SB 287

Criminal Law - Interference With Access to or Egress From a Religious Facility - Prohibition

Sponsor: Chris West (District 42)Committee: Judicial ProceedingsSubject: Criminal Law - Substantive CrimesStatus: Hearing 1/30 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Dec 1, 2025)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Prohibiting a person, acting alone or with others, from preventing another from entering or exiting a religious facility; and providing that a person who violates the Act is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment of up to 90 days or a fine not to exceed $1,000 or both.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (0)

MGA witness list

FAV 13FavorableFWA 3Favorable with amendmentsUNF 1Unfavorable

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Weisel, Meredithlobbyist	ADL	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Miicke, Sarahlobbyist	Baltimore Jewish Council	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	miller, deborahlobbyist	JCRC of Greater Washington	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Rives, Kelli	Jewish Community Relations Council of Howard County	Written (PDF)
FAV	Ringley, Sharon	Maryland Legislative Jewish Caucus	Written (PDF)
FAV	Gilbert, Patrick	Maryland State's Attorneys' Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	West, Christopher	Senator Chris West	Written (PDF)
FAV	Giordano, Hassan	State's Attorney for Baltimore City	Position only
FAV	Meyerovich, Mark	Individual	Position only
FAV	Rosa, Richard	Individual	Position only
FAV	Senator West, Senator Westlegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Tibbals, Trudy	Individual	Position only
FAV	Williams, Peggy	Individual	Position only
UNF	Phelps Jr, Ken	The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Sadwin, Rabbi Ariel	Agudath Israel of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FWA	O'Day, Garrettlobbyist	Maryland Catholic Conference	Written (PDF)
FWA	Goldstein, Mathew	Secular Maryland	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

ADLFAV 1

Agudath Israel of MarylandFWA 1

Baltimore Jewish CouncilFAV 1

JCRC of Greater WashingtonFAV 1

Jewish Community Relations Council of Howard CountyFAV 1

Maryland Catholic ConferenceFWA 1

Maryland Legislative Jewish CaucusFAV 1

Maryland State's Attorneys' AssociationFAV 1

Secular MarylandFWA 1

Senator Chris WestFAV 1

State's Attorney for Baltimore CityFAV 1

The Episcopal Diocese of MarylandUNF 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVWeisel, MeredithADLRegistered for: Anti-Defamation League (ADL)

FAVMiicke, SarahBaltimore Jewish CouncilRegistered for: Baltimore Jewish Council

FAVmiller, deborahJCRC of Greater WashingtonRegistered for: Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington

FWAO'Day, GarrettMaryland Catholic ConferenceRegistered for: Maryland Catholic Conference