HB1359 • 2026

Police Pursuits of Fleeing Suspects - Standards (Dimeka Thornton Act)

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Delegates Ruth and Phillips
Last action: 2026-02-16
Official status: In the House - Hearing 3/10 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.

Police Pursuits of Fleeing Suspects - Standards (Dimeka Thornton Act)

Requiring each law enforcement agency in the State to submit the agency's policy regarding pursuit of fleeing suspects to the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission annually on or before January 1 each year, beginning in 2027; requiring the Commission, in consultation with the Attorney General and certain law enforcement agencies, to submit a certain report to the Governor and General Assembly annually on or before June 1, beginning in 2027; etc.

What This Bill Does

Requiring each law enforcement agency in the State to submit the agency's policy regarding pursuit of fleeing suspects to the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission annually on or before January 1 each year, beginning in 2027; requiring the Commission, in consultation with the Attorney General and certain law enforcement agencies, to submit a certain report to the Governor and General Assembly annually on or before June 1, beginning in 2027; etc.

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

2026-02-16 House
Hearing 3/10 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-02-13 House
First Reading Judiciary
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Police Pursuits of Fleeing Suspects - Standards (Dimeka Thornton Act)

Official Summary Text

Requiring each law enforcement agency in the State to submit the agency's policy regarding pursuit of fleeing suspects to the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission annually on or before January 1 each year, beginning in 2027; requiring the Commission, in consultation with the Attorney General and certain law enforcement agencies, to submit a certain report to the Governor and General Assembly annually on or before June 1, beginning in 2027; etc.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1359*

HOUSE BILL 1359
E4 6lr3537

By: Delegates Ruth and Phillips
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Police Pursuits of Fleeing Suspects – Standards 2
(Dimeka Thornton Act) 3

FOR the purpose of requiring each law enforcement agency in the State to submit the 4
agency’s current policy regarding pursuit of fleeing suspects to the Maryland Police 5
Training and Standards Commission annually on or before a certain date; requiring 6
the Commission, in consultation with the Attorney General and certain law 7
enforcement agencies, to submit a certain report to the Governor and General 8
Assembly annually on or before a certain date; requiring the Commission to develop 9
a certain model policy on or before a certain date; requiring each law enforcement 10
agency in the State to adopt a certain policy for police pursuits of fleeing suspects on 11
or before a certain date; and generally relating to police pursuits of fleeing suspects. 12

BY adding to 13
Article – Public Safety 14
Section 3–535 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 17

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19

Article – Public Safety 20

3–535. 21

(A) IN THIS SECTION , “COMMISSION” MEANS THE MARYLAND POLICE 22
TRAINING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION. 23

2 HOUSE BILL 1359

(B) ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2027, AND EACH JANUARY 1 THEREAFTER, 1
EACH LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENC Y IN THE STATE SHALL SUBMIT THE AGE NCY’S 2
POLICY REGARDING PURSUIT OF FLEEING SUSPECTS TO THE COMMISSION. 3

(C) ON OR BEFORE JUNE 1, 2027, AND EACH JUNE 1 THEREAFTER, THE 4
COMMISSION, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND LOCAL LAW 5
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES , SHALL REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND , IN 6
ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE GENERAL 7
ASSEMBLY ON: 8

(1) THE NUMBER OF PURSUITS OF FLEEING SUSPECTS INITIATED; 9

(2) THE REASON FOR INITIATING EACH PURSUIT; 10

(3) THE OUTCOME OF EACH PURSUIT, INCLUDING WHETHER A 11
SUSPECT WAS APPREHENDED; 12

(4) THE REASONS FOR TERMINATING EACH PURSUIT; 13

(5) ANY INJURIES OR FATALITIES SUSTAINED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT 14
OFFICERS, SUSPECTS, OR BYSTANDERS; 15

(6) ANY COMMON ISSUES RELATING TO PURSUITS OF FLEEING 16
SUSPECTS, AS DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSION; 17

(7) ANY OTHER RELEVANT DATA OR ANALYSIS; AND 18

(8) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BEST PRA CTICES AND POLICY 19
IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO PURSUITS OF FLEEING SUSPECTS. 20

(D) (1) ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2028, THE COMMISSION SHALL 21
DEVELOP A MODEL POLICY FOR POLICE PURSUITS OF FLEEING SUSPECTS. 22

(2) THE MODEL POLICY SHAL L PRIORITIZE PROTECT ING THE LIVES 23
AND SAFETY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND BYSTANDERS. 24

(3) THE COMMISSION SHALL SUBMIT THE MODEL POLICY TO EACH 25
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IN THE STATE AND, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF 26
THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 27

(E) ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2028, EACH LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IN THE 28
STATE SHALL ADOPT A POLICY FOR POLICE PURSUITS OF FLEEING SUSPECTS THAT 29
HOUSE BILL 1359 3

MEETS OR EXCEEDS THE STANDARDS SET FORTH IN THE MODEL POLICY DEVELOPED 1
BY THE COMMISSION UNDER SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION. 2

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 3
October 1, 2026. 4