HB907 creates a new misdemeanor offense of third-degree assault for intentionally causing offensive contact, engaging in conduct intended to place another person in fear of offensive contact, or attempting to cause offensive contact. The bill defines “offensive contact” as nonconsensual physical contact that a reasonable person would find offensive, while excluding contact that causes physical injury, creates a risk of serious physical injury, constitutes a domestically related crime, or is a sexual crime. A conviction under the new section is punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $500, or both.
The bill also makes conforming changes to Maryland’s charging, jurisdiction, and expungement laws. It specifies how third-degree assault under the new section may be charged, clarifies that it is not a lesser included offense unless specifically charged by the State, places the offense within District Court jurisdiction, and limits circuit court jurisdiction unless a jury trial is demanded, an appeal is taken, or the charge is joined with another circuit-court offense. Finally, it adds convictions under the new third-degree assault offense to the list of misdemeanors eligible for expungement under certain conditions, and the act takes effect October 1, 2026.
Impact
HB907 amends the Criminal Law Article, Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article, and Criminal Procedure Article to create and integrate a new third-degree assault offense into Maryland law. It expands the assault framework by adding a separate statutory misdemeanor for offensive-contact conduct, while also adjusting court jurisdiction and charging rules to account for the new offense. The bill further broadens expungement eligibility by including convictions under the new section among offenses that may be expunged under existing procedures.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support and little visible opposition. It passed the House and Senate unanimously on third reading, with votes of 131-0, 42-0, and 44-0 in the recorded actions. The committee report was favorable with amendments, suggesting the measure was generally accepted but refined during the legislative process.
Contention
No committee transcript is available, and the voting record shows no recorded dissent, so there is no clear evidence of major controversy. The main policy choices embedded in the bill are the creation of a new assault misdemeanor based on offensive contact, the exclusion of certain related conduct such as domestic violence and sexual crimes from that definition, and the decision to make the offense District Court-centered with limited circuit court access. The expungement expansion may also have been a point of interest, but no specific objections are documented in the available materials.