SB 791 Maryland Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Correctional Services and Criminal Procedure - Immigration Enforcement - Prohibitions (Community Trust Act)

SB 791 (the Community Trust Act) prohibits employees of Maryland state and local correctional facilities from asking about or detaining individuals based on immigration status, notifying federal immigration authorities without a court order, or transferring people to federal authorities without a judicial warrant. It allows limited exceptions only for routine booking procedures or when immigration status affects legal protections under state/federal law or international treaties. The bill requires correctional facilities to adopt compliance policies with penalties for violations and gives affected individuals the right to sue for damages if their rights are breached. This directly affects correctional staff and facilities, not the general public.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Apr 2026

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 6, 2026 Signed May 31, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Third - Correctional Services and Public Safety – Immigration Enforcement – Prohibitions (Community Trust Act) → Enrolled - Correctional Services and Criminal Procedure - Immigration Enforcement - Prohibitions (Community Trust Act) · 4 edits · May 31, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was finalized as an Enrolled Bill, adding emergency status and designating it for the Judiciary committee. The text was updated to include a new prohibition against correctional facilities taking action against individuals based on immigration status, and the definition of restricted individuals was expanded to include those convicted of sex offenses or sentenced to state facilities.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to explicitly prohibit correctional facilities from taking action against individuals based on immigration status, and the list of individuals protected from immigration inquiries was broadened to include sex offenders and those sentenced to state facilities.

ENFORCEMENT

Added a specific prohibition preventing correctional facilities from taking action against an individual based on their immigration status or that of any other person.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded the definition of 'Covered Individual' to include anyone convicted of a sex offense requiring registration or sentenced to a state correctional facility.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill header to reflect 'Enrolled' status, added emergency bill designation, and corrected the committee assignment to Judiciary.

REQUIREMENT

Adjusted the exceptions clause to apply specifically to 'Covered Convicted Individuals' rather than the previous broader category.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 26, 2026 · House of Delegates Mar 29, 2026

How they voted

34–15

Passed

Total votes 49

Mar 26, 2026

D Democratic36

34 Yea 2 Nay

94% Yea

R Republican13

13 Nay

100% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed Enrolled

upper

Apr 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Apr 13, 2026

Introduced

Senate Concurs House Amendments

upper

Apr 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed with Amendments

lower

Apr 11, 2026

Introduced

Floor Amendment {

lower

Apr 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

lower

Apr 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Judiciary

lower

Apr 11, 2026

Committee

Rereferred to Judiciary

lower

Apr 11, 2026

Committee

Referred Rules and Executive Nominations

lower

Apr 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Apr 10, 2026

Introduced

Floor Amendment {

upper

Apr 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Adopted

upper

Apr 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Committee Amendment Adopted

upper

Apr 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Motion Laid Over (Senator Smith) Adopted

upper

Apr 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

upper

Apr 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings

upper

Mar 29, 2026

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (92-37-13)

house of delegates

Mar 26, 2026

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (34-15)

senate

Feb 6, 2026

Committee

First Reading Judicial Proceedings

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors