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HB0688 • 2026

Intercepted Communications - Penalty

Intercepted Communications - Penalty

Crime
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Delegate Simpson
Last action
2026-03-03
Official status
In the Senate - First Reading Judicial Proceedings
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.

Intercepted Communications - Penalty

Reclassifying, as a misdemeanor instead of a felony, a certain offense relating to the prohibition against intercepting and disclosing any wire, oral, or electronic communications.

What This Bill Does

  • Reclassifying, as a misdemeanor instead of a felony, a certain offense relating to the prohibition against intercepting and disclosing any wire, oral, or electronic communications.

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. 2026-03-16 House

    Favorable Report by Judiciary

  2. 2026-03-05 House

    Third Reading Passed (96-36)

  3. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Referred Judicial Proceedings

  4. 2026-03-02 House

    Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed

  5. 2026-02-02 House

    First Reading Judiciary

  6. 2026-02-02 House

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

  7. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - First - Intercepted Communications - Penalty

  8. Maryland General Assembly

    Vote - House - Committee - Judiciary

  9. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - Third - Intercepted Communications - Penalty

Official Summary Text

Reclassifying, as a misdemeanor instead of a felony, a certain offense relating to the prohibition against intercepting and disclosing any wire, oral, or electronic communications.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0688*

HOUSE BILL 688
E2 6lr3264
HB 130/25 – JUD CF SB 680
By: Delegate Simpson
Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 2, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Intercepted Communications – Penalty 2

FOR the purpose of reclassifying, as a misdemeanor instead of a felony, a certain offense 3
relating to the prohibition against intercepting and disclosing any wire, oral, or 4
electronic communications; and generally relating to intercepted communications. 5

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 6
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 7
Section 10–402(a) 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 10

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 11
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 12
Section 10–402(b) 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 15

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17

Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 18

10–402. 19

2 HOUSE BILL 688

(a) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this subtitle it is unlawful for any 1
person to: 2

(1) Willfully intercept, endeavor to intercept, or procure any other person 3
to intercept or endeavor to intercept, any wire, oral, or electronic communication; 4

(2) Willfully disclose, or endeavor to disclose, to any other person the 5
contents of any wire, oral, or electronic communication, knowing or having reason to know 6
that the information was obtained through the interception of a wire, oral, or electronic 7
communication in violation of this subtitle; or 8

(3) Willfully use, or endeavor to use, the contents of any wire, oral, or 9
electronic communication, knowing or having reason to know that the information was 10
obtained through the interception of a wire, oral, or electronic communication in violation 11
of this subtitle. 12

(b) Any person who violates subsection (a) of this section is guilty of a [felony] 13
MISDEMEANOR and is subject to imprisonment for not more than 5 years or a fine of not 14
more than $10,000, or both. 15

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 16
October 1, 2026. 17

Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.