With the state’s most populous city facing a homicide epidemic, the fate of legislation aimed at preventing and stiffening penalties for repeat gun offenders will come down to the final hours of the 2018 Maryland General Assembly on Monday.

Tagged with: Baltimore crime bill marriage Maryland General Assembly medical malpractice

Both chambers of the Maryland General Assembly have passed legislation eliminating exceptions to state law allowing 15-year-olds to marry, but differences over whether the new minimum age should be 16 or 17 mean the cross-filed bills are likely headed for a conference ...

Tagged with: child marriage marriage age Maryland General Assembly

Two bills pending in the General Assembly banning cyberbullying and revenge porn have broad support but have been opposed by the ACLU of Maryland over First Amendment concerns.

Tagged with: aclu of maryland cyberbullying Maryland General Assembly

The bill makes it a misdemeanor for health care practitioners, police officers, educators and human service workers to knowingly fail to report child abuse.

Tagged with: abuse and neglect child abuse mandatory reporter Maryland General Assembly

The legislative debate over the minimum age for marriage in Maryland continues as cross-filed bills banning marriage for anyone younger than 18 were both amended in committee before moving forward in their respective chambers. The House Judiciary Committee adopted a ...

Tagged with: child marriage marriage age Maryland General Assembly

A bill that would decriminalize adultery in Maryland was the subject of discussion following its hearing before a Senate committee Thursday, where members considered the possible benefits of maintaining the law.

Tagged with: adultery divorce family law Maryland General Assembly Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee

ANNAPOLIS — An extension of Maryland’s prohibition on misuse of laser pointers to cars and boats received a quick hearing in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee on Thursday after passing the House of Delegates unanimously last month. House Bill 125 expands a state ...

Tagged with: criminal law laser pointer Maryland General Assembly

A task force studying wrongful convictions in Maryland is asking state lawmakers to establish a more streamlined process for compensating and supporting people who have been exonerated, including establishing a standard amount of compensation per year of incarceration. Members of ...

Tagged with: innocence project maryland board of public works Maryland General Assembly wrongful convictions

Maryland lawmakers are being asked to approve a bill that would allow a task force on sexual assault evidence kits to begin developing a tracking system to monitor progress of the kits as well as apply for federal funding. The ...

Tagged with: Maryland General Assembly rape kits sexual assault

When considering the potential consequences of adultery in Maryland, there's one that's often overlooked: the misdemeanor charge and $10 fine still on the books.

Tagged with: adultery Del. Kathleen M. Dumais family law house judiciary committee Maryland General Assembly