(1996 Replacement Volume and 1998 Supplement)

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

Article 27 - Crimes and Punishments

139A.

(a) In this subheading the following words have the meanings indicated.

(e) (1) "Toxic material" means material which is capable of causing death or
serious bodily injury almost immediately on being absorbed through the skin,
inhaled, or ingested.

(2) "Toxic material" includes BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO:

(I) [nerve] NERVE gas, mustard gas, cyanide gas, chlorine gas,
[and] OR sulphuric acid, OR THEIR PRECURSORS; AND

(II) ANY MICROORGANISM, VIRUS, INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCE, OR
BIOLOGICAL PRODUCT THAT MAY BE ENGINEERED AS A RESULT OF
BIOTECHNOLOGY OR ANY NATURALLY OCCURRING OR BIOENGINEERED
COMPONENT OF ANY SUCH MICROORGANISM, VIRUS, INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCE, OR
BIOLOGICAL PRODUCT.

(II) A BIOLOGICAL SUBSTANCE CONTAINING A DISEASE ORGANISM
OR MICROORGANISM.

151A.

(a) A person is guilty of a felony if, knowing the statement or rumor to be false,
[he] THE PERSON circulates or transmits to another or others, with intent that it be
acted upon, a statement or rumor, written, printed, by any electronic means, or by
word of mouth, concerning the location or possible detonation of a destructive device
OR THE LOCATION OR POSSIBLE RELEASE OF TOXIC MATERIAL, as THOSE TERMS
ARE defined in § 139A of this article. An offense under this section committed by the
use of a telephone or by other electronic means may be deemed to have been
committed either at the place at which the telephone call or calls were made or the
electronic communication originated or at the place at which the telephone call or
calls or electronic communication were received.

(B) A PERSON IS GUILTY OF A FELONY IF, KNOWING THE STATEMENT OR
RUMOR TO BE FALSE, THE PERSON CIRCULATES OR TRANSMITS TO ANOTHER OR
OTHERS, WITH INTENT THAT IT BE ACTED UPON, A STATEMENT OR RUMOR,
WRITTEN, PRINTED, BY ANY ELECTRONIC MEANS, OR BY WORD OF MOUTH,
CONCERNING THE LOCATION. OR POSSIBLE RELEASE OF TOXIC MATERIAL, AS
DEFINED IN § 130A OF THIS ARTICLE. AN OFFENSE UNDER THIS SECTION COMMITTED
BY THE USE OF A TELEPHONE OR BY OTHER ELECTRONIC MEANS MAY BE DEEMED
TO HAVE BEEN COMMITTED EITHER AT THE PLACE AT WHICH THE TELEPHONE CALL
OR CALLS WERE MADE OR THE ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION ORIGINATED OR AT
THE PLACE AT WHICH THE TELEPHONE CALL OR CALLS OR ELECTRONIC
COMMUNICATION WERE RECEIVED.