Section 2-1702 - Interference with legislative process. - Maryland Statutes

§ 2-1702. Interference with legislative process.
 

(a)  Disruption and interference prohibited.- A person may not willfully disrupt, interfere with, attempt to disrupt, or attempt to interfere with a session, meeting, or proceeding of the General Assembly, the Senate, or the House or any of their committees, by: 

(1) making, alone or with another person, a noise that tends to be disruptive; 

(2) using abusive or obscene language; 

(3) making an obscene gesture; 

(4) engaging in violent, tumultuous, or threatening behavior; 

(5) refusing to comply with the lawful order of the police to disperse; or 

(6) doing any other disruptive or interfering act. 

(b)  Picketing restricted.- A person may not picket willfully in a building where: 

(1) the Senate or the House has a chamber; 

(2) a member of the General Assembly has an official office; or 

(3) a committee of the General Assembly, the Senate, or the House has an office. 

(c)  Interference with members and staff prohibited.- A person may not prevent or attempt to prevent, willfully and with force, the performance of a function, power, or duty by a member, officer, or employee of the General Assembly, the Senate, or the House or any of their committees. 

(d)  Interference with property prohibited.- A person may not: 

(1) willfully and without legal authority, obtain, withhold, destroy, deface, or alter an official document or record of the General Assembly, the Senate, or the House or any of their committees; or 

(2) without legal authority, possess, withhold, destroy, or deface real or personal property that the General Assembly, the Senate, or the House or any of their committees owns or uses. 

(e)  Firearms and other devices restricted.-  

(1) This subsection does not apply to: 

(i) a law enforcement officer of any state or of the federal government who is carrying out duties of the office; or 

(ii) a person whom the officer summons to help in making an arrest or in preserving the peace. 

(2) A person may not willfully bring an assault weapon or other firearm or destructive device, as defined in § 4-501 of the Criminal Law Article, into or have an assault weapon or other firearm or destructive device in a building where: 

(i) the Senate or the House has a chamber; 

(ii) a member, officer, or employee of the General Assembly has an official office; or 

(iii) a committee of the General Assembly, the Senate, or the House has an office. 

(f)  Penalties.- A person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or both. 
 

[An. Code 1957, art. 40, §§ 97-102, 104; 1984, ch. 284, § 1; 1994, ch. 456; 1997, ch. 343; 2002, ch. 213, § 6; 2004, ch. 25, § 6.]