Police Discipline - Order to Show Cause

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb0202*

SENATE BILL 202
E4 6lr1375
SB 532/25 – JPR (PRE–FILED)
By: Senator Folden
Requested: October 28, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 7, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Police Discipline – Order to Show Cause 2

FOR the purpose of authorizing a police officer who is denied a certain right to apply to the 3
circuit court at a certain time for an order that directs the law enforcement agency 4
to show cause why the right should not be granted; and generally relating to police 5
disciplinary proceedings. 6

BY adding to repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – Public Safety 8
Section 3–113.1 3–110 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13

Article – Public Safety 14

3–113.1. 15

(A) AT ANY TIME BEFORE A HEARING IS HELD BY T HE HEARING BOARD 16
UNDER § 3–106 OF THIS SUBTITLE , A POLICE OFFICER WHO IS DENIED A RIGHT 17
GRANTED BY THIS SUBT ITLE MAY APPLY TO TH E CIRCUIT COURT FOR AN ORDER 18
2 SENATE BILL 202

THAT DIRECTS THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO SHOW CAUSE WHY THE RIGHT 1
SHOULD NOT BE GRANTED. 2

(B) THE POLICE OFFICER SHALL MAKE THE APPLICATION: 3

(1) IF THE POLICE OFFICE R IS AN EMPLOYEE OF A COUNTYWIDE OR 4
LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMEN T AGENCY, TO THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY IN 5
WHICH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IS LOCATED; AND 6

(2) IF THE POLICE OFFICE R IS AN EMPLOYEE OF A STATEWIDE OR 7
BICOUNTY LAW ENFORCE MENT AGENCY , TO THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR ANNE 8
ARUNDEL COUNTY. 9

3–110. 10

(a) A police officer may not be discharged, disciplined, demoted, or denied 11
promotion, transfer, or reassignment, or otherwise discriminated against or threatened in 12
regard to the police officer’s employment because the police officer: 13

(1) disclosed information that evidences: 14

(i) mismanagement; 15

(ii) a waste of government resources; 16

(iii) a danger to public health or safety; or 17

(iv) a violation of law or policy committed by another police officer; or 18

(2) lawfully exercised constitutional rights. 19

(b) A police officer may not be denied the right to bring suit arising out of t he 20
police officer’s official duties. 21

(c) (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, a police officer has the same 22
rights to engage in political activity as a State employee. 23

(2) This right to engage in political activity does not apply when the police 24
officer is on duty or acting in an official capacity. 25

(d) (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, a law enforcement agency 26
may not prohibit secondary employment by police officers. 27

(2) A law enforcement agency may adopt reasonable regulations that relate 28
to secondary employment by police officers. 29

SENATE BILL 202 3

(E) A POLICE OFFICER WHO IS DENIED A RIGHT GRANTED BY THIS SECTION, 1
FOR WHICH THE DENIAL IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO B E REMEDIED BY A TRIA L BOARD 2
UNDER § 3–106 OF THIS SUBTITLE , MAY APPLY TO THE CIR CUIT COURT FOR AN 3
ORDER THAT DIRECTS A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGEN CY TO SHOW CAUSE WHY THE 4
RIGHT SHOULD NOT BE GRANTED. 5

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 6
October 1, 2026. 7

Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.