(a) (1) A person having a bona fide scientific, educational, governmental, artistic, news, or other similar justification for possessing or distributing prohibited matter is not subject to the prohibitions and penalties imposed by this subtitle. (2) A distribution made in accordance with a bona fide scientific, educational, governmental, artistic, news, or other similar justification is not subject to the prohibitions and penalties imposed by this subtitle. (b) A justification is not bona fide under this section if a reasonable person would find that a dominant purpose of the depiction of an individual under the age of 16 years engaging in sexual conduct is to arouse or gratify sexual desire in either the violator, the individual under the age of 16 years, or the viewer.
Maryland Legal Code