Public Safety - Immigration Enforcement Agreements - Prohibition
HB0444 amends Maryland’s criminal law provisions governing unauthorized access to computers and related systems, expanding the offense of computer interference to cover conduct aimed at critical infrastructure and public safety answering points (PSAPs). The bill defines “critical infrastructure” as systems and assets vital to public security, economic security, public health, or public safety, and it adds specific prohibitions against intentionally and without authorization taking actions that deny access to an authorized user or interrupt or impair the functioning of critical infrastructure or a PSAP.
The bill also retains and reorganizes existing prohibitions related to unauthorized access, copying database contents, disrupting computer systems, and possessing or distributing valid access codes, while preserving a narrow exception for bona fide scientific, educational, governmental, testing, news, or similar justification for possessing ransomware. It increases criminal penalties for the newly added critical infrastructure and PSAP offenses, making violations felonies punishable by up to 5 years and $25,000 for denial of access or impairment of critical infrastructure, and up to 10 years and $50,000 for similar conduct affecting a PSAP. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.
HB0444 would amend Criminal Law § 7-302 to broaden Maryland’s computer crime statute and create explicit felony penalties for attacks on critical infrastructure and public safety answering points. It would affect individuals who engage in unauthorized computer access, ransomware-related conduct, or cyber activity intended to disrupt government, utilities, health care facilities, public schools, critical infrastructure, or emergency call centers. The bill strengthens state criminal enforcement tools and raises potential imprisonment terms and fines for the most serious interference offenses.
Based on the bill text and the absence of committee testimony or recorded votes in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears to be supportive and security-focused. The measure is framed as a public safety and cybersecurity enhancement, with no recorded opposition or amendments in the supplied context. The bill’s structure suggests an intent to respond to growing concerns about ransomware and attacks on essential services.
The main policy issue is the scope of the new offense language, especially the broad coverage of conduct that could “deny access” or “interrupt or impair” critical infrastructure or a PSAP. Potential points of contention include how broadly “critical infrastructure” is defined, whether the new felony penalties are proportionate, and how the law will distinguish malicious cyber activity from legitimate security testing or research. The bill preserves an exception for bona fide scientific, educational, governmental, testing, news, or similar justification for possessing ransomware, which indicates an effort to avoid sweeping in legitimate cybersecurity work.