2024 - MCASA Legislative Agenda  

The Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA) is a non-profit membership organization that includes all of the State’s seventeen rape crisis centers, law enforcement, mental health and health care providers, attorneys, educators, survivors of sexual violence and other concerned individuals.  MCASA includes the Sexual Assault Legal Institute (SALI), a statewide legal services provider for survivors of sexual assault.  MCASA supports legislation that promotes justice for survivors of sexual violence, accountability for offenders, and protection for the general public. MCASA represents the unified voice and combined energy of all of its members working to eliminate sexual violence in the State of Maryland.

 

2024 Legislative Priorities

The Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA) supports legislation that promotes justice for survivors of sexual violence, accountability for offenders, and protection for the general public.  MCASA responds to policy questions and legislative initiatives throughout Maryland's legislative session (January-April).  This list will continue to be updated throughout the session.

MCASA's 2024 Legislative Priorities are:

Rape Crisis Center Funding
MCASA supports full funding of rape crisis center services and monitors the budget process and individual funding bills. It is critical that we maintain support for the core services that sexual assault survivors need. Last session, $1 million in new general funding was allocated to help community-based rape crisis centers. MCASA has specifically asked the Moore/Miller administration to continue this needed funding.

Consent HB496/SB758
A bill to create a statutory definition of consent and make it clear that people have the right to control who touches their body in a sexual manner. Lead Sponsors: Delegate Emily Shetty and Senator Ariana Kelly.

Sexual Solicitation of a Minor – Child Pornography – HB99/SB113
Adding soliciting a minor to create child pornography to the law prohibiting sexual solicitation of a minor. Lead Sponsors: Vice Chair Sandy Bartlett and Senator Ariana Kelly.

Indecent Exposure in the Sight of a Minor – HB5/SB130
This bill would increase penalties for indecent exposure with prurient intent in front of minor. This type of behavior can be a gateway to more serious sex offenses against children and traumatizing to young people. For two years in a row, this bill passed both the House and the Senate, and failed to receive a final vote on the floor on sine die. We appreciate Vice Chair Brian Crosby for his tenacity and continued advocacy to protect children. Lead sponsors: Vice Chair Brian Crosby and Senator Jack Bailey.

Interception of Communications – Exception for Imminent Threat of Serious Crime
Allowing an exception to the prohibition against recording another without consent when the person making the recording believed there was imminent threat of danger from a list of crimes including rape, other crimes of violence, stalking, and abuse. This is an issue that needs to be addressed. There have been cases where rape survivors have recorded the crime and the recording was both inadmissible and the survivor could have been (but was not) charged with a felony. Lead sponsors: Senator Bill Folden and Delegate Robin Grammer.

Visual Surveillance with Prurient Intent
A bill making it clear that the prohibition against visual surveillance with prurient intent applies in private residences and increasing the penalty for visual surveillance with prurient intent of a minor. Lead sponsors: Delegate Jesse Pippy and Vice Chair Jeff Waldstreicher.

Revenge Porn, Sextortion, and Stalking – Time to Prosecute
A bill to expand the time to file charges in revenge porn, sextortion, and stalking cases. Lead Sponsors: Chair Vanessa Atterbeary and Senator Ariana Kelly.

Imagery in Revenge Porn – Support with Amendments – HB145
Clarifying that images used in revenge porn include computer generated images which are indistinguishable from analog images. MCASA expresses concern regarding the constitutionality of the original bill language and supports with amendments to address these concerns. Lead sponsors: Delegates Jesse Pippy and Delegate Karen Simpson.

Privacy – Protecting the Identity of a Minor – SB111/HB458
Protecting identifying information about minors from being included in public records of criminal or juvenile proceedings. This is similar to current protections in federal law. Lead sponsors: Delegate N. Scott Phillips and Senator Charles Sydnor.

Child Abuse Victim Testimony via Closed Circuit Video – HB141
Repealing the requirement in child abuse cases that before the child victim is allowed to testify by closed circuit television, the child’s emotional distress must be such that the child cannot reasonably communicate and requiring instead the child would suffer serious emotional distress. This responds to case law that severely limits the ability to use the current law. Lead sponsors: Delegate Jesse Pippy and Delegate Karen Simpson.

Images of Child Sexual Abuse (Child Pornography) – Children Under 13
Increasing penalties for production or possession of images of child sexual abuse (child pornography) of a child under, or indistinguishable from a child under, 13 years old; this bill also addresses charging rules for multiple images. Lead sponsor: Senator Mary-Dulaney James.

BOE Filing – Exemption for 501(c)(3)
A bill to exempt 501(c)(3) organizations from a requirement to file statements regarding candidate contributions with the Board of Elections. This requirement was included in 2022 changes to reporting law. Non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations are prohibited by law from contributing to candidates and the reporting requirement created unnecessary administrative burden. Lead Sponsor: Chair Vanessa Atterbeary.

Public Schools – Sexually Explicit Materials Prohibited in Libraries and Media Centers – OPPOSE – HB25
This bill is an unnecessary and overly broad restriction on books and other media and would deprive young people of support and information.

OTHER EXPECTED BILLS

A number of a bills are expected but language is not yet available. MCASA anticipates supporting many of these bills, but requires a review of language prior to taking a position.

Anticipated Bill: Background Checks – Denial of Application for Firearms and Victim Notice
Requiring that victim/survivors or their representatives receive notice when an applicant to purchase a firearm fails a background check. This is important to safety planning and does not affect the ability to purchase or possess a gun. Lead Sponsors: Senator Shelly Hettleman and Vice-Chair Sandy Bartlett.

Anticipated Bill: CICB Reform
A bill to reform the Criminal Injuries Compensation system by reconstituting the Board, increasing access, and increasing funding. MCASA supports with provisions to protect victim privacy (similar to provisions currently in place for rape kit reimbursement), limit the Board’s ability to order medical exams, and make it clear that perpetrators may not receive compensation for injuries related to the crime they committed even if there is no conviction. Lead Sponsor: Administration.

Anticipated Bill: Funding for Comprehensive Intimate Partner Violence Programs
Strengthening funding requirements for programs providing comprehensive services to survivors of intimate partner violence and establishing the federally recognized domestic violence coalition (the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence) as the agency responsible for program certification. This is similar to law currently in place for rape crisis centers certified by MCASA. Lead Sponsors: Senator Sarah Elfreth and Delegate Julian Ivey.

Anticipated Bill: Deep Fakes – Civil Remedies
Creating additional civil remedies for nonconsensual manipulation of another person's image into a sexual picture or video. Lead sponsor: Delegate Lesley Lopez.

For a PDF of MCASA's 2024 Legislative Priorities, click here


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To view a PDF of the laws passed in 2023, click here.

To view a PDF of the laws passed in 2022, click here. 

To view a PDF of the laws passed in 2021, click here. 

To view a PDF of the laws passed in 2020, click here.

To view a PDF of the laws passed in 2019, click here.

To view a PDF of the laws passed in 2018, click here.

To view a PDF of the laws passed in 2017, click here

To view a PDF of the laws passed in 2016, click here.


MCASA encourages and appreciates the support of its member programs and allies in Annapolis.  Members with suggestions about MCASA’s Legislative Priorities are encouraged to contact [email protected] or call 301-328-7023

Together we can improve Maryland’s response to survivors, help bring offenders to justice, and end sexual violence.