Regulated Firearms - Seven-Day Waiting Period - Exceptions
HB0126, titled the "Porch Piracy Act of 2025," creates a new criminal offense for knowingly or willfully taking mail or packages delivered to another person without permission and with intent to deprive the owner. The bill defines "mail or package" broadly to include items delivered or left for pickup by the U.S. Postal Service or a delivery service company that contains tangible personal property.
A violation would be a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. The court would also be required to order restitution, either by returning the stolen mail or package to the intended recipient or by requiring payment of the item’s value under Maryland’s restitution laws. The bill also amends existing restitution procedures to specify how interest on overdue restitution tied to this new offense is distributed, splitting it 50% to the person addressed on the mail/package and 50% to the court.
The bill adds a new section to Maryland’s Criminal Law Article establishing package and mail theft as a standalone felony offense, expanding the state’s theft statutes to address porch piracy specifically. It also amends Criminal Procedure provisions governing restitution collection and interest distribution, creating a special rule for restitution ordered under the new mail/package theft offense. The practical effect is to give prosecutors a clearer charge for package theft cases and to strengthen victim compensation and collection mechanisms.
The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no documented floor or committee debate to gauge broad sentiment. Based on the bill’s framing and title, it appears to be a public-safety and consumer-protection measure aimed at addressing a commonly recognized nuisance and property crime. The absence of recorded opposition or amendments in the provided materials suggests the bill was presented in a straightforward, punitive posture rather than as a controversial policy change.
The main policy choices embedded in the bill are the decision to make mail and package theft a felony rather than a misdemeanor and the five-year maximum penalty. Another point that could draw attention is the restitution-interest provision, which directs interest from overdue restitution under this offense to be split between the victim and the court. Because no committee discussion or votes are provided, there is no evidence of specific objections, but potential areas of concern would likely include proportionality of punishment, enforcement burdens, and whether the restitution rules are sufficiently victim-centered.