Criminal Law - Masked Intimidation - Prohibition (Unmask Hate Act)
Sponsor: Jeff Waldstreicher (District 18)Committee: Judicial ProceedingsSubject: Criminal Law - Substantive CrimesStatus: Hearing 2/26 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Dec 1, 2025)
What this bill does
Official synopsis
Prohibiting a person from intentionally harassing, intimidating, or threatening another person while hiding or concealing their face; 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 of up to $500 or both for a first offense, and for subsequent offenses, imprisonment of up to 180 days and a fine not to exceed $1,000 or both; and establishing certain affirmative defenses for a violation of the Act.
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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 listFAV 13FavorableUNF 81Unfavorable
| Position | Witness | Organization | Testimony |
|---|---|---|---|
| FAV | Weisel, Meredithlobbyist | ADL | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Sadwin, Rabbi Ariel | Agudath Israel of Maryland | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Snyder, Abigaillobbyist | Baltimore Jewish Council | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Schlesinger, Scott | Dept of the Mid-Atlantic Area & Israel Jeish War Veterans of America | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Warden, Tykia | Greater Baltimore Urban League | Oral |
| FAV | Lambert, George | Greater Washington Urban League | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| FAV | miller, deborahlobbyist | JCRC of Greater Washington | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Kaplowitz, Richard KAP | Year | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Lang, Alan | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Mauer, William | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Meyerovich, Mark | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Senator Waldstreicher, Senator Waldstreicherlegislator | Individual | Oral |
| FAV | Shih, Nancy | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Johnson, Daralobbyist | American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland | Oral |
| UNF | Kerr, Samantha | Baltimore Harm Reduction Coalition | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Bamiro, Seanniece | Community Justice | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Bergan, Courtneylobbyist | Disability Rights Maryland | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Guttman, Gary | Gary S Guttman | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Fudge, Shelley Cohen | Jewish Voice for Peace - DC Metro | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| UNF | LaCourse, Catherine | Johns Hopkins University | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Grandpre, Lawrence | Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle | Oral |
| UNF | Green, Linda | Life After Release | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Williams, Krystal | Maryland Office of the Public Defender | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Estochen, Elizabeth | N/A | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Blaha, Katherine | SURJ | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Haviland, Jessie | UMB MSW Graduate Student | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Louisell, Chandler | individual resident | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Wheeler, Sharon | retired | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Ali, Saqib | Individual | Oral |
| UNF | Almasy, Seifer | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Bernier, Maria | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Block, Rebecca | Individual | Oral |
| UNF | Boscov-Ellen, Julia | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Boscov-Ellen, Lisa | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Brewster-Geisz, Andrew | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Broder, Daniel | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | CASEY, CLIFFORD | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Carrell, Nadia | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Chaudry, Zainab | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | DeTrano, Alexander | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Edwards, Andrew | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Frankl, Evelyn | Individual | Oral |
| UNF | Gilchrest, Laura | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Gonzalez, Hillary | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Greenberg, Rosa | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Griest Schwartzman, Eiryn | Individual | Oral |
| UNF | Guerra, Gonzalo | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Guttman, Maxwell | Individual | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Halpert, Sam | Individual | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Harper, Sarah K | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Hill, Annie | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Isberg, Allison | Individual | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Jourdak, Mary Ella | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Kane, Samuel | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Kiely, Marilyn | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Laitin, Elissa | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Lavina, Michael | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Lent, Michael | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Little, Kathryn | Individual | Position only |
| UNF | Lombard, Paul | Individual | Oral |
Showing 60 of 94
Organizations on record
ADLFAV 1
Community JusticeUNF 1
Gary S GuttmanUNF 1
individual residentUNF 1
Life After ReleaseUNF 1
N/AUNF 1
retiredUNF 1
SURJUNF 1
YearFAV 1
Registered lobbyists who testified
FAVmiller, deborahJCRC of Greater WashingtonRegistered for: Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington