“McDermott’s Bomb Threat Bill Passes Through the House”

(ANNAPOLIS) House Bill 234, sponsored by Delegate Michael McDermott (R - Worcester & Wicomico), unanimously passed through Maryland’s House of Delegates last week. The bill, entitled “False Statement Concerning Destructive Device or Toxic Material - Venue” allows law enforcement the option to charge bomb threat suspects in multiple locations.

“This bill simply allows law enforcement to charge individuals who make bomb threats - for whatever reason - where the threat was made or the location that was the subject of the threat,” Delegate McDermott stated. “So if an individual threatens a business in Worcester County, but the call comes from Anne Arundel County, law enforcement can charge that individual in Worcester County.”

As Delegate McDermott stated at the bill hearing, current Maryland law prevents this type of action. If an individual called in a bomb threat from a different county, that individual can only be charged in the county where the call was placed and it can often be difficult to determine where the threat originated.

“HB234 allows law enforcement to charge the individual who made the threat in either the county where the call was made, or the county where the bomb was suspected to be, if, for any reason, the two actions took place in different venues,” Delegate McDermott continued. “ In the age of cellular communications, establishing an exact location for charging purposes can be difficult to determine.”

Steven Kroll, Executive Director of the Maryland State’s Attorney Association, was also on hand to testify in support of the bill. Kroll stated how important this bill would eliminate any confusion over which jurisdiction should charge bomb threat suspects.

HB234 is almost identical to last year’s House Bill 719, which also passed through the House of Delegates. However, HB719 was hung up in the State Senate’s Judicial Proceedings Committee.

Delegate McDermott is hoping for a better outcome this year, though, as HB234 is awaiting a hearing in the Senate’s Judicial Proceedings Committee on Thursday, March 20.