Bill > SB122

This bill modifies Maryland's hate crime laws to explicitly include law enforcement officers as a protected class, expanding existing protections against crimes motivated by bias. Specifically, the bill adds law enforcement officers to the list of groups who are protected from criminal actions motivated by their identity, alongside existing protected categories like race, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability. The bill makes it illegal to commit crimes, damage property, make false reports, or commit other harmful acts against someone because they are a law enforcement officer. The legislation also updates provisions related to defacing or damaging property associated with buildings where law enforcement officers have connections, making such actions potentially prosecutable as hate crimes. Additionally, the bill removes "homeless" status from one section while maintaining it in another, and clarifies definitions of terms like "gender identity" and "sexual orientation". The changes will take effect on October 1, 2025, providing legal protections that recognize potential targeted violence against law enforcement as a form of bias-motivated crime.

Justice

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/SB0122?ys=2025RS