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HB0508 • 2026

Public Safety - Police Accountability - Investigation Records Relating to Not Administratively Charged, Unfounded, and Exonerated Complaints

Public Safety - Police Accountability - Investigation Records Relating to Not Administratively Charged, Unfounded, and Exonerated Complaints

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Delegates Hornberger , Adams , Arentz , Arikan , Baker , Buckel , Chisholm , Ciliberti , Grammer , Griffith , Hutchinson , Jacobs , A. Johnson , S. Johnson , T. Morgan , Reilly , Schmidt , and Valentine
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.

Public Safety - Police Accountability - Investigation Records Relating to Not Administratively Charged, Unfounded, and Exonerated Complaints

Requiring that certain investigation records relating to a complaint of misconduct by a police officer be removed from the police officer's personnel record 3 years after an administrative charging committee issues a determination not to administratively charge the police officer in connection with the complaint or a trial board issues a finding of unfounded or exonerated in connection with the complaint.

What This Bill Does

  • Requiring that certain investigation records relating to a complaint of misconduct by a police officer be removed from the police officer's personnel record 3 years after an administrative charging committee issues a determination not to administratively charge the police officer in connection with the complaint or a trial board issues a finding of unfounded or exonerated in connection with the complaint.

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

  1. 2026-01-29 House

    Hearing 2/24 at 1:00 p.m.

  2. 2026-01-27 House

    First Reading Judiciary

  3. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - First - Public Safety - Police Accountability - Investigation Records Relating to Not Administratively Charged, Unfounded, and Exonerated Complaints

Official Summary Text

Requiring that certain investigation records relating to a complaint of misconduct by a police officer be removed from the police officer's personnel record 3 years after an administrative charging committee issues a determination not to administratively charge the police officer in connection with the complaint or a trial board issues a finding of unfounded or exonerated in connection with the complaint.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0508*

HOUSE BILL 508
E4 6lr1285
CF SB 330
By: Delegates Hornberger, Adams, Arentz, Arikan, Baker, Buckel, Chisholm,
Ciliberti, Grammer, Griffith, Hutchinson, Jacobs, A. Johnson, S. Johnson,
T. Morgan, Reilly, Schmidt, and Valentine
Introduced and read first time: January 27, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Public Safety – Police Accountability – Investigation Records Relating to Not 2
Administratively Charged, Unfounded, and Exonerated Complaints 3

FOR the purpose of requiring that certain investigation records relating to a complaint of 4
misconduct by a police officer be removed from the police officer’s personnel record a 5
certain amount of time after an administrative charging committee issues a 6
determination not to administratively charge the police officer in connection with the 7
complaint or a trial board issues a finding of unfounded or exonerated in connection 8
with the complaint; and generally relating to police accountability. 9

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 10
Article – Public Safety 11
Section 3–101(a), (b), (d), (f), and (k) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 15
Article – Public Safety 16
Section 3–112 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 19

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 20
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 21

Article – Public Safety 22

3–101. 23

2 HOUSE BILL 508

(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. 1

(b) “Administratively charged” means that a police officer has been formally 2
accused of misconduct in an administrative proceeding. 3

(d) “Exonerated” means that a police officer acted in accordance with the law and 4
agency policy. 5

(f) “Not administratively charged” means that a determination has been made 6
not to administratively charge a police officer in connection with alleged misconduct. 7

(k) “Unfounded” means that the allegations against a police officer are not 8
supported by fact. 9

3–112. 10

(A) [A] IN THIS SECTION, “INVESTIGATION RECORD” MEANS A record relating 11
to an administrative or criminal investigation of misconduct by a police officer, including 12
an internal affairs investigatory record, a hearing record, and records relating to a 13
disciplinary decision[,]. 14

(B) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION , AN 15
INVESTIGATION RECORD may not be: 16

(1) expunged; or 17

(2) destroyed by a law enforcement agency. 18

(C) ALL INVESTIGATION REC ORDS RELATING TO A COMPLAINT OF 19
MISCONDUCT BY A POLI CE OFFICER SHALL BE REMOVED FRO M THE POLICE 20
OFFICER’S PERSONNEL RECORD 3 YEARS AFTER: 21

(1) AN ADMINISTRATIVE CHARG ING COMMITTEE ISSUES A 22
DETERMINATION NOT TO ADMINISTRATIVELY CHA RGE THE POLICE OFFIC ER IN 23
CONNECTION WITH THE COMPLAINT UNDER § 3–104 OF THIS SUBTITLE; OR 24

(2) A TRIAL BOARD ISSUES A FINDING OF UNFOUNDED OR 25
EXONERATED IN CONNECTION WITH T HE COMPLAINT UNDER § 3–106 OF THIS 26
SUBTITLE. 27

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 28
October 1, 2026. 29