Judicial Facilities - Stops, Detentions, and Arrests - Limitations

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
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HOUSE BILL 309
D1, D3 6lr0909

By: Delegate Stewart
Introduced and read first time: January 15, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Judicial Facilities – Stops, Detentions, and Arrests – Limitations 2

FOR the purpose of prohibiting an individual from being stopped, detained, or arrested for 3
certain civil offenses under certain circumstances ; establishing that evidence 4
obtained in violation of this Act is inadmissible in certain proceedings; authorizing 5
an individual stopped, detained, or arrested in violation of this Act to bring a civil 6
action; authorizing the Attorney General to bring a civil action to enjoin an 7
individual from committing a violation of this Act ; and generally relating to stops, 8
detentions, and arrests at judicial facilities. 9

BY adding to 10
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 11
Section 13–801 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 8. Judicial Facilities” and the 12
amended title “Title 13. Court Supporting Agencies, Records, and Judicial 13
Facilities” 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 16

SECTION 1. BE IT ENA CTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18

Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 19

Title 13. Court Supporting Agencies, RECORDS, AND JUDICIAL FACILITIES. 20

SUBTITLE 8. JUDICIAL FACILITIES. 21

13–801. 22

(A) (1) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 23
2 HOUSE BILL 309

INDICATED. 1

(2) (I) “JUDICIAL FACILITY ” MEANS A COURTHOUSE , AN 2
ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING FACILITY, OR OTHER LOCATION OR SPACE , WHETHER 3
OWNED OR LEASED BY A STATE OR LOCAL GOVERN MENTAL ENTITY , USED FOR 4
JUDICIAL OR QUASI–JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS. 5

(II) “JUDICIAL FACILITY” INCLUDES ANY PATHWAY, HALLWAY, 6
PARKING LOT OR STRUCTURE, GROUNDS, OR OTHER AREA WITHIN 1,000 FEET OF A 7
COURTHOUSE, AN ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING FACILITY, OR OTHER LOCATION USED 8
FOR JUDICIAL OR QUASI–JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS. 9

(3) “PERSON” INCLUDES A LAW ENFOR CEMENT AGENCY , LAW 10
ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, AND ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY OR GOVERNMENT 11
AGENT. 12

(B) THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO A STOP, DETENTION, OR ARREST: 13

(1) RELATING TO A SUSPECTED CRIMINAL OFFENSE; 14

(2) MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH A VALID WARRANT; 15

(3) MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH §§ 3–814, 3–821, AND 3–8A–26 OF 16
THIS ARTICLE; 17

(4) FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT; 18

(5) MADE IN ORDER TO COND UCT AN EXAMINATION UNDER § 3–105 19
OF THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE ARTICLE; 20

(6) MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH §§ 10–613 THROUGH 10–619 OF THE 21
HEALTH – GENERAL ARTICLE; OR 22

(7) OTHERWISE AUTHORIZED UNDER STATE LAW. 23

(C) A PERSON MAY NOT STOP, DETAIN, OR ARREST AN INDIVIDUAL FOR AN 24
ALLEGED OR ADJUDICATED OFFENSE THAT IS SUBJECT ONLY TO A CI VIL PENALTY 25
WHILE THE INDIVIDUAL IS IN A JUDICIAL FACILITY OR IS TRAVELING WITHIN 1 MILE 26
OF A JUDICIAL FACILITY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ATTENDING A MEETING, A HEARING, 27
OR ANOTHER OFFICIAL PROCEEDING IN THE JUDICIAL FACI LITY UNLESS THE 28
PERSON: 29

(1) PROVIDES PRIOR NOTICE TO THE PRESIDING JUD GE OR COURT 30
HOUSE BILL 309 3

ADMINISTRATOR THAT A STOP, DETENTION, OR ARREST MAY OCCUR; AND 1

(2) MAKES THE STOP, DETENTION, OR ARREST IN A MANNER T HAT 2
DOES NOT DISRUPT PROCEEDI NGS OR DETER ACCESS TO JUSTI CE BY ANY 3
INDIVIDUAL. 4

(D) EVIDENCE OBTAINED AS A RESULT OF A VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION IS 5
INADMISSIBLE AGAINST THE INDIVIDUAL STOPPED, DETAINED, OR ARRESTED IN 6
ANY PROCEEDING OVER WHICH A STATE COURT OR STATE OR LOCAL ENTITY HAS 7
JURISDICTION. 8

(E) (1) AN INDIVIDUAL STOPPED, DETAINED, OR ARRESTED IN 9
VIOLATION OF THIS SE CTION MAY BRING A N ACTION AGAINST A PERSON 10
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STOP, DETENTION, OR ARREST IN A COURT OF COMPETENT 11
JURISDICTION. 12

(2) IN AN ACTION UNDER THIS SECTION, THE COURT MAY AWARD: 13

(I) DAMAGES; 14

(II) INJUNCTIVE RELIEF; AND 15

(III) ATTORNEY’S FEES AND COURT COSTS. 16

(F) THE ATTORNEY GENERAL MAY BRING A C IVIL ACTION TO ENJOI N A 17
PERSON FROM COMMITTING A VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION. 18

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That it is the intention of the 19
General Assembly that this Act shall supplement the protections provided under Chapter 20
718 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2025. 21

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 22
October 1, 2026. 23