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 The bill amends existing criminal procedure and health codes to implement this new oversight structure, replacing outdated sections with the new program framework.
SB 295, the "Stop Silencing Survivors Act," protects individuals who in good faith disclose information about allegations of sexually assaultive behavior from liability. It establishes that such disclosures - like reporting misconduct to employers or authorities - cannot be used against the discloser in court, unless proven to be false or made with malicious intent. The bill also requires courts to award attorney fees to those successfully defending against claims that they disclosed information without good faith. It defines "sexually assaultive behavior" to include specific criminal offenses under Maryland law, such as sexual crimes, abuse of minors, or violations of federal law. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.
SB 464 establishes a 10-member Commission to review Maryland's current expungement laws and processes, focusing on improving efficiency and equity. The Commission includes representatives from state government (like the Public Defender and State Court Administrator), legal advocates, workforce organizations, crime victims' groups, and two individuals with criminal records currently ineligible for expungement. It must examine existing laws, compare them with other states, and propose a streamlined, broader-expungement system by December 31, 2027. The bill expires automatically on June 30, 2028, without requiring further legislative action. This process directly affects how Maryland might reform its criminal record clearance system for residents.
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 491 prohibits law enforcement agencies from requesting verbal acknowledgments from victims of sexually assaultive behavior that could limit investigations, prevent prosecutions, or restrict victims' legal rights. It specifically bans forms or requests that: relieve the agency of obligations to the victim, define investigation scope, block prosecutions, or limit private legal actions. The bill requires agencies to thoroughly document any victim request to limit or suspend an investigation and follow up per Maryland Police Commission guidelines. Agencies must adopt and submit compliance policies to the Maryland Sexual Assault Evidence Kit Committee by January 15, 2021, with the law taking effect October 1, 2026.
This bill prohibits detaining juveniles (under 18) in any facility where they could see, hear, or otherwise have contact with incarcerated adults. It applies to all juveniles awaiting trial, convicted, or held in custody for offenses tried in adult court. The law requires juveniles to be held in secure juvenile facilities unless temporarily held for up to 6 hours in an adult facility - while separated by sight/sound - pending transfer to a juvenile facility. Exceptions for capacity issues or safety risks remain but must be documented by the court.
SB 285 expands Maryland's existing scholarship program to include correctional officers. The bill amends state law to add "correctional officers" to the eligibility criteria for the Maryland Police Officers, Probation Agents, and Correctional Officers Scholarship Program, which previously covered only police officers and probation agents. It defines "correctional officer" per Maryland law and allows current or future correctional officers to apply for tuition assistance if they meet residency, enrollment, and service obligation requirements. The scholarship requires recipients to work in the field for at least five years within eight years of graduation or repay funds. This change directly affects correctional officers seeking higher education in Maryland.
This bill expands domestic violence protections by allowing police to make warrantless arrests if they have strong evidence that someone battered a person they dated within the past year. It updates the legal definition of "victim of domestic violence" to include individuals injured by someone they had a sexual relationship with in the last year, not just spouses or cohabitants. Key provisions require police to have probable cause, evidence of injury, and a report filed within 48 hours to make such arrests. The law directly affects victims in dating relationships and law enforcement practices in Maryland, taking effect October 1, 2026.
This bill would create a toll-free voter hotline for incarcerated individuals to access voting information, request election materials, and report voting rights violations. It would remove the current ban preventing people convicted of a felony and serving a prison sentence from registering to vote. The law would allow incarcerated individuals to register while imprisoned, changing eligibility rules that currently exclude them. The bill is pending and would take effect January 1, 2027, if passed.
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.
