HB0031 • 2026

Police Discipline - Order to Show Cause

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Delegate Cardin
Last action: 2026-01-29
Official status: In the House - Hearing 2/24 at 1:00 p.m.
Effective date: 2026-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Police Discipline - Order to Show Cause

Authorizing a police officer who is denied a certain right to apply to the circuit court at any time before a hearing is held by the hearing board for an order that directs the law enforcement agency to show cause why the right should not be granted.

What This Bill Does

Authorizing a police officer who is denied a certain right to apply to the circuit court at any time before a hearing is held by the hearing board for an order that directs the law enforcement agency to show cause why the right should not be granted.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-01-29 House
Hearing 2/24 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-01-14 House
First Reading Judiciary
2025-09-25 House
Pre-filed
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Police Discipline - Order to Show Cause

Official Summary Text

Authorizing a police officer who is denied a certain right to apply to the circuit court at any time before a hearing is held by the hearing board for an order that directs the law enforcement agency to show cause why the right should not be granted.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0031*

HOUSE BILL 31
E4 6lr0969
HB 537/25 – JUD (PRE–FILED)
By: Delegate Cardin
Requested: September 25, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Police Discipline – Order to Show Cause 2

FOR the purpose of authorizing a police officer who is denied a certain right to apply to the 3
circuit court at a certain time for an order that directs the law enforcement agency 4
to show cause why the right should not be granted; and generally relating to police 5
disciplinary proceedings. 6

BY adding to 7
Article – Public Safety 8
Section 3–113.1 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13

Article – Public Safety 14

3–113.1. 15

(A) AT ANY TIME BEFORE A HEARING IS HELD BY T HE HEARING BOARD 16
UNDER § 3–106 OF THIS SUBTITLE, A POLICE OFFICER WHO IS DENIED A RIGHT 17
GRANTED BY THIS SUBT ITLE MAY APPLY TO TH E CIRCUIT COURT FOR AN ORDER 18
THAT DIRECTS THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO SHOW CAUSE WHY THE RIGHT 19
SHOULD NOT BE GRANTED. 20

(B) THE POLICE OFFICER SHALL MAKE THE APPLICATION: 21

(1) IF THE POLICE OFFICE R IS AN EMPLOYEE OF A COUNTYWIDE OR 22
2 HOUSE BILL 31

LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMEN T AGENCY, TO THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY IN 1
WHICH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IS LOCATED; AND 2

(2) IF THE POLICE OFFICE R IS AN EMPLOYEE OF A STATEWIDE OR 3
BICOUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGEN CY, TO THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR ANNE 4
ARUNDEL COUNTY. 5

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 6
October 1, 2026. 7