Criminal Law - Fourth Degree Sexual Offense - Out-of-State Convictions

HB 1350 amends Maryland law to allow out-of-state or federal/military/tribal court convictions of certain sexual offenses to count as prior convictions for sentencing enhancements. Specifically, it expands the definition of "prior conviction" under Section 3-308(d)(2)(ii) to include crimes that would qualify as fourth-degree sexual offenses in Maryland (such as those under sections 3-303, 3-304, or 3-307-3-310). This affects repeat sex offenders who have prior convictions from other jurisdictions, enabling prosecutors to seek increased penalties (up to 3 years in prison) for subsequent offenses. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, and applies to cases where the prior offense would have been a Maryland violation had it occurred here.