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SB0676 • 2026

Criminal Law - Threat of Mass Violence - Penalty

Criminal Law - Threat of Mass Violence - Penalty

Crime
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Senator A. Washington
Last action
2026-03-16
Official status
In the Senate - Withdrawn by Sponsor
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.

Criminal Law - Threat of Mass Violence - Penalty

Altering from a misdemeanor to a felony the crime of making a threat of mass violence.

What This Bill Does

  • Altering from a misdemeanor to a felony the crime of making a threat of mass violence.

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

  1. 2026-03-16 Senate

    Withdrawn by Sponsor

  2. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Hearing 3/03 at 1:00 p.m.

  3. 2026-02-06 Senate

    First Reading Judicial Proceedings

  4. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - First - Criminal Law - Threat of Mass Violence - Penalty

  5. Maryland General Assembly

    Vote - Senate - Committee - Judicial Proceedings

Official Summary Text

Altering from a misdemeanor to a felony the crime of making a threat of mass violence.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0676*

SENATE BILL 676
E1 6lr1356

By: Senator A. Washington
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Criminal Law – Threat of Mass Violence – Penalty 2

FOR the purpose of altering from a misdemeanor to a felony the crime of making a threat 3
of mass violence; and generally relating to threats of mass violence. 4

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 5
Article – Criminal Law 6
Section 3–1001 7
Annotated Code of Maryland 8
(2021 Replacement 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 – Criminal Law 12

3–1001. 13

(a) This section applies to a threat made by oral or written communication or 14
electronic communication, as defined in § 3–805(a) of this title. 15

(b) A person may not knowingly threaten to commit or threaten to cause to be 16
committed a crime of violence, as defined in § 14 –101 of this article, that would place five 17
or more people at substantial risk of death or serious physical injury, as defined in § 3–201 18
of this title, if the threat were carried out. 19

(c) (1) A person wh o violates this section is guilty of the [misdemeanor] 20
FELONY of making a threat of mass violence and on conviction is subject to imprisonment 21
not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both. 22

2 SENATE BILL 676

(2) In addition to the penalties provided in paragraph (1) of this subsection, 1
a court shall order a person convicted under this section to reimburse the appropriate unit 2
of federal, State, or local government or other person for any expenses and losses incurred 3
in responding to the unlawful threat unless the court states on the record the reasons why 4
reimbursement would be inappropriate. 5

(d) A person who violates this section may be indicted, prosecuted, tried, and 6
convicted in any county where: 7

(1) the threat was received; 8

(2) the threat was made; or 9

(3) the consequences of the threat occurred. 10

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 11
October 1, 2026. 12