HB1484 • 2026

Child Sex Offenders - Plea Agreements and Places for Children

Children

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Delegates Arentz , Buckel , Hornberger , Howard , McComas , Reilly , and Rose
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.

Child Sex Offenders - Plea Agreements and Places for Children

Providing that a State's Attorney may not enter into a certain plea agreement in a prosecution for certain human trafficking offenses if the victim is a minor; and prohibiting a person convicted of a certain offense against a minor from knowingly operating or entering a certain place for children.

What This Bill Does

Providing that a State's Attorney may not enter into a certain plea agreement in a prosecution for certain human trafficking offenses if the victim is a minor; and prohibiting a person convicted of a certain offense against a minor from knowingly operating or entering a certain place for children.

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 - Child Sex Offenders - Plea Agreements and Places for Children

Official Summary Text

Providing that a State's Attorney may not enter into a certain plea agreement in a prosecution for certain human trafficking offenses if the victim is a minor; and prohibiting a person convicted of a certain offense against a minor from knowingly operating or entering a certain place for children.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1484*

HOUSE BILL 1484
E2, E1 6lr1970

By: Delegates Arentz, Buckel, Hornberger, Howard, McComas, Reilly, and Rose
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Child Sex Offenders – Plea Agreements and Places for Children 2

FOR the purpose of providing that a State’s Attorney may not enter into a certain plea 3
agreement; prohibiting a certain person required to register as a sex offender from 4
knowingly operating or entering a place for children; and generally relating to child 5
sex offenders. 6

BY adding to 7
Article – Criminal Law 8
Section 3–1104 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11

BY adding to 12
Article – Criminal Procedure 13
Section 11–722.1 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2025 Replacement Volume) 16

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18

Article – Criminal Law 19

3–1104. 20

IN A PROSECUTION BROUGHT FOR AN OFFEN SE UNDER THIS SUBTITLE 21
COMMITTED AGAINST A MINOR, A STATE’S ATTORNEY MAY NOT ENTER INTO A PLEA 22
AGREEMENT THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE DISMISSAL OR NOLLE PROSEQUI OF ANY 23
CHARGE UNDER THIS SUBTITLE. 24
2 HOUSE BILL 1484

Article – Criminal Procedure 1

11–722.1. 2

(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION , “PLACE FOR CHILDREN ” MEANS A LOCATION 3
SPECIFICALLY INTENDED TO BE USED OR VISITED BY MINORS. 4

(2) “PLACE FOR CHILDREN” INCLUDES: 5

(I) A PLAYGROUND; 6

(II) A THEME PARK; AND 7

(III) A CHILDREN’S MUSEUM. 8

(B) A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN CONVICT ED OF AN OFFENSE IN WHICH THE 9
VICTIM OF THE OFFENSE WAS A MINOR AND THE OFFENSE REQUIRED REGISTRATION 10
UNDER THIS SUBTITLE MAY NOT KNOWINGLY OPERATE OR ENTER A PLACE FOR 11
CHILDREN. 12

(C) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS GUIL TY OF A FELONY AND 13
ON CONVICTION IS SUBJECT TO IMPRISONMENT NOT EXCEEDING 5 YEARS OR A FINE 14
NOT EXCEEDING $5,000 OR BOTH. 15

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 16
October 1, 2026. 17