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SB 230MARYLANDSession 2026State BillSigned into law

Enacted

Maryland includes sexual contact committed during burglaries as third-degree sexual offense requiring sex offender registration

Original title: Criminal Law - Third-Degree Sexual Offense - Burglary

Last action · May 12, 2026: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 499Sponsor: Chris West

Companion · HB 138same policy, House version

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Does

Senate Bill 230 establishes that engaging in sexual contact without consent in connection with first-, second-, or third-degree burglary constitutes a third-degree sexual offense. The measure also incorporates these offenses into the state's tier I, tier II, and registration categories depending on the victim's age. The new law applies and takes effect on October 1, 2026.

Why it matters

Convictions for these newly classified offenses subject individuals to mandatory sex offender registration tiers and potential felony imprisonment up to 10 years, altering criminal penalties and registry obligations for acts committed during burglaries.

Background

Maryland law maintains a tiered sex offender registration system administered under the Criminal Procedure Article to track individuals convicted of specified sexual crimes based on offense severity and victim age. context
First-, second-, and third-degree burglaries in Maryland involve unlawful entry into dwellings or structures under varying circumstances involving firearms, accomplices, or occupied spaces. context

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Individuals convicted of burglary-connected sexual offenses

Individuals convicted under this provision face felony third-degree sexual offense charges, up to 10 years imprisonment, and mandatory sex offender registration tiers.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What constitutes a third-degree sexual offense under the new law?

Engaging in sexual contact with another without consent in connection with a first-, second-, or third-degree burglary is established as a third-degree sexual offense.

How does this law affect sex offender registration?

It alters the definitions of tier I, tier II, and s to include certain acts constituting third-degree sexual offense committed during a burglary, depending on the victim's age.

When does this legislation take effect?

The Act takes effect on October 1, 2026, and applies .

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

13 actions

May 12, 2026Governor of MarylandEnrolled
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 499
Apr 8, 2026SenateFloor
Returned Passed
Apr 7, 2026HouseFloor
Third Reading Passed (137-0)
Apr 6, 2026HouseFloor
Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed
Apr 6, 2026HouseCommittee
Favorable Report by Judiciary
Mar 20, 2026HouseCommittee
Referred Judiciary

Show 7 earlier actions

Mar 19, 2026SenateFloor
Third Reading Passed (44-0)
Mar 18, 2026SenateFloor
Second Reading Passed
Mar 18, 2026SenateFloor
Favorable Adopted
Mar 16, 2026SenateCommittee
Favorable Report by Judicial Proceedings
Jan 14, 2026SenateIntroduced
First Reading Judicial Proceedings
Jan 13, 2026Senate
Hearing 1/27 at 1:00 p.m.
Oct 17, 2025SenateIntroduced
Pre-filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift99% confidence

Integration of Burglary and Sexual Offense Statutes

The bill bridges criminal property crimes (burglary) with specific sexual offenses to automatically trigger sex offender registry tier requirements.

General Assembly of Maryland West

Connected Entities

Chris West, Secretary of Defense, General Assembly of Maryland

PersonChris West“Sponsor of Senate Bill 230”Map →

PersonSecretary of Defense“Mentioned in relation to military offense specifications”Map →

OrganizationGeneral Assembly of Maryland“Legislative body that enacted the law”Map →

Sources

Open source document

mgaleg.maryland.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance75
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy40
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz25
Current news / social attention level

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