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Committee concurs in Senate amendment to House Bill 853 to exclude certain murder convictions involving first responders
Summary
The House Judiciary Committee voted to concur in the Senate amendment to House Bill 853, adopting an exclusion for defendants convicted of murder where the victim was a first responder killed in the line of duty.
The House Judiciary Committee concurred in the Senate amendment to House Bill 853, which narrows relief by excluding individuals convicted of murder in which the victim was a first responder killed in the line of duty.
A committee member explained that the Senate amendment excludes people “who are convicted of a murder involving a victim who was a first responder, who was killed in the line of duty as a first responder.” The committee read the statutory definition: Health General Article §18-213.2 defines “first responder” to include a firefighter, EMT, rescue squad member, law enforcement officer, correctional officer, or sworn member of the State Fire Marshal’s office.
Committee members asked about the affected population and were given an estimate. A committee member said the universe of people who would be removed from eligibility under the exclusion was an “educated guess” of roughly 30–40 individuals from a prior estimate of about 350 total (the member framed this as a ballpark figure). Members clarified that the death must have occurred while the first responder was on duty.
The committee voted to concur in the Senate amendment; the chair voted aye. The motion carried; the committee reported the measure favorably to the floor.
