HB 688

Intercepted Communications - Penalty

Sponsor: Karen Simpson (District 3)Committee: JudiciarySubject: Criminal Law - ProceduresStatus: First Reading Judicial Proceedings (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Reclassifying, as a misdemeanor instead of a felony, a certain offense relating to the prohibition against intercepting and disclosing any wire, oral, or electronic communications.

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Testimony (14)

MGA witness list

FAV 12FavorableUNF 1UnfavorableINFO 1Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Shellenberger, Scott	Baltimore County State's Attorney's Office	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	King, Joyce	Frederick County State's Attorney's Office	Oral
FAV	Jordan, Lisae Clobbyist	Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Rodriguez, Amanda	Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force/ TurnAround, Inc.	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Ruth, Laure	Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Hilliard, Elizabeth	Maryland Office of the Public Defender	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bradford, Timothy	Office of the Public Defender	Oral
FAV	OMalley, Catherine	Women's Law Center	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kaplowitz, Richard KAP	Year	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Simpson, Delegate Simpsonlegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Meyerovich, Mark	Individual	Position only
FAV	Simpson, Karen	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Tibbals, Trudy	Individual	Position only
INFO	Emerson, Jessica	The Human Trafficking Prevention Project	Written (PDF)