HB 277 Summary

• Creates new crime of home invasion (§826A, Title 11) as a Class B felony when a person unlawfully enters or remains in an occupied dwelling with intent to commit a violent felony and commits specified crimes (robbery, assault, murder, rape, kidnapping) or possesses weapons/causes injury.

• Establishes mandatory minimum sentences: 6 years at Level V for home invasion; 8 years at Level V for repeat offenders within 5 years; 7 years at Level V when victim is 62 years or older; 9 years at Level V for repeat offenders with elderly victims.

• Adds home invasion to list of offenses requiring transfer hearing for juveniles aged 16+ in Family Court and to list of crimes allowing record expungement denial.

• Designates home invasion as a violent felony under §4201(c) and includes it in habitual criminal statute (§4214), pardon review requirements (§4362), and victim compensation statute (§6703).

• Applies mandatory sentencing provisions of home invasion statute to attempted home invasion and amends related statutes regarding burglary tools, gang criminal activity definitions, and capital murder felony designations.