Maryland legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Maryland SB531: Criminal Procedure - Victims of Sexually Assaultive Behavior - Request for Verbal Acknowledgement (Verbal Waiver Transparency Act)
Status: Signed into law, May 12, 2026
Prohibiting a law enforcement agency from making a certain request for verbal acknowledgement in an interaction with a person suspected to have been subjected to sexually assaultive behavior or who claims to have been subjected to sexually assaultive behavior.
What the bill says
An act concerning Criminal Procedure - Victims of Sexually Assaultive Behavior - Request for Verbal Acknowledgement (Verbal Waiver Transparency Act) FOR the purpose of prohibiting a law enforcement agency from making a certain request for verbal acknowledgement in an interaction with a certain victim; and generally relating to victims of sexually assaultive behavior. BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, Article - Criminal Procedure Section 11-929 Annotated Code of Maryland (2025 Replacement Volume).
From the enrolled text, May 18, 2026:
AN ACT concerning Criminal Procedure - Victims of Sexually Assaultive Behavior - Request for Verbal Acknowledgement (Verbal Waiver Transparency Act) FOR the purpose of prohibiting a law enforcement agency from making a certain request for verbal acknowledgement in an interaction with a certain victim; and generally relating to victims of sexually assaultive behavior. BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, Article - Criminal Procedure Section 11-929 Annotated Code of Maryland (2025 Replacement Volume) SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: Article - Criminal Procedure 11-929. (a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. (2) "Law enforcement agency" has the meaning stated in § 3-201(d) of the Public Safety Article. (3) "Sexually assaultive behavior" has the meaning stated in § 10-923 of the Courts Article. (4) "Victim" means any person suspected to have been subjected to sexually assaultive behavior or who claims to have been subjected to sexually assaultive behavior. (b) In an interaction with a victim, a law enforcement agency may not present to the victim a form OR MAKE A REQUEST FOR VERBAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT purporting (2) preclude or define the scope of an investigation by the law enforcement agency into an act allegedly committed against the victim; Ch. 407 2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND (3) …