ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Maryland General Assembly has introduced the No Kings Act (HB 550), a proposal that would allow individuals, under certain circumstances, to file civil lawsuits in Maryland state courts against federal law enforcement officers for alleged constitutional violations.
HB 550 was introduced on Jan. 27 and referred to the House Judiciary Committee. The bill would create a new cause of action under Maryland law for claims that a federal law enforcement officer, acting under color of law, deprived a person of constitutional rights, according to the bill text.
The legislation adds a new subtitle to the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article of the Maryland Code outlining how such actions could proceed in state court. The bill specifies definitions, scope, and applicability, and states that the provisions would apply retroactively to causes of action arising on or after March 1, 2025…