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HB0788 • 2026

Criminal Law - Theft - Mail and Packages (Porch Piracy Act of 2026)

Criminal Law - Theft - Mail and Packages (Porch Piracy Act of 2026)

Crime
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 - Mail and Packages (Porch Piracy Act of 2026)

Prohibiting the theft of mail or packages delivered or left to be collected by the United States Postal Service or a delivery service company; authorizing the court to order a person convicted of a certain crime to stay away from certain locations; and providing that a person who violates the Act is guilty of a felony and is subject to imprisonment of up to 5 years.

What This Bill Does

  • Prohibiting the theft of mail or packages delivered or left to be collected by the United States Postal Service or a delivery service company; authorizing the court to order a person convicted of a certain crime to stay away from certain locations; and providing that a person who violates the Act is guilty of a felony and is subject to imprisonment of up to 5 years.

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 - Mail and Packages (Porch Piracy Act of 2026)

  4. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - Racial Equity Impact Note

Official Summary Text

Prohibiting the theft of mail or packages delivered or left to be collected by the United States Postal Service or a delivery service company; authorizing the court to order a person convicted of a certain crime to stay away from certain locations; and providing that a person who violates the Act is guilty of a felony and is subject to imprisonment of up to 5 years.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0788*

HOUSE BILL 788
E1 6lr3191
HB 143/25 – 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 – Mail and Packages 2
(Porch Piracy Act of 2026) 3

FOR the purpose of prohibiting the theft of mail or packages; authorizing the court to order 4
a person convicted of a certain crime to stay away from certain locati ons; and 5
generally relating to theft of mail and packages. 6

BY adding to 7
Article – Criminal Law 8
Section 7–106.1 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13

Article – Criminal Law 14

7–106.1. 15

(A) IN THIS SECTION, “MAIL OR PACKAGE” MEANS AN ITEM DELIVERED OR 16
LEFT TO BE COLLECTED BY THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE OR A DELIVERY 17
SERVICE COMPANY THAT DELIVERS TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY. 18

(B) A PERSON MAY NOT KNOWI NGLY OR WILLFULLY AN D WITHOUT 19
PERMISSION OF THE IN TENDED RECIPIENT OF THE MAIL OR PACKAGE OBTAIN OR 20
EXERT CONTROL OVER M AIL OR A PACKAGE DEL IVERED TO ANOTHER WI TH THE 21
INTENT TO DEPRIVE THE OWNER OF THE MAIL OR PACKAGE. 22

(C) (1) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY 23
2 HOUSE BILL 788

AND ON CONVICTION IS SUBJECT TO IMPRISONMENT NOT EXCEEDING 5 YEARS. 1

(2) AS A CONDITION OF SEN TENCING, THE COURT MAY ORDER THE 2
DEFENDANT TO STAY AWAY FROM: 3

(I) THE LOCATION WHERE THE VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION 4
OCCURRED; 5

(II) ALL REAL PROPERTY OWNED BY THE VICTIM; 6

(III) THE VICTIM’S PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT; AND 7

(IV) ANY LOCATION THAT TH E STATE’S ATTORNEY PROVED AT 8
TRIAL THAT THE DEFEN DANT TARGETED IN THE COURSE OF VIOLATING THIS 9
SECTION. 10

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 11
October 1, 2026. 12