# Maryland HB 0501: Criminal Law - Sexual Offense by a Person in a Position of Authority Maryland HB 0501, Criminal Law - Sexual Offense by a Person in a Position of Authority, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by J. Sandy Bartlett (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-12 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 426); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0501-2026RS - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maryland HB 0501 - State: Maryland - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Criminal Law - Sexual Offense by a Person in a Position of Authority - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-27 - Last action: 2026-05-12, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 426 - Sponsor: J. Sandy Bartlett (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 10 - Subjects: Criminal Law - Substantive Crimes, Art, Music, and Cultural Affairs -see also- EthAff; Mus; etc, Counselors and Therapists, Crimes and Punishments -see also- Penalties and Sentnc; etc., Ex-Offenders, Minors -see also- Age of Majority; Youth, Penalties and Sentences -see also- Death Penalty, Private Schools -see also- Primary Schools; Secondary Sch, Public Schools -see also- Primary Schools; Secondary Sch, Repeat Offenders, School Administration, Sexual Offenses, Sports and Recreation, Students, Teachers, Volunteers, Work, Labor, and Employment -see also- JobTrn; Leave; etc. - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 3 (293 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 2 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - New and tougher rules for authority-figure sex offenses: benefit, high. Beginning October 1, 2026, the law creates a new crime for adults in authority over kids at schools and youth programs. A worker age 21+ at a school, or 22+ in a program, cannot have sexual contact with a student or participant who is at least 6 years younger. That misdemeanor is punishable by up t… - Registry tiers updated for authority-figure offenses: mixed, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, people convicted of attempting, conspiring to commit, or committing certain authority-figure sexual offenses are placed on the sex offender registry at different tiers. Convictions for the baseline authority-figure offense are Tier I. Convictions for offenses involving a… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: J. Sandy Bartlett (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Dylan Behler (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Elizabeth Embry (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kris Fair (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Susan K. McComas (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Cheryl E. Pasteur (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: N. Scott Phillips (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Andrew C. Pruski (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Stuart Michael Schmidt (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Gary Simmons (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jamila J. Woods (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-11 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 128 | 0 | 7 | | 2026-04-09 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 34 | 0 | | | 2026-03-19 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 131 | 0 | 6 | ## Actions (14) - 2026-05-12: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 426 - 2026-04-11: Passed Enrolled (House) - 2026-04-11: Third Reading Passed (128-0) (House) - 2026-04-11: House Concurs Senate Amendments (House) - 2026-04-09: Third Reading Passed (34-0) (Senate) - 2026-04-09: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate) - 2026-04-09: Favorable with Amendments {273425/1 Adopted (Senate) - 2026-04-09: Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings (Senate) - 2026-03-20: Referred Judicial Proceedings (Senate) - 2026-03-19: Third Reading Passed (131-0) (House) - 2026-03-19: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House) - 2026-03-19: Favorable Report by Judiciary (House) - 2026-01-29: Hearing 2/10 at 1:00 p.m. (House) - 2026-01-27: First Reading Judiciary (House) ## Bill text - Enacted, 2026-05-12: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_426_hb0501e.pdf) - Enrolled, 2026-04-11: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0501e.pdf) - Third Reading, 2026-03-19: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0501t.pdf) - First Reading, 2026-01-27: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0501f.pdf) ## Related bills - SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - Authorization (became law) - SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishment (became law) - SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law) - SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-1 Specialists Act) (became law) - SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits (became law) - HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law) ## Sources - [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_426_hb0501e.pdf) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0501e.pdf) - [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0501t.pdf) - [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0501f.pdf) ## Related - [SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - A…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0496-2026RS) - [SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishm…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0366-2026RS) - [SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0244-2026RS) - [SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0148-2026RS) - [SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0016-2026RS) - [HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0529-2026RS) - [Maryland bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland/bills) - [Maryland state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0501-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).