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Advocates push to reclassify audio-only recordings by victims from felony to misdemeanor
Summary
House Bill 130 would change Maryland—s law that currently makes certain private audio recordings a felony to a misdemeanor, leaving two-party consent intact but reducing collateral exposure for victims who record assaults or sexual crimes. Supporters said the felony classification deterred victims from sharing strong evidence with prosecutors.
House Bill 130 would reclassify the criminal prohibition on certain unauthorized audio recordings of private conversations so those offenses would be misdemeanors instead of felonies. The bill, which preserves two-party-consent requirements, aims to reduce lifetime collateral consequences for victims who document crimes against them by audio on a phone or security device.
Supporters included domestic-violence service organizations,…
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