SB 305 extends funding for nonprofit organizations providing automotive repair training and reentry services to formerly incarcerated individuals in Maryland. It extends the grant period from fiscal years 2026-2028 to 2026-2029, authorizing $1 million annually for qualifying nonprofits that train at least 50 individuals yearly in auto repair and achieve a 50% job placement rate for participants. The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention administers the grants, requiring nonprofits to submit annual reports on fund usage, participant numbers, and employment outcomes. This bill directly affects nonprofits meeting specific service criteria and supports employment pathways for formerly incarcerated individuals.
HB 187 expands eligibility for expunging criminal records in Maryland by allowing expungement for cases terminated without a conviction. Specifically, it adds a new provision (Section 10-110(j)) permitting expungement when a case was resolved by the court with a "no finding" designation or terminated without a finding. This directly affects individuals whose cases were dismissed, dropped, or otherwise concluded without a guilty verdict or conviction. The bill modifies existing expungement rules (previously limited to certain convictions) to include these non-conviction dispositions, applying to records maintained by state or local government. It takes effect October 1, 2026.
HB 467 requires the Maryland Parole Commission to improve transparency and equity in parole decisions. It mandates annual reports broken down by race showing parole grants, denials (with reasons), administrative releases, hearing purposes, and parole-eligible individuals not granted parole. The bill also prohibits permanent parole denial, requires the Commission to document hearing reasoning publicly, and makes all hearing recordings publicly available after redaction for privacy, with specific retention rules. These changes directly affect incarcerated individuals in Maryland's correctional system by increasing accountability in parole proceedings.
HB 351 allows Maryland's Attorney General or State's Attorney to direct the Maryland State Police to collect and securely retain specific digital data (like license plates, cell tower records, GPS, or facial recognition data) about federal agents when a complaint alleges misconduct such as excessive force or civil rights violations. It directly affects complainants who file such misconduct claims and law enforcement agencies handling those cases. The bill requires that complainants can only access this digital data through a court order in a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 civil rights case or a related criminal proceeding. It does not authorize general surveillance but creates a targeted process for gathering evidence in verified misconduct complaints against federal agents. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.
HB 829 requires drivers applying for for-hire or transportation network operator licenses (like Uber/Lyft drivers) in Maryland to complete human trafficking awareness training. The training must cover recognizing trafficking victims, responding appropriately, and connecting victims with resources. Licensed drivers who report suspected trafficking in good faith are protected from civil or criminal liability. This applies to taxi drivers, for-hire drivers, and transportation network operators seeking new or renewed licenses.
SB 473 requires new applicants for taxicab, for-hire driver, or transportation network operator (e.g., Uber/Lyft) licenses in Maryland to submit proof they completed human trafficking awareness training. This includes either the U.S. Department of Transportation’s "Leaders Against Human Trafficking" program or another nationally recognized training program. The bill also protects licensed drivers from civil or criminal liability when reporting suspected trafficking in good faith. These requirements apply specifically to new license applicants, not current license holders, and are designed to help identify and prevent trafficking through driver training and reporting.
SB 810 prohibits public school security personnel (including school resource officers, security employees, and certain off-duty officers providing school coverage) from engaging in federal immigration enforcement or sharing student/employee information for immigration purposes. The bill specifically bans using school staff for Section 287(g) federal immigration investigations and restricts sharing educational or personnel records related to immigration enforcement, except when presented with a valid judicial warrant, subpoena, or legal order. School security personnel must immediately contact the county superintendent and legal counsel if shown such legal documents. This law directly affects all Maryland public schools and their security staff, taking effect July 1, 2026, and aligns with existing privacy laws.
SB 412 establishes Maryland’s Community Forensic Aftercare Program within the Maryland Department of Health. The program monitors two groups: individuals committed to the health department due to being "not criminally responsible" (often called "not guilty by reason of insanity" cases), and people with mental illness or intellectual disability requiring community monitoring under specific legal circumstances. Key mechanisms include creating a community monitoring board to decide on conditional release and out-of-state travel, and requiring licensed social workers ("Program Monitors") to track compliance with court orders and make health recommendations. The bill amends Maryland’s Criminal Procedure and Health codes to implement this program, focusing on safety and structured oversight for these individuals.
This bill creates a new misdemeanor offense called third-degree assault in Maryland, which prohibits intentionally causing offensive contact, attempting to cause such contact, or engaging in conduct meant to make someone fear offensive contact. The law defines offensive contact as nonconsensual physical contact that a reasonable person would find offensive, but explicitly excludes contact that causes physical injury, creates a risk of serious injury, or involves domestic or sexual crimes. People convicted of this offense could face up to 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $500, or both. The bill also updates legal procedures by clarifying how third-degree assault charges must be written in court documents and ensures that physical injury from a third-degree assault cannot be used as a defense against that charge. Additionally, it adjusts jurisdiction rules so that District Courts handle third-degree assault cases exclusively.
SB 514 redefines third-degree assault in Maryland as a misdemeanor involving intentional non-consensual touch a reasonable person would find offensive, excluding cases involving physical injury, domestic violence, or sexual crimes. It creates a new offense with penalties of up to 90 days in jail or a $500 fine for causing "offensive contact," engaging in conduct that puts someone in fear of such contact, or attempting it. The bill also modifies expungement eligibility for certain convictions and clarifies court procedures for charging third-degree assault cases. It directly affects individuals committing non-injurious, non-domestic, non-sexual assault-like acts under this new standard.
