 SENATE BILL 81
143	145
144	146
145		-	(5) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES SUBSECTION (C)(6) OF THIS SECTION IS 1
146		-	GUILTY OF A FELONY A ND ON CONVICTION IS SUBJECT TO IMPRISONM ENT NOT 2
147		-	EXCEEDING 5 YEARS OR A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $25,000 OR BOTH. 3
148		-
149		-	(6) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES SUBSECTION (C)(7) OF THIS SECTION IS 4
150		-	GUILTY OF A FELONY A ND ON CONVICTION IS SUBJECT TO IMPRISONM ENT NOT 5
151		-	EXCEEDING 10 YEARS OR A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $50,000 OR BOTH. 6
152		-
153		-	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 7
154		-	October 1, 2025. 8
	147	+	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 1
	148	+	October 1, 2025. 2
155	149
156	150
157		-
158		-	Approved:
159		-	________________________________________________________________________________
160		-	Governor.
161		-	________________________________________________________________________________
162		-	President of the Senate.
163		-	________________________________________________________________________________
164		-	Speaker of the House of Delegates.