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*hb1348*
HOUSE BILL 1348
E2, D4 6lr2330
By: Delegate Embry
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
Human Trafficking – Reports to Regional Navigators and Prosecutions – 2
Authorization 3
FOR the purpose of authorizing a certain person required to report suspected abuse to 4
report suspected labor trafficking and suspected sex trafficking to certain regional 5
navigators; authorizing a State’s Attorney or the Attorney General to investigate and 6
prosecute certain human trafficking; and generally relating to human trafficking. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 8
Article – Family Law 9
Section 5–701(a), (b)(1)(ii) and (iii), (m), (x), and (y)(2) 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 13
Article – Family Law 14
Section 5–704(a) 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 17
BY adding to 18
Article – Criminal Law 19
Section 3–1104 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 22
2 HOUSE BILL 1348
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Family Law 3
5–701. 4
(a) Except as otherwise provided in § 5–705.1 of this subtitle, in this subtitle the 5
following words have the meanings indicated. 6
(b) (1) “Abuse” means: 7
(ii) sexual abuse of a child, whether physical injuries are sustained 8
or not; or 9
(iii) labor trafficking of a child by any individual. 10
(m) “Labor trafficking” means knowingly: 11
(1) taking, placing, harboring, persuading, inducing, or enticing a child by 12
force, fraud, or coercion to provide services or labor; or 13
(2) receiving a benefit or thing of value from the provision of services or 14
labor by a child that was induced by force, fraud, or coercion. 15
(x) “Sex trafficking” means the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, 16
obtaining, patronizing, or soliciting of a child for the purpose of a commercial sex act. 17
(y) “Sexual abuse” means any act that involves: 18
(2) sex trafficking of a child by any individual. 19
5–704. 20
(a) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including any law on 21
privileged communications, each health practitioner, police officer, educator, or human 22
service worker, acting in a professional capacity in this State who has reason to believe that 23
a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect: 24
[(1)] (I) shall notify the local department or the appropriate law 25
enforcement agency; [and] 26
[(2)] (II) if acting as a staff member of a hospital, public health agency, 27
child care institution, juvenile detention center, school, or similar institution, shall 28
immediately notify and give all information required by this section to the head of the 29
institution or the designee of the head; AND 30
HOUSE BILL 1348 3
(III) MAY NOTIFY A REGIONAL NAVIGATOR AS DEFINED IN § 1
5–704.4 OF THIS SUBTITLE OF SUSPECTED SEX TRAFFI CKING OR LABOR 2
TRAFFICKING IF, IN THE PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT OF THE REPO RTER, 3
NOTIFICATION IS NECESSARY TO PREVENT SERIOUS HARM TO THE CHILD OR OTHER 4
CHILDREN. 5
(2) AN INDIVIDUAL AUTHORIZED TO NOTIFY A REGIONAL NAVIGATOR 6
UNDER PARAGRAPH (1)(III) OF THIS SUBSECTION MAY NOTIFY THE REGIONAL 7
NAVIGATOR: 8
(I) WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE CHILD; AND 9
(II) OVER THE EXPRESS OBJECTION OF THE CHILD. 10
Article – Criminal Law 11
3–1104. 12
(A) A STATE’S ATTORNEY OR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL MAY INVESTIGATE 13
AND PROSECUTE A VIOL ATION OF THIS SUBTIT LE OR A VIOLATION OF ANY CRIME 14
BASED ON THE ACT ESTABLISHING A VIOLATION OF THIS SUBTITLE. 15
(B) IF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL EXERCISES AUT HORITY UNDER 16
SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS ALL THE POWERS 17
AND DUTIES OF A STATE’S ATTORNEY TO INVESTIGA TE AND PROSECUTE THE 18
VIOLATION. 19
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 20
October 1, 2026. 21
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.