<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gps" article_name="Public Safety" number="3-529" title_number="3" title_name="Law Enforcement" subtitle_number="5">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>“Database” means any database operated by State and local law enforcement agencies, including databases maintained for a law enforcement agency by a private vendor.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>“Database” does not include a registry operated under Title 11, Subtitle 7 of the Criminal Procedure Article.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>“Law enforcement agency” means a federal, state, or local agency authorized to enforce criminal laws.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>“Law enforcement agency” includes the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>“Message switching system” means a law enforcement communications platform that automatically routes, formats, and delivers electronic queries and responses between law enforcement agencies and databases.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>An entity operating a database or a message switching system shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>deny access to the database or message switching system to any person who is seeking access for the purpose of enforcing immigration law, unless the person presents a valid warrant issued by a federal court or a court of this State; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>require an individual accessing the database or message switching system to provide to the entity:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the individual’s name;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the individual’s contact information, including a telephone number, an e–mail address, and a physical address; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>unless the individual presents a valid warrant issued by a federal court or a court of this State, a statement by the individual, under penalty of perjury, that the individual is not accessing the database or message switching system for the purpose of enforcing immigration law.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Each entity operating a database and, with respect to a message switching system, the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services shall adopt regulations to implement this section.</text>
  </level>
</section>
