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HB0767 • 2026

Criminal Law - Theft and Opening of Mail and Packages

Criminal Law - Theft and Opening of Mail and Packages

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Delegate Conaway
Last action
2026-02-05
Official status
In the House - Hearing 2/17 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.

Criminal Law - Theft and Opening of Mail and Packages

Requiring a court to notify the United States Postmaster General of a certain conviction involving the theft, taking, or opening of mail or packages, under certain circumstances.

What This Bill Does

  • Requiring a court to notify the United States Postmaster General of a certain conviction involving the theft, taking, or opening of mail or packages, under certain circumstances.

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. 2026-02-05 House

    Hearing 2/17 at 1:00 p.m.

  2. 2026-02-04 House

    First Reading Judiciary

  3. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - First - Criminal Law - Theft and Opening of Mail and Packages

Official Summary Text

Requiring a court to notify the United States Postmaster General of a certain conviction involving the theft, taking, or opening of mail or packages, under certain circumstances.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0767*

HOUSE BILL 767
E1 6lr3176
HB 177/25 – JUD
By: Delegate Conaway
Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Criminal Law – Theft and Opening of Mail and Packages 2

FOR the purpose of requiring a court to notify the United States Postmaster General of 3
certain convictions; prohibiting the theft of mail or packages from intended 4
recipients; and generally relating to theft and opening of mail and packages. 5

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 6
Article – Criminal Law 7
Section 3–905 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 10

BY adding to 11
Article – Criminal Law 12
Section 7–106.1 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2021 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 – Criminal Law 18

3–905. 19

(a) A person may not take and break open a letter that is not addressed to the 20
person without permission from the person to whom the letter is addressed or the personal 21
representative of the addressee’s estate. 22

2 HOUSE BILL 767

(b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on 1
conviction: 2

(1) is subject to imprisonment for 6 days and a fine of $15; AND 3

(2) SHALL PAY ANY ADMINI STRATIVE COSTS RELAT ED TO 4
SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION. 5

(C) FOR A CONVICTION UNDER THIS SECTION INVOLVING THE OPENING OF 6
A LETTER DELIVERED OR INTENDED FOR DELIVER Y BY THE UNITED STATES 7
POSTAL SERVICE, THE COURT SHALL PROM PTLY NOTIFY THE UNITED STATES 8
POSTMASTER GENERAL OF THE CONVICTION. 9

7–106.1. 10

(A) IN THIS SECTION, “MAIL OR PACKAGE” MEANS AN ITEM DELIVERED OR 11
LEFT TO BE COLLECTED BY THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE OR A DELIVERY 12
SERVICE COMPANY THAT DELIVERS TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY. 13

(B) A PERSON MAY NOT KNOWI NGLY OR WILLFULLY AN D WITHOUT 14
PERMISSION OF THE INTENDED RECIPIENT OF THE MAI L OR PACKAGE OBTAIN OR 15
EXERT CONTROL OVER M AIL OR A PACKAGE DEL IVERED TO OR INTENDE D FOR 16
DELIVERY TO ANOTHER WITH THE INTENT TO DEPRIVE THE OTHER OF THE MAIL OR 17
PACKAGE. 18

(C) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS GU ILTY OF A FELONY AND 19
ON CONVICTION: 20

(1) IS SUBJECT TO IMPRISONMENT NOT EXCEEDING 5 YEARS; AND 21

(2) SHALL PAY ANY ADMINI STRATIVE COSTS RELAT ED TO 22
SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION. 23

(D) FOR A CONVICTION UNDE R THIS SECTION INVOL VING A LETTER OR 24
PACKAGE DE LIVERED OR INTENDED FOR DELIVERY BY THE UNITED STATES 25
POSTAL SERVICE, THE COURT SHALL PROM PTLY NOTIFY THE UNITED STATES 26
POSTMASTER GENERAL OF THE CONVICTION. 27

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