HB 658 establishes Maryland’s Community Forensic Aftercare Program within the Department of Health. The program monitors two groups: individuals found not criminally responsible due to mental illness who are on conditional release, and people with mental illness or intellectual disability requiring community monitoring under specific legal circumstances. Key provisions require the Program to create a community monitoring board to make decisions about conditional release and out-of-state travel for these individuals. The bill amends existing criminal procedure and health codes to implement this new oversight structure, replacing outdated sections with the new program framework.
HB 1294 updates Maryland law to define "child sexual abuse material" (replacing "child pornography") and explicitly includes images created using artificial intelligence software in this definition. The bill modifies legal provisions to prohibit possessing or viewing AI-generated images that appear indistinguishable from real children engaged in sexual conduct or abuse, while excluding drawings, cartoons, sculptures, or paintings. It increases penalties for repeat offenses (up to 10 years in prison) and adds a defense for individuals who promptly destroy such material or report it to authorities. This change directly affects anyone creating, sharing, or accessing AI-generated images that mimic real minors in sexual contexts.
HB 1320 requires law enforcement officers and district court commissioners to inform victims or their representatives (such as family members of minors, deceased, or disabled victims) at the time of charging about their right to request notifications regarding a defendant’s custody status and court hearings. The bill mandates that requests be processed through Maryland’s electronic court system (MDEC), ensuring victims receive timely updates without needing to proactively seek them later. It amends existing law to make this notification process automatic upon initial contact in criminal cases, replacing previous procedures that allowed for later requests. This change directly affects victims and their representatives in all criminal cases filed in Maryland.
HB 194, the Incarcerated Job Training Act, requires Maryland's Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to create a paid apprenticeship program for incarcerated individuals in skilled trades. The bill mandates that participants earn at least the state minimum wage, with earnings deposited into their personal accounts for use after release. Employers - such as state agencies, local governments, or private businesses - can participate, but may reject assignments or withdraw from the program. Successful completers receive a certificate within 30 days of release, and the program must prioritize developing marketable job skills. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.
HB 1058 establishes Maryland's Youth Delinquency Prevention Fund to provide grants to community-based programs, including youth service bureaus, that offer preventive services like delinquency prevention, youth suicide prevention, substance use prevention, and youth development. The fund, administered by the state office, is funded through state budget appropriations and interest earnings, and it must be used exclusively for these preventive services without replacing existing funding. The bill requires annual reports detailing grant distribution, the number of children served (disaggregated by age, region, race, and ethnicity), and whether served youth later interacted with justice systems. The fund is non-lapsing, meaning money remains available year-to-year and cannot revert to the General Fund.
HB 310 limits the use of restrictive housing (locked cell confinement for 22+ hours daily) for incarcerated individuals in Maryland state facilities who have a developmental or intellectual disability. It requires a licensed clinical professional to assess new inmates for these disabilities during intake and to recommend against placing them in restrictive housing for more than 15 consecutive days within any 30-day period. This 15-day limit does not apply if the individual commits a "prohibited act," such as causing serious injury, making threats, or possessing weapons. The bill directly affects incarcerated people with these disabilities and mandates correctional facilities to follow this assessment and limitation process.
HB 688 would reclassify violations of Maryland's law against intercepting or disclosing wire, oral, or electronic communications from a felony to a misdemeanor. This affects anyone who unlawfully intercepts, discloses, or uses the contents of such communications in violation of the law. The bill amends Section 10-402(b) of Maryland's Courts and Judicial Proceedings code to change the penalty level, though it maintains the same maximum fine ($10,000) and potential imprisonment (up to 5 years) for the offense.
This constitutional amendment prohibits judges or justices removed or retired for misconduct from holding any future judicial position. It directly affects judges disciplined by the Commission on Judicial Disabilities, adding a new provision that explicitly bars such individuals from future judicial office. The key mechanism requires the Supreme Court to remove or retire judges found guilty of misconduct, with the amendment ensuring these individuals lose eligibility for any subsequent judicial role. This change modifies Article IV of the Maryland Constitution and requires voter approval in the November 2026 election.
HB 477 modifies Maryland's evidence rules to allow certain out-of-court statements in assault in the second degree cases where the defendant caused the witness's unavailability. It permits such statements as evidence if the court finds by a preponderance of evidence that the defendant engaged in wrongdoing to make the witness unavailable. The bill requires statements to have been given under oath, written and signed, or recorded verbatim, and mandates early notice to the defense about the statement's use. This directly affects criminal trials for assault in the second degree by expanding admissible evidence while adding procedural safeguards. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.
Maryland's SB 245 prohibits state, local governments, county sheriffs, and their agencies from entering new agreements with federal authorities to enforce civil immigration law. It defines such agreements as contracts under federal laws like 8 U.S.C. § 1103 or § 1357. Existing agreements must be terminated by July 1, 2026, or immediately upon the bill's effective date of June 1, 2026. The law directly affects all Maryland local law enforcement entities and state agencies that previously collaborated with federal immigration enforcement.
