Read the full stored bill text
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1053*
HOUSE BILL 1053
E1 6lr1198
HB 462/25 – JUD
By: Delegate Schmidt
Introduced and read first time: February 9, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Criminal Law – Second Degree Assault – Sports Official 2
FOR the purpose of prohibiting a person from intentionally causing physical injury to 3
another if the person knows or has reason to know that the other is an official, an 4
umpire, a referee, or a judge officiating at a sporting event; authorizing a police 5
officer to arrest a person without a warrant if the police officer has probable cause to 6
believe that the person has committed a certain assault; and generally relating to 7
second degree assault. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
Article – Criminal Law 10
Section 3–203 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 13
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 14
Article – Criminal Procedure 15
Section 2–203 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2025 Replacement Volume) 18
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
Article – Criminal Law 21
3–203. 22
(a) A person may not commit an assault. 23
(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, a person who violates 24
2 HOUSE BILL 1053
subsection (a) of this section is guilty of the misdemeanor of assault in the second degree 1
and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding 2
$2,500 or both. 3
(c) (1) In this subsection, “physical injury” means any impairment of physical 4
condition, excluding minor injuries. 5
(2) A person may not intentionally cause physical injury to another if the 6
person knows or has reason to know that the other is: 7
(i) a law enforcement officer engaged in the performance of the 8
officer’s official duties; 9
(ii) a parole or probation agent engaged in the performance of the 10
agent’s official duties; [or] 11
(iii) a firefighter, an emergency medical technician, a rescue squad 12
member, or any other first responder engaged in providing emergency medical care or 13
rescue services; OR 14
(IV) AN OFFICIAL, AN UMPIRE, A REFEREE, OR A JUDGE WHO IS 15
OFFICIATING AT A SPORTING EVENT. 16
(3) (I) A person who violates paragraph [(2)] (2)(I), (II), OR (III) of this 17
subsection is guilty of the felony of assault in the second degree and on conviction is subject 18
to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $5,000 or both. 19
(II) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES PA RAGRAPH (2)(IV) OF THIS 20
SUBSECTION IS GUILTY OF THE MISDEMEANOR OF ASSAULT IN THE SECOND DEGREE 21
AND ON CONVICTION IS SUBJECT TO IMPRISONMENT NOT EXCEEDING 10 YEARS OR 22
A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $2,500 OR BOTH. 23
Article – Criminal Procedure 24
2–203. 25
(a) A police officer without a warrant may arrest a person if the police officer has 26
probable cause to believe: 27
(1) that the person has committed a crime listed in subsection (b) of this 28
section; and 29
(2) that unless the person is arrested immediately, the person: 30
(i) may not be apprehended; 31
HOUSE BILL 1053 3
(ii) may cause physical injury or property damage to another; or 1
(iii) may tamper with, dispose of, or destroy evidence. 2
(b) The crimes referred to in subsection (a)(1) of this section are: 3
(1) manslaughter by vehicle or vessel under § 2 –209 of the Criminal Law 4
Article; 5
(2) malicious burning under § 6–104 or § 6–105 of the Criminal Law Article 6
or an attempt to commit the crime; 7
(3) malicious mischief under § 6 –301 of the Criminal Law A rticle or an 8
attempt to commit the crime; 9
(4) a theft crime where the value of the property or services stolen is less 10
than $1,000 under § 7–104 or § 7–105 of the Criminal Law Article or an attempt to commit 11
the crime; 12
(5) the crime of giving or caus ing to be given a false alarm of fire under § 13
9–604 of the Criminal Law Article; 14
(6) indecent exposure under § 11–107 of the Criminal Law Article; 15
(7) a crime that relates to controlled dangerous substances under Title 5 of 16
the Criminal Law Article or an attempt to commit the crime; 17
(8) the wearing, carrying, or transporting of a handgun under § 4–203 or § 18
4–204 of the Criminal Law Article; 19
(9) carrying or wearing a concealed weapon under § 4–101 of the Criminal 20
Law Article; 21
(10) prostitution and related crimes under Title 11, Subtitle 3 of the 22
Criminal Law Article; [and] 23
(11) violation of a condition of pretrial or posttrial release under § 5 –213.1 24
of this article; AND 25
(12) ASSAULT IN THE SECON D DEGREE UNDER § 3–203(C)(2)(IV) OF 26
THE CRIMINAL LAW ARTICLE. 27
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 28
October 1, 2026. 29