KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Maryland

SB0463 • 2026

Municipalities - Vagrancy - Repeal of Authority to Prohibit

Municipalities - Vagrancy - Repeal of Authority to Prohibit

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Senator Muse
Last action
2026-03-13
Official status
In the Senate - Special Order until 4/8 (Senator Smith) Adopted
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.

Municipalities - Vagrancy - Repeal of Authority to Prohibit

Repealing the authority of a municipality to prohibit vagrancy.

What This Bill Does

  • Repealing the authority of a municipality to prohibit vagrancy.

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.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

953227/1

None • Senator Ready

Floor Amendment { 953227/1 (Senator Ready) Adopted

Plain English: AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 463 (First Reading File Bill) On page 2, after line 13, insert: “(D) THIS SECTION DOES NOT LIMIT A MUNICIPALITY ’S AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE OR ADOPT AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO DISORDER LY CONDUCT , DISTURBING THE PEACE, OR TRESPASS.”.

  • AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 463 (First Reading File Bill) On page 2, after line 13, insert: “(D) THIS SECTION DOES NOT LIMIT A MUNICIPALITY ’S AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE OR ADOPT AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO DISORDER LY CONDUCT , DISTURBING THE PEACE, OR TRESPASS.”.
  • SB0463/953227/1 BY: Senator Ready

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-13 Senate

    Motion Special Order until 4/8 (Senator Smith) Adopted

  2. 2026-03-08 Senate

    Motion Special Order until 3/31 (Senator Smith) Adopted

  3. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Favorable Report by Judicial Proceedings

  4. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Motion Special Order until 3/23 (Senator Muse) Adopted

  5. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Motion Returned Second Reading (Senator Smith) Adopted

  6. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Motion Special Order until 3/17 (Senator Smith) Adopted

  7. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Favorable Adopted

  8. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Second Reading Passed

  9. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Motion Returned Second Reading (Senator Ready) Adopted

  10. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Floor Amendment { 953227/1 (Senator Ready) Adopted

  11. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Second Reading Passed with Amendments

  12. 2026-02-22 Senate

    Favorable

  13. 2026-02-22 Senate

    Motion Special Order until 3/10 (Senator Smith) Adopted

  14. 2026-02-20 Senate

    Favorable

  15. 2026-02-20 Senate

    Motion Special Order until 3/5 (Senator Ready) Adopted

  16. 2026-02-04 Senate

    Hearing 2/12 at 1:00 p.m.

  17. 2026-02-02 Senate

    First Reading Judicial Proceedings

  18. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - First - Municipalities - Vagrancy - Repeal of Authority to Prohibit

  19. Maryland General Assembly

    Vote - Senate - Committee - Judicial Proceedings

  20. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - Third - Municipalities - Vagrancy - Repeal of Authority to Prohibit

Official Summary Text

Repealing the authority of a municipality to prohibit vagrancy.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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.
*sb0463*

SENATE BILL 463
L3 6lr2799
CF HB 432
By: Senator Muse
Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2026
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
Committee Report: Favorable
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 25, 2026
Returned to second reading: February 25, 2026
Senate action: Adopted with floor amendments
Read second time: February 25, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Municipalities – Vagrancy – Repeal of Authority to Prohibit 2

FOR the purpose of repealing the authority of a municipality to prohibit vagrancy; and 3
generally relating to vagrancy. 4

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 5
Article – Local Government 6
Section 5–207 7
Annotated Code of Maryland 8
(2013 Volume and 2025 Supplement) 9

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 10
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 11

Article – Local Government 12

5–207. 13

(a) A municipality may establish and maintain: 14

(1) a fire department; and 15

2 SENATE BILL 463

(2) a police force. 1

(b) A municipality may: 2

(1) provide for the removal of fire hazards; 3

(2) control the use and handling of dangerous and explosive materials; and 4

(3) prevent the discharge of firearms or other explosive instruments. 5

(c) A municipality may: 6

(1) pay rewards for information relating to crime committed in the 7
municipality; 8

(2) prohibit [vagrancy,] vice, gambling, and houses of prostitution in the 9
municipality; 10

(3) enforce all ordinances relating to disorderly conduct and nuisances 11
equally: 12

(i) within the municipality; and 13

(ii) up to one –half mile outside the municipal limits, except where 14
there is a conflict with the powers of another municipality; and 15

(4) prohibit minors from being on the streets and in public places at certain 16
hours of the night. 17

(D) THIS SECTION DOES NOT LIMIT A MUNICIPALITY ’S AUTHORITY TO 18
ENFORCE OR ADOPT AN ORDINANCE RELATING T O DISORDERLY CONDUCT , 19
DISTURBING THE PEACE, OR TRESPASS. 20

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 21
October 1, 2026. 22