Ch. 601

LAWS OF MARYLAND

that person's religious beliefs; making it a separate crime
to harass or commit a crime upon a person or damage a
person's property because of that person's race, color,
religion religious beliefs, or national origin; establishing
certain penalties; and generally relating to criminal

interference with religious real property and beliefs

religious and ethnic crimes.

BY adding to

Article 27 - Crimes and Punishments

Section 470A to be under the new subheading "Religious Real

Property and Beliefs and Ethnic Crimes"
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1987 Replacement Volume)

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

Article 27 - Crimes and Punishments

RELIGIOUS REAL PROPERTY AND BELIEFS AND ETHNIC CRIMES

470A.

(A)  (1) IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE
MEANINGS INDICATED.

(2) "RELIGIOUS REAL PROPERTY" INCLUDES CHURCH,

SYNAGOGUE, RELIGIOUS CEMETERY, SCHOOL, EDUCATIONAL FACILITY, OR
COMMUNITY CENTER, OR THE GROUNDS ADJACENT TO AND OWNED OR LEASED
BY THE OWNER OF THE FOREGOING.

(3) "SERIOUS BODILY INJURY" MEANS BODILY INJURY THAT
INVOLVES SUBSTANTIAL RISK OF DEATH, UNCONSCIOUSNESS, EXTREME

PHYSICAL PAIN, PROTRACTED AND OBVIOUS DISFIGUREMENT, OR

PROTRACTED LOSS OR IMPAIRMENT OF THE FUNCTION OF A BODILY MEMBER,
ORGAN, OR MENTAL FACULTY INCLUDES:

(I) A CHURCH, SYNAGOGUE, OR OTHER PLACE OF
WORSHIP;

(II) A CEMETERY;

(III) A RELIGIOUS SCHOOL, EDUCATIONAL FACILITY,
COMMUNITY CENTER, STRUCTURE, OR OTHER REAL PROPERTY USED FOR ANY
RELIGIOUS PURPOSE; AND

(IV) THE GROUNDS ADJACENT TO THE PROPERTY
DESCRIBED IN ITEMS (I) THROUGH (III) OF THIS PARAGRAPH.

(B)  A PERSON MAY NOT:

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