Bill > SB652

This bill, known as the Youth Accountability and Safety Act, proposes to amend the Criminal Law Article of the Maryland Code to provide that a person who was under the age of 25 at the time of the offense may not be found guilty of first-degree murder under the felony murder rule. Specifically, the bill removes the possibility of a first-degree murder conviction for individuals under 25 who committed the offense during the perpetration or attempted perpetration of certain enumerated felonies, such as arson, burglary, and robbery. The bill leaves intact the other statutory definitions of first-degree murder, such as deliberate and premeditated killing. The bill is intended to address concerns about the application of the felony murder rule to young offenders.