Ch. 635                                    1996 LAWS OF MARYLAND

Preamble

WHEREAS, Prior to October 1, 1994, the law required that in order for a forfeiture
of a bail bond to be stricken when a fugitive defendant was incarcerated in an
out-of-state penal institution, it need only be shown that the return of the defendant to
the State was assured; and

WHEREAS, Current law that became effective October 1, 1994 requires that the
defendant be produced or returned to the State before the forfeiture is stricken; and

WHEREAS, The law in effect prior to October 1, 1994 both protected the State and
was equitable to bail bondsmen; and

WHEREAS, It would serve the interests of justice and fairness to return the law to
its previous state; 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

616 1/2.

(e) (3) Evidence of incarceration of a fugitive defendant in any penal institution
within the United States is a wholly sufficient ground to strike out a forfeiture, if [ the
defendant upon expiration of his sentence, at no expense to the State, county, or
municipality is produced or returned to the jurisdiction of the court as a result of a
detainer or extradition] RETURN OF THE DEFENDANT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE
COURT ON EXPIRATION OF THE SENTENCE AT NO EXPENSE TO THE STATE, COUNTY,
OR MUNICIPALITY IS ASSURED.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 1996.

Approved May 23, 1996.

CHAPTER 635
(House Bill 776)

AN ACT concerning

Crimes and Punishments - Code Grabbing Devices - Prohibited

FOR the purpose of prohibiting a person from possessing a code grabbing device with the
intent of using it in the commission of a crime manufacturing, selling, using, or
possessing a code grabbing device with a certain intent; establishing a certain
penalty; defining certain terms; and generally relating to the possession of code
grabbing devices.

BY adding to

- 3636 -