Bill > HB269

This bill, the Juvenile Law - Child Interrogation Protection Act, proposes several key provisions: 1. Requires law enforcement officers to provide reasonable notice, including the child's location, reason for custody, and instructions for in-person contact, to a child's parents, guardian, or custodian when the child is taken into custody. 2. Prohibits law enforcement from interrogating a child until the child has consulted with an attorney, either retained by the parent/guardian or provided by the Office of the Public Defender, and the law enforcement officer has made a reasonable effort to notify the child's parent/guardian. 3. Establishes a rebuttable presumption that a child's statement made during a custodial interrogation without complying with the consultation and notification requirements is inadmissible, though the state can overcome this by showing the statement was made knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily. 4. Requires law enforcement agencies to maintain records of their notification efforts and the attorney consulted, and directs the Office of the Public Defender to provide guidance and a list of available attorneys to assist children. 5. Clarifies that the bill's requirements apply regardless of whether the child is considered a juvenile or charged as an adult.

Justice

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0269?ys=2022RS