Maryland Enforcement Limits and Transparency (MELT) Act

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1536*

HOUSE BILL 1536
D3, P2, J2 6lr2638

By: Delegates Lopez, Amprey, Boafo, Kaufman, Lewis, Martinez, Moreno, Taveras,
White Holland, Wims, and Woorman
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Maryland Enforcement Limits and Transparency (MELT) Act 2

FOR the purpose of prohibiting a person from voluntarily assisting in immigration 3
enforcement under certain circumstances and requiring a person who assists 4
immigration enforcement to make and maintain certain records; authorizing a 5
person injured by a violation of this Act to bring a certain civil suit; authorizing the 6
Attorney General to make a certain investigation and to take certain action s to 7
enforce this Act; authorizing the Board of Public Works to take certain actions 8
relating to a procurement contract between the State and a person who violates this 9
Act and establishing a certain requirement for persons entering into a State 10
procurement contract; authorizing certain licensing entities to take certain actions 11
against a licensee that violates this Act and requiring certain applicants and 12
licensees to make a certain certified statement; and generally relating to civil 13
liability for assisting immigration enforcement. 14

BY adding to 15
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 16
Section 3–2701 through 3–2705 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 27. Injury 17
Caused by Voluntary Immigration Enforcement Cooperation” 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 20

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 21
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 22

Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 23

SUBTITLE 27. INJURY CAUSED BY VOLUNTARY IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT 24
COOPERATION. 25
2 HOUSE BILL 1536

3–2701. 1

(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 2
INDICATED. 3

(B) “AID IN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT” MEANS: 4

(1) PROVIDING ACCESS TO A N AREA THAT WOULD OT HERWISE 5
REQUIRE A JUDICIAL WARRANT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ACCESS; 6

(2) SHARING PERSONAL INFO RMATION OF ANOTHER WITH 7
IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES; OR 8

(3) DELAYING THE DEPARTUR E OF OR DETAINING AN OTHER BY 9
FORCE OR DECE IT WITH THE INTENT TO M AKE THE INDIVIDUAL A CCESSIBLE TO 10
IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES. 11

(C) (1) “JUDICIAL WARRANT” MEANS A WARRANT SIGN ED BY A JUDGE , 12
MAGISTRATE, OR DISTRICT COURT COMMISSIONER OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION. 13

(2) “JUDICIAL WARRANT” DOES NOT INCLUDE AN ADMINISTRATIVE 14
WARRANT, INCLUDING AN IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT FORM 15
I–200 OR FORM I–205. 16

(D) “LICENSE” MEANS AN OCCUPATIONA L OR PROFESSIONAL LI CENSE 17
ISSUED TO AN INDIVID UAL BY THE STATE, INCLUDING A LICEN SE ISSUED UNDER 18
THE BUSINESS OCCUPATIONS AND PROFESSIONS ARTICLE, THE BUSINESS 19
REGULATION ARTICLE, AND THE HEALTH OCCUPATIONS ARTICLE. 20

(E) “LICENSING AUTHORITY ” MEANS A STATE ENTITY THAT ISS UES A 21
LICENSE TO AN INDIVIDUAL. 22

(F) “PERSON” INCLUDES: 23

(1) THE STATE; 24

(2) A UNIT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT; 25

(3) A COUNTY SHERIFF; AND 26

(4) ANY AGENCY, OFFICER, EMPLOYEE, CONTRACTOR, OR AGENT OF 27
THE STATE OR A UNIT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT. 28
HOUSE BILL 1536 3

3–2702. 1

(A) EXCEPT AS REQUIRED BY JUDICIAL WARRANT OR STATE OR FEDERAL 2
LAW, A PERSON MAY NOT KNOWINGLY AID IN IMMIGRATION E NFORCEMENT IN A 3
MANNER THAT VIOLATES THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF ANOTHER. 4

(B) FOR EVERY INTERACTION WITH IMMIGRATION ENF ORCEMENT, A 5
PERSON SHALL: 6

(1) DOCUMENT THE PERSON’S INSTANCES OF COOPERA TION WITH 7
IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT; 8

(2) RETAIN ALL RECORDS OF INSTANCES OF COOPERATION FOR NOT 9
FEWER THAN 5 YEARS AFTER EACH OCCURRENCE; AND 10

(3) NOTIFY ANY INDIVIDUAL WHOSE INFORMATION WA S SHARED , 11
INCLUDING, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, WHAT INFORMATION WAS SHARED. 12

(C) (1) A PERSON HARMED BY A VIOLATION OF SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS 13
SECTION MAY BRING AN ACTION AGAINST ANY PERSON THAT: 14

(I) VIOLATED THIS SECTION; OR 15

(II) AIDED ANOTHER IN COMMITTING A VIOL ATION OF THIS 16
SECTION. 17

(2) IN AN ACTION UNDER THIS SUBSECTION, A COURT MAY AWARD: 18

(I) ECONOMIC AND NONECONOMIC DAMAGES; 19

(II) DECLARATORY RELIEF; 20

(III) INJUNCTIVE RELIEF; AND 21

(IV) REASONABLE ATTORNEY’S FEES. 22

3–2703. 23

(A) THE ATTORNEY GENERAL MAY INVESTIGATE AN ALLEGED VIOLAT ION 24
OF THIS SUBTITLE BY: 25

(1) ISSUING SUBPOENAS; 26
4 HOUSE BILL 1536

(2) ADMINISTERING OATHS; 1

(3) COMPELLING THE ATTENDANCE AND TESTIMONY OF WITNESSES; 2
AND 3

(4) COMPELLING THE PRODUCTION OF RECORD S, BOOKS, PAPERS, 4
CONTRACTS, AND OTHER DOCUMENTS. 5

(B) A SUBPOENA ISSUED UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE SERVED BY: 6

(1) CERTIFIED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED; 7

(2) ANY ADULT WHO IS NOT A PARTY TO THE PROCEEDING; OR 8

(3) THE SHERIFF OR DEPUTY SHERIFF OF THE COUNTY IN WHICH THE 9
SUBPOENA IS ISSUED. 10

(C) IF A PERSON FAILS OR REFUSES TO COMPLY WI TH A SUBPOENA , THE 11
ATTORNEY GENERAL MAY APPLY TO A CIRCUIT COURT IN T HE COUNTY IN WHICH 12
THE SUBPOENA WAS SERVED TO ENFORCE COMPLIANCE. 13

(D) IF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DETERMINES THAT A VIOLATION OF THIS 14
SUBTITLE HAS OCCURRED, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SHALL: 15

(1) PUBLISH: 16

(I) A SUMMARY OF THE ACTIV ITY CONSTITUTING THE 17
VIOLATION; 18

(II) IF THE VIOLATION IS O NGOING OR LIKELY TO RECUR, THE 19
REMEDIAL MEASURES NE CESSARY TO CORRECT T HE VIOLATION OR PREV ENT A 20
RECURRENCE OF THE VIOLATION; AND 21

(III) ANY OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION; AND 22

(2) REFER THE MATTER TO: 23

(I) ANY LICENSING ENTITY THAT HOLDS AUTHORITY OVER A 24
LICENSE HELD BY THE VIOLATOR; AND 25

(II) FOR A MATTER THAT INV OLVES FEDERAL TORT C LAIMS, 26
THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 27
HOUSE BILL 1536 5

(E) (1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , IF THE 1
ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS REASON TO BELIEVE THAT A VIOLA TION OF THIS 2
SUBTITLE HAS OCCURRED AND IS LIKELY TO RECUR, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL MAY 3
BRING AN ACTION TO ENFORCE TH IS SUBTITLE IN THE C IRCUIT COURT FOR ANY 4
COUNTY IN WHICH THE VIOLATION IS ALLEGED TO HAVE OCCURRED. 5

(2) (I) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF THIS 6
PARAGRAPH, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL MAY BRING AN ACTION UNDER THIS 7
SUBSECTION ONLY AFTER: 8

1. CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION IN ACCORDANCE 9
WITH THIS SECTION; 10

2. AT LEAST 30 DAYS BEFORE BRINGING THE ACTION , 11
PROVIDING NOTICE TO THE GOVERN ING BODY OF THE COUN TY WHERE THE 12
VIOLATION IS ALLEGED TO HAVE OCCURRED; AND 13

3. MAKING REASONABLE EFFORTS T O NOTIFY AN 14
ALLEGED VIOLATOR. 15

(II) THE ATTORNEY GENERAL MAY BRING AN ACTION TO 16
ENFORCE THIS SUBTITLE WITHOUT COMPLYING WITH SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS 17
PARAGRAPH IF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DETERMINES TH AT A DELAY POSE S AN 18
IMMINENT AND SERIOUS THREAT TO LIFE, HEALTH, OR PUBLIC SAFETY. 19

(3) AS PART OF AN ACTION TO ENFORCE TH IS SUBTITLE , THE 20
ATTORNEY GENERAL SHALL PROVIDE WRITTEN CERT IFICATION OF COMPLIANCE 21
WITH PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION. 22

(4) (I) IN AN ACTION UNDER TH IS SUBSECTION, THE COURT MAY 23
AWARD: 24

1. ECONOMIC AND NONECONO MIC DAMAGES TO ANY 25
PERSON HARMED BY A VIOLATION OF THIS SUBTITLE; 26

2. INJUNCTIVE RELIEF; AND 27

3. DECLARATIVE RELIEF. 28

(II) IN ADDITION TO ANY AWARD OF DAMAGES IMPOSED BY THE 29
COURT, A PERSON WHO VIOLATE S THIS SECTION IS SU BJECT TO A CIVIL PENALTY 30
NOT EXCEEDING $25,000 FOR EACH VIOLATION. 31
6 HOUSE BILL 1536

(III) IN AN ACTION BROUGHT BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL 1
UNDER THIS SUBSECTION, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS ENTITLED TO RECOVER THE 2
COSTS OF THE ACTION FOR THE USE OF THE STATE. 3

3–2704. 4

(A) IF A PERSON THAT HAS ENTERED INTO A PROCU REMENT CONTRACT 5
WITH THE STATE VIOLATES § 3–2702 OF THIS SUBTITLE , THE BOARD OF PUBLIC 6
WORKS MAY: 7

(1) VOID THE PROCUREMENT CONTRACT; 8

(2) DECLINE TO RENEW THE PROCUREMENT AT EXPIRATION; OR 9

(3) IMPOSE CONDITIONS ON THE CO NTINUATION OF THE 10
PROCUREMENT CONTRACT. 11

(B) ANY PROCUREMENT CONTR ACT WITH THE STATE SHALL INCLUDE A 12
REQUIREMENT THAT THE PERSON ENTERING INTO THE PROCUREMENT CONTRACT: 13

(1) NOT VOLUNTARILY AID IN IMMIGRATION E NFORCEMENT IN 14
VIOLATION OF THIS SUBTITLE; AND 15

(2) RESPECT ALL RIGHTS OF OTHERS THAT ARE SECURED BY LAW. 16

3–2705. 17

(A) AN APPLICABLE LICENSING AUTHORITY MAY INSTIT UTE A 18
DISCIPLINARY PROCEED ING AGAINST , AND MAY SUSPEND OR REVOKE TH E 19
LICENSURE OF A LICENSEE, IF THE LICENSEE VIOLATES: 20

(1) § 3–2702 OF THIS SUBTITLE; 21

(2) THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SUBTITLE; OR 22

(3) AN INDIVIDUAL ’S RIGHTS SECURED BY THE MARYLAND 23
CONSTITUTION OR THE MARYLAND DECLARATION OF RIGHTS. 24

(B) A LICENSEE OR AN APPLICANT FOR A LICENSE SHALL , BEFORE A 25
LICENSE IS ISSUED OR RENEWED AND AS A PART OF THE APP LICABLE LICENSING 26
PROCEDURE, CERTIFY IN WRITING THAT THE APPLICANT O R LICENSEE WILL 27
RESPECT ALL RIGHTS OF OTHERS THAT ARE SECURED BY LAW. 28
HOUSE BILL 1536 7

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