3924                                                        VETOES

(1982 Replacement Volume and 1983 Supplement)

Preamble

WHEREAS, The Maryland General Assembly has declared that
crime involving computers is a growing problem in government as
well as in the private sector; and

WHEREAS, As society moves into the "Information Age", the
opportunities for computer crimes in government and the private
sector have increased the risk for significant loss of services
and increased costs to the citizens of Maryland; and

WHEREAS, Various forms of computer crimes may be the subject
of criminal charges based on other provisions of law; and

WHEREAS, The Maryland General Assembly has stated that it is
appropriate and desirable that a statute that proscribes
additional forms of computer crime be adopted; now, therefore,

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article 27 - Crimes and Punishments

146.

(A) IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS
INDICATED.

(1)  (I) "COMPUTER" MEANS AN ELECTRONIC, MAGNETIC,
OPTICAL, HYDRAULIC, ORGANIC, OR OTHER HIGH SPEED DATA PROCESSING
DEVICE OR SYSTEM THAT PERFORMS LOGICAL, ARITHMETIC, MEMORY, OR
STORAGE FUNCTIONS.

(II)   "COMPUTER" INCLUDES ANY PROPERTY, DATA
STORAGE FACILITY, OR COMMUNICATIONS FACILITY THAT IS DIRECTLY
RELATED TO OR OPERATED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT DEVICE OR SYSTEM.

(III)   "COMPUTER" DOES NOT INCLUDE AN AUTOMATED
TYPEWRITER OR TYPESETTER, A PORTABLE CALCULATOR, OR ANY COMPUTER
THAT:

1.   IS DESIGNED, MANUFACTURED, AND USED
EXCLUSIVELY FOR ROUTINE PERSONAL, FAMILY, OR HOUSEHOLD PURPOSES;
AND

2.   IS NOT USED TO GAIN ACCESS,
COMMUNICATE WITH, OR MANIPULATE ANY OTHER COMPUTER.

(2)   "COMPUTER CONTROL LANGUAGE" MEANS ANY ORDERED
STATEMENTS THAT DIRECT A COMPUTER TO PERFORM SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS.