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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
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*hb0750*
HOUSE BILL 750
E1 6lr0790
HB 305/25 – JUD CF SB 177
By: Delegates Rosenberg, Cardin, and Stinnett Stinnett, Simmons, Conaway, and
Williams
Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 2, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Criminal Law – Interference With Access to or Egress From a Religious 2
Facility Obstruction or Interference With Exercise of Religious Beliefs – 3
Prohibition 4
FOR the purpose of prohibiting a person, acting alone or with others, from preventing 5
another from entering or exiting a religious facility; and generally relating to access 6
to or egress from religious facilities person from using force, threat of force, or 7
physical obstruction to interfere with or physically injure another while the other is 8
lawfully exercising or attempting to lawfully exercise religious beliefs at a place of 9
religious worship; and generally relating to obstruction or interference with the 10
exercise of religious beliefs. 11
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 12
Article – Criminal Law 13
Section 10–204 and 10–302 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 16
BY adding to 17
Article – Criminal Law 18
Section 10–204.1 19
Annotated Code of Maryland 20
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 21
2 HOUSE BILL 750
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Criminal Law 3
10–204. 4
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 5
(2) (i) “Medical facility” means: 6
1. a facility as defined in § 10 –101 of the Health – General 7
Article; or 8
2. a health care facility as defined in § 19 –114 of the 9
Health – General Article. 10
(ii) “Medical facility” includes an agency, clinic, or office operated 11
under the direction of the local health offic er or under the regulatory authority of the 12
Maryland Department of Health. 13
(b) (1) This section does not apply to: 14
(i) the chief executive officer of the medical facility; 15
(ii) a designee of the chief executive officer of the medical facility; 16
(iii) an agent of the medical facility; or 17
(iv) a law enforcement officer. 18
(2) This section does not prohibit: 19
(i) speech; or 20
(ii) picketing in connection with a labor dispute as defined in § 21
4–301 of the Labor and Employment Article. 22
(c) A person may not intentionally act, alone or with others, to prevent another 23
from entering or exiting a medical facility by physically: 24
(1) detaining the other; or 25
(2) obstructing, impeding, or hindering the other’s passage. 26
(d) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction 27
is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 90 days or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both. 28
HOUSE BILL 750 3
10–204.1. 1
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION, “RELIGIOUS FACILITY” MEANS REAL PROPERTY 2
THAT IS OWNED, LEASED, OR USED BY A RELIGIOUS ENTITY OR FOR ANY RELIGIOUS 3
PURPOSE. 4
(2) “RELIGIOUS FACILITY” INCLUDES: 5
(I) A PLACE OF WORSHIP; 6
(II) A CEMETERY; 7
(III) A RELIGIOUS SCHOOL , EDUCATIONAL FACILITY , OR 8
COMMUNITY CENTER; AND 9
(IV) THE GROUNDS ADJACENT TO THEM. 10
(B) (1) THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO: 11
(I) THE PERSON IN CHARGE OF THE RELIGIOUS FACILITY; 12
(II) A DESIGNEE OF THE PERSON IN CHARGE OF THE RELIGIOUS 13
FACILITY; 14
(III) AN AGENT OF THE RELIGIOUS FACILITY; 15
(IV) A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER; OR 16
(V) A PERSON: 17
1. AUTHORIZED BY THE RE LIGIOUS AUTHORITY TO 18
PROTECT THE RELIGIOUS FACILITY OR THE RELIGIOUS FACILITY’S ACTIVITIES; OR 19
2. OTHERWISE ACTING IN GOOD FAITH ON THE 20
RELIGIOUS FACILITY ’S BEHALF TO PROTECT THE RELIGIOUS FACILI TY OR THE 21
RELIGIOUS FACILITY’S ACTIVITIES. 22
(2) THIS SECTION DOES NOT PROHIBIT SPEECH. 23
(C) A RELIGIOUS FACILITY H AS SOLE DISCRETION I N DETERMINING WHO 24
MAY BE ON THE RELIGI OUS FACILITY ’S PREMISES , AS DETERMINED BY THE 25
INTERNAL DICTATES OF THE RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION. 26
4 HOUSE BILL 750
(D) A PERSON MAY NOT INTENTIONALLY ACT, ALONE OR WITH OTHERS, TO 1
PREVENT ANOTHER FROM ENTERING OR EXITING A RELIGIOUS FACILITY BY 2
PHYSICALLY: 3
(1) DETAINING THE OTHER; OR 4
(2) OBSTRUCTING, IMPEDING, OR HINDERING THE OTHER’S PASSAGE. 5
(E) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR 6
AND ON CONVICTION IS SUBJECT TO IMPRISONMENT NOT EXCEEDING 90 DAYS OR A 7
FINE NOT EXCEEDING $1,000 OR BOTH. 8
10–302. 9
A person may not deface, damage, or destroy, or attempt or threaten to deface, 10
damage, or destroy, personal or real property that is owned, leased, or used by a religious 11
entity or for any religious purpose including: 12
(1) a place of worship; 13
(2) a cemetery; 14
(3) a religious school, educational facility, or community center; and 15
(4) the grounds adjacent to them. 16
10–204.1. 17
(A) A PERSON MAY NOT USE F ORCE, THREAT OF FORCE , OR PHYSICAL 18
OBSTRUCTION TO INTERFERE WITH OR PHYSICA LLY INJURE ANOTHER W HILE THE 19
OTHER IS LAWFULLY EX ERCISING OR ATTEMPTI NG TO LAWFULLY EXERC ISE THE 20
RIGHT OF RELIGIOUS FREED OM UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT OF THE U.S. 21
CONSTITUTION AT A PLACE OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP. 22
(B) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR 23
AND ON CONVICTION IS SUBJECT TO IMPRISONMENT NOT EXCEEDING 90 DAYS OR A 24
FINE NOT EXCEEDING $1,000 OR BOTH. 25
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 26
October 1, 2026. 27