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*hb1320*
HOUSE BILL 1320
E2 6lr2279
By: Delegate Rosenberg
Introduced and read first time: February 12, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 2, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Criminal Procedure – Victim Notification – Request at the Time of Charging 2
FOR the purpose of requiring a law enforcement officer or a District Court commissioner to 3
inform a victim or a victim’s representative of the ability of the victim or the victim’s 4
representative to request a certain notification at a certain time ; establishing a 5
process for a victim or a victim’s representative to receive a certain notification; and 6
generally relating to victim notification. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 8
Article – Criminal Procedure 9
Section 11–104(a) 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2025 Replacement Volume) 12
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 13
Article – Criminal Procedure 14
Section 11–104(b), (d), and (e) 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2025 Replacement Volume) 17
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MA RYLAND, 18
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19
Article – Criminal Procedure 20
2 HOUSE BILL 1320
11–104. 1
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 2
(2) “DNA” has the meaning stated in § 2–501 of the Public Safety Article. 3
(3) “Statewide DNA database system” has the meaning stated in § 2 –501 4
of the Public Safety Article. 5
(4) “Victim” means a person who suffers actual or threatened physical, 6
emotional, or financial harm as a direct result of a crime or delinquent act. 7
(5) “Victim’s representative” includes a family member or guardian of a 8
victim who is: 9
(i) a minor; 10
(ii) deceased; or 11
(iii) disabled. 12
(b) (1) On first contact with a victim or victim’s representative, a law 13
enforcement officer, District Court comm issioner, or juvenile intake officer shall give the 14
victim or the victim’s representative the pamphlet described in § 11–914(9)(i) of this title. 15
(2) ON FIRST CONTACT WITH A VICTIM OR VICTIM’S REPRESENTATIVE 16
IN A CRIMINAL CASE , A LAW ENFORCEMENT OF FICER OR DISTRICT COURT 17
COMMISSIONER SHALL INFORM THE VICTIM OR THE VICTIM’S REPRESENTATIVE OF 18
THE ABILITY OF THE V ICTIM OR THE VICTIM ’S REPRESENTATIVE TO REQUEST 19
NOTIFICATION THROUGH THE MARYLAND ELECTRONIC COURTS (MDEC) SYSTEM 20
OF A DEFENDANT’S CUSTODY STATUS AND COURT HEARINGS. 21
(3) IF A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER RECEIVES A R EQUEST FOR 22
NOTIFICATION FROM A VICTIM OR VIC TIM’S REPRESENTATIVE UNDER THIS 23
SUBSECTION, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER SHALL PROVIDE THE REQUEST TO 24
THE DISTRICT COURT COMMISSIONER AT THE TIME OF CHARGING. 25
(4) (I) ON RECEIVING A REQUEST FOR NOTI FICATION FROM A 26
VICTIM, A VICTIM’S REPRESENTATIVE, OR A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFI CER UNDER 27
THIS SUBSECTION, A DISTRICT COURT COMMISSIONER SHALL ENTER THE REQUEST 28
INTO THE MDEC SYSTEM. 29
(II) AFTER THE DISTRICT COURT COMMISSIONER ENTERS THE 30
REQUEST INTO THE MDEC SYSTEM, THE STATE’S VICTIM INFORMATION AND 31
NOTIFICATION EVERYDAY VENDOR SHALL NOTIFY THE VICTIM OR THE VICTIM ’S 32
HOUSE BILL 1320 3
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEFENDANT’S RELEASE BY THE COMMISSIONER, OTHER 1
RELEASE FROM CUSTODY, AND SCHEDULED COURT HEARINGS. 2
(d) (1) Within 10 days after the filing or the unsealing of an indictment or 3
information in circuit court, whichever is later, the prosecuting attorney shall: 4
(i) mail or deliver to the victim or vi ctim’s representative the 5
pamphlet described in § 11 –914(9)(ii) of this title and the notification request form 6
described in § 11–914(10) of this title; and 7
(ii) certify to the clerk of the court that the prosecuting attorney has 8
complied with this paragraph or is unable to identify the victim or victim’s representative. 9
(2) If the prosecuting attorney files a petition alleging that a child is 10
delinquent for committing an act that could only be tried in the circuit court if committed 11
by an adult, the prosecuting attorney shall: 12
(i) inform the victim or victim’s representative of the right to 13
request restitution under § 11–606 of this title; 14
(ii) mail or deliver to the victim or victim’s representative the 15
notification request form described in § 11–914(10) of this title; and 16
(iii) certify to the clerk of the juvenile court that the prosecuting 17
attorney has complied with this paragraph or is unable to identify the victim or victim’s 18
representative. 19
(3) For cases described under this subse ction, the prosecuting attorney 20
may provide a State’s witness in the case with the guidelines for victims, victims’ 21
representatives, and witnesses available under §§ 11–1001 through 11–1004 of this title. 22
(4) WITHIN 10 DAYS AFTER THE FILING OF A CRIMINAL INFORMATION 23
IN THE DISTRICT COURT, THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY SHALL INFORM THE VICTIM 24
OR THE VICTIM’S REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ABILITY OF THE VICTIM OR THE VICTIM’S 25
REPRESENTATIVE TO REQUEST NOTIFICATION THROUGH THE MDEC SYSTEM OF A 26
DEFENDANT’S CUSTODY STATUS AND COURT HEARINGS. 27
(e) (1) A victim or victim’s representative may: 28
(i) file a completed notification request form with the prosecuting 29
attorney; or 30
(ii) follow the MDEC system protocol to request notice. 31
4 HOUSE BILL 1320
(2) (i) If the jurisdiction has not implemented the MDEC system, the 1
prosecuting attorney shall send a copy of the completed notification request form to the 2
clerk of the circuit court or juvenile court. 3
(ii) If the jurisdiction has implemented the MDEC system and the 4
victim or victim’s representative has filed a completed notification request form, the 5
prosecuting attorney shall electronically file the form with the clerk of the circuit court or 6
juvenile court in the MDEC system. 7
(3) By filing a completed notification request form or completing the MDEC 8
system protocol, a victim or victim’s representative complies with Article 47 of the 9
Maryland Declaration of Rights and each provision of the Code that requires a victim or 10
victim’s representative to request notice. 11
(4) To keep the address, TELEPHONE NUMBER , and electronic mail 12
address of a victim or victim’s representative confidential, the victim or victim’s 13
representative shall: 14
(i) designate in the notification request form a person who has 15
agreed to receive notice for the victim or victim’s representative; or 16
(ii) request as part of the MDEC system protocol, without filing a 17
motion to seal, that the address , TELEPHONE NUMBER , and electronic mail address 18
remain confidential and available, as necessary to only: 19
1. the court; 20
2. the prosecuting attorney; 21
3. the Department of Public Safety and Correctional 22
Services; 23
4. the Department of Juvenile Services; 24
5. the attorney of the victim or victim’s representative; 25
6. the State’s Victim Information and Notification Everyday 26
vendor; and 27
7. a commitment unit that a court orders to retain custody of 28
an individual. 29
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 30
October 1, 2026. 31