Judicial Facilities - Stops, Detentions, and Arrests - Limitations

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0988*

SENATE BILL 988
D1, D3 6lr3719
CF HB 309
By: Senators Hettleman, Brooks, Lam, Kagan, Guzzone, Augustine, Lewis Young,
A. Washington, Sydnor, Smith, Love, Harris, and Benson
Introduced and read first time: February 17, 2026
Assigned to: Rules

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Judicial Facilities – Stops, Detentions, and Arrests – Limitations 2

FOR the purpose of prohibiting an individual from being stopped, detained, or arrested for 3
certain civil offenses under certain circumstances; establishing that evidence 4
obtained in violation of this Act is inadmissible in certain proceedings; authorizing 5
an individual stopped, detained, or arrested in violatio n of this Act to bring a civil 6
action; authorizing the Attorney General to bring a civil action to enjoin an 7
individual from committing a violation of this Act; and generally relating to stops, 8
detentions, and arrests at judicial facilities. 9

BY adding to 10
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 11
Section 13–801 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 8. Judicial Facilities” and the 12
amended title “Title 13. Court Supporting Agencies, Records, and Judicial 13
Facilities” 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 16

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18

Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 19

Title 13. Court Supporting Agencies, RECORDS, AND JUDICIAL FACILITIES. 20

SUBTITLE 8. JUDICIAL FACILITIES. 21

13–801. 22

2 SENATE BILL 988

(A) (1) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 1
INDICATED. 2

(2) (I) “JUDICIAL FACILITY ” MEANS A COURTHOUSE , AN 3
ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING FACILITY, OR OTHER LOCATION OR SPACE, WHETHER 4
OWNED OR LEASED BY A STATE OR LOCAL GOVERN MENTAL ENTITY , USED FOR 5
JUDICIAL OR QUASI–JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS. 6

(II) “JUDICIAL FACILITY” INCLUDES ANY PATHWAY, HALLWAY, 7
PARKING LOT OR STRUCTURE, GROUNDS, OR OTHER AREA WITHIN 1,000 FEET OF A 8
COURTHOUSE, AN ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING FACILITY, OR OTHER LOCATION USED 9
FOR JUDICIAL OR QUASI–JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS. 10

(3) “PERSON” INCLUDES A LAW ENFOR CEMENT AGENCY , LAW 11
ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, AND ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY OR GOVERNMENT 12
AGENT. 13

(B) THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO A STOP, DETENTION, OR ARREST: 14

(1) RELATING TO A SUSPECTED CRIMINAL OFFENSE; 15

(2) MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH A VALID WARRANT; 16

(3) MADE IN ACCORDANCE WI TH §§ 3–814, 3–821, AND 3–8A–26 OF 17
THIS ARTICLE; 18

(4) FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT; 19

(5) MADE IN ORDER TO COND UCT AN EXAMINATION U NDER § 3–105 20
OF THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE ARTICLE; 21

(6) MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH §§ 10–613 THROUGH 10–619 OF THE 22
HEALTH – GENERAL ARTICLE; OR 23

(7) OTHERWISE AUTHORIZED UNDER STATE LAW. 24

(C) A PERSON MAY NOT STOP, DETAIN, OR ARREST AN INDIVIDUAL FOR AN 25
ALLEGED OR ADJUDICATED OFFENSE THAT IS S UBJECT ONLY TO A CIV IL PENALTY 26
WHILE THE INDIVIDUAL IS IN A JUDICIAL FACILITY OR IS TRAVELING WITHIN 1 MILE 27
OF A JUDICIAL FACILITY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ATTENDING A MEETING, A HEARING, 28
OR ANOTHER OFFICIAL PROCEEDING IN THE JU DICIAL FACILITY UNLE SS THE 29
PERSON: 30

SENATE BILL 988 3

(1) PROVIDES PRIOR NOTICE TO THE PRESIDING JUD GE OR COURT 1
ADMINISTRATOR THAT A STOP, DETENTION, OR ARREST MAY OCCUR; AND 2

(2) MAKES THE STOP , DETENTION, OR ARREST IN A M ANNER THAT 3
DOES NOT DISRUPT PRO CEEDINGS OR DETER AC CESS TO JUSTICE BY A NY 4
INDIVIDUAL. 5

(D) EVIDENCE OBTAINED AS A RESULT OF A VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION IS 6
INADMISSIBLE AGAINST THE INDIVIDUAL STOPP ED, DETAINED, OR ARRESTED IN 7
ANY PROCEEDING OVER WHICH A STATE COURT OR STATE OR LOCAL ENTITY HAS 8
JURISDICTION. 9

(E) (1) AN INDIVIDUAL STOPPED , DETAINED, OR ARRESTED IN 10
VIOLATION OF THIS SE CTION MAY BRING AN A CTION AGAINST A PERS ON 11
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STOP, DETENTION, OR ARREST IN A COURT OF COMPETENT 12
JURISDICTION. 13

(2) IN AN ACTION UNDER THIS SECTION, THE COURT MAY AWARD: 14

(I) DAMAGES; 15

(II) INJUNCTIVE RELIEF; AND 16

(III) ATTORNEY’S FEES AND COURT COSTS. 17

(F) THE ATTORNEY GENERAL MAY BRING A C IVIL ACTION TO ENJOI N A 18
PERSON FROM COMMITTING A VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION. 19

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That it is the intention of the 20
General Assembly that this Act shall supplement the protections provided under Chapter 21
718 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2025. 22

SECTION 3. AND BE I T FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 23
October 1, 2026. 24