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HB0782 • 2026

Criminal Law - Taking and Breaking Open Letters - Penalty

Criminal Law - Taking and Breaking Open Letters - Penalty

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 - Taking and Breaking Open Letters - Penalty

Increasing the fine for violating the prohibition against taking and breaking open a letter addressed to another without the other's permission from $15 to $500.

What This Bill Does

  • Increasing the fine for violating the prohibition against taking and breaking open a letter addressed to another without the other's permission from $15 to $500.

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 - Taking and Breaking Open Letters - Penalty

Official Summary Text

Increasing the fine for violating the prohibition against taking and breaking open a letter addressed to another without the other's permission from $15 to $500.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0782*

HOUSE BILL 782
E1 6lr3175
HB 291/25 – JUD
By: Delegate Conaway
Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Criminal Law – Taking and Breaking Open Letters – Penalty 2

FOR the purpose of altering the penalty for violating the prohibition against taking and 3
breaking open a letter addressed to another without the other’s permission; and 4
generally relating to taking and breaking open a letter addressed to another. 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

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 11
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 12

Article – Criminal Law 13

3–905. 14

(a) A person may not take and break open a letter that is not addressed to the 15
person without permission from the person to whom the letter is addressed or the personal 16
representative of the addressee’s estate. 17

(b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction 18
is subject to imprisonment for 6 days and a fine of [$15] $500. 19

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHE R ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 20
October 1, 2026. 21