SB0129 • 2026

Domestic Violence - Warrantless Arrests and Victims

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Senator Folden
Last action: 2026-01-13
Official status: In the Senate - Hearing 1/20 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.

Domestic Violence - Warrantless Arrests and Victims

Authorizing a police officer to arrest a certain person without a warrant if the police officer has probable cause to believe that the person battered another person with whom the person has had a sexual relationship within the past year; and altering the definition of "victim of domestic violence" in provisions relating to a certain domestic violence program to include an individual who has received certain injuries from another individual with whom the individual has had a sexual relationship within the past year.

What This Bill Does

Authorizing a police officer to arrest a certain person without a warrant if the police officer has probable cause to believe that the person battered another person with whom the person has had a sexual relationship within the past year; and altering the definition of "victim of domestic violence" in provisions relating to a certain domestic violence program to include an individual who has received certain injuries from another individual with whom the individual has had a sexual relationship within the past year.

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

2026-01-14 Senate
First Reading Judicial Proceedings
2026-01-13 Senate
Hearing 1/20 at 1:00 p.m.
2025-10-29 Senate
Pre-filed
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Domestic Violence - Warrantless Arrests and Victims

Official Summary Text

Authorizing a police officer to arrest a certain person without a warrant if the police officer has probable cause to believe that the person battered another person with whom the person has had a sexual relationship within the past year; and altering the definition of "victim of domestic violence" in provisions relating to a certain domestic violence program to include an individual who has received certain injuries from another individual with whom the individual has had a sexual relationship within the past year.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0129*

SENATE BILL 129
D4 6lr1454
SB 739/25 – JPR (PRE–FILED)
By: Senator Folden
Requested: October 29, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Domestic Violence – Warrantless Arrests and Victims 2

FOR the purpose of authorizing a police officer to arrest a certain person without a warrant 3
if the police officer has probable cause to believe that the person battered another 4
person with whom the person has had a sexual relationship within the past year ; 5
altering the definition of “victim of domestic violence” in provisions relating to a 6
certain domestic violence program to include an individual who has received certain 7
injuries from another individual with whom the individual has had a sexual 8
relationship within the past year; and generally relating to domestic violence. 9

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10
Article – Criminal Procedure 11
Section 2–204(a) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2025 Replacement Volume) 14

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 15
Article – Family Law 16
Section 4–513 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 19

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 20
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 21

Article – Criminal Procedure 22

2–204. 23

(a) A police officer without a warrant may arrest a person if: 24
2 SENATE BILL 129

(1) the police officer has probable cause to believe that: 1

(i) the person battered: 2

1. the person’s spouse [or]; 3

2. another person with whom the person resides; OR 4

3. ANOTHER PERSON WITH WHOM THE PERSON HAS HAD 5
A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITHIN THE PAST YEAR; 6

(ii) there is evidence of physical injury; and 7

(iii) unless the person is arrested immediately, the person: 8

1. may not be apprehended; 9

2. may cause physical injury or property damage to another; 10
or 11

3. may tamper with, dispose of, or destroy evidence; and 12

(2) a report to the police was made within 48 hours of the alleged incident. 13

Article – Family Law 14

4–513. 15

In this Part III of thi s subtitle, “victim of domestic violence” means an individual 16
who has received deliberate, severe, and demonstrable physical injury, or is in fear of 17
imminent deliberate, severe, and demonstrable physical injury from: 18

(1) a current or former spouse[, or]; 19

(2) a current or former cohabitant, as defined in § 4 –501 of this subtitle ; 20
OR 21

(3) ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL W ITH WHOM THE INDIVID UAL HAS HAD A 22
SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITHIN THE PAST YEAR. 23

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 24
October 1, 2026. 25