Criminal Law - Theft - Mail and Packages (Porch Piracy Act of 2026)
HB0786 amends Maryland law governing the Appellate Court of Maryland’s place of sitting. Under current law, the court generally holds sessions in Annapolis, with a limited existing authorization to sit at the University of Maryland, Baltimore and the University of Baltimore. This bill expands that authority by allowing the Chief Judge, working with the administrations of secondary and postsecondary educational institutions in the state, to designate additional educational institutions where the court may hold sessions.
The measure is aimed at permitting appellate sessions at schools beyond the two law schools already named in statute, including both secondary schools and colleges or universities. The bill does not change the court’s jurisdiction, panel structure, quorum rules, or decision-making requirements; it only broadens where the court may convene. The act takes effect October 1, 2025.
The bill amends Section 1-403 of the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article to add a new statutory authorization for the Appellate Court of Maryland to hold sessions at designated secondary and postsecondary educational institutions. In practical terms, it gives the court and school administrations flexibility to host appellate arguments or sessions at educational venues across the state, while leaving the court’s core procedures unchanged.
The available context shows no recorded committee testimony or votes, so there is no documented opposition or support in the provided materials. Based on the text alone, the bill appears procedural and educational in nature, with a neutral-to-positive policy posture centered on public access, civic education, and outreach by the judiciary.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided transcripts or voting history. Potential areas of discussion, if raised, would likely involve logistics, security, scheduling, and whether expanding sessions beyond Annapolis and the two law schools is necessary or beneficial. However, the supplied record does not identify any member, stakeholder, or committee objection.