HB 307 modifies the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund by directing the Comptroller to administer the Fund under the Office of Social Equity’s guidance instead of previous oversight. It requires counties to consult with the Office when adjusting their fund distribution plans and clarifies that county expenditures from the Fund must be supplemental (not replacing) existing local programs. The bill also updates reporting requirements and reaffirms that Fund money cannot fund law enforcement or supplant other public services. These changes aim to align Fund administration with social equity goals while maintaining its focus on community-based initiatives like housing, job training, and behavioral health services in historically impacted areas.
SB 89, the "Voting Rights for All Act," would require Maryland's State Board of Elections to create a toll-free hotline for incarcerated individuals to access voting information, request election materials, and report voting rights issues. It would remove a previous rule that barred people convicted of a felony and serving a prison sentence from registering to vote, allowing them to become registered voters while incarcerated. The bill also repeals a law that made voting while incarcerated a felony offense. These changes would directly affect incarcerated individuals in Maryland convicted of felonies and are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027.
HB 513 updates Maryland's legal definitions related to hate crimes and hate bias incidents. It redefines "sexual orientation" to focus on an individual's identity or others' perception of that identity regarding attraction, explicitly stating it does not include gender identity. The bill also defines "hate bias incident" to include non-criminal acts like slurs, offensive symbols, or online threats targeting protected classes (including sexual orientation, gender, disability, and others). It requires law enforcement agencies to report such incidents to the Department of State Police, which must collect, analyze, and quarterly report this data to the Commission on Civil Rights. These changes directly affect law enforcement reporting requirements and the scope of protections under hate crime laws.
HB 501 amends Maryland law to prohibit individuals in positions of authority (such as teachers, coaches, or school staff working with minors) from engaging in sexual contact with minors who are at least six years younger. It increases penalties for violations: first offenses carry up to one year in jail or a $1,000 fine, while repeat offenders face up to three years in jail or a $1,000 fine. The bill also adds this offense as a predicate crime for sexual solicitation of minors and updates definitions related to sex offender registry tiers. It directly affects educators, program leaders, and others in supervisory roles working with minors under age 18.
HB 418 requires all courts in Prince George’s County to provide remote audio-visual access for the public to attend bail review hearings, effective October 1, 2026. This applies unless a hearing is legally closed, confidential, or restricted by federal/state law. Judges may temporarily block specific parts of a hearing upon request from a party, witness, or attorney, but only if no overriding public interest requires disclosure. The bill directly affects Prince George’s County courts, defendants, attorneys, and the public seeking to observe bail proceedings.
SB 330 requires Maryland law enforcement agencies to remove certain investigation records from police officers' personnel files three years after specific findings: when an administrative committee decides not to charge an officer, or a trial board finds misconduct allegations "unfounded" or "exonerated." It directly affects police officers whose misconduct complaints were resolved without administrative action. The bill amends Maryland's Public Safety laws to mandate this removal, replacing prior rules that prohibited expungement or destruction of such records. Key provisions specify the exact timeline (3 years post-determination) and define terms like "unfounded" (allegations unsupported by fact) and "exonerated" (officer acted lawfully). The law takes effect October 1, 2026.
SB 323 (Youth Charging Reform Act) removes restrictions that previously prevented Maryland juvenile courts from handling cases involving youth aged 16 and older accused of serious crimes. It repeals provisions that excluded such cases for offenses like murder, robbery, gun crimes, and aggravated violence, expanding juvenile court jurisdiction to include these charges. Now, youth 16+ facing these specific allegations will be processed in juvenile court instead of being automatically sent to adult court. This change affects juvenile courts, prosecutors, and youth aged 16+ charged with the listed offenses under Maryland law.
HB 475, the Juvenile Offender Protection Act, prohibits Maryland's Department of Juvenile Services from hiring or retaining employees convicted of specific serious crimes, including abduction, kidnapping, murder, rape, sexual offenses against minors, and certain assaults. It directly affects individuals seeking or holding jobs with the Department of Juvenile Services who have prior convictions for the listed offenses. The law adds these restrictions to Maryland's Code, with an exception allowing hiring if the conviction was reversed or vacated. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.
HB 557 creates a pre-approval review process for individuals with non-violent criminal convictions seeking occupational licenses (e.g., cosmetology, contracting, healthcare roles) in Maryland. It requires state departments (excluding Public Safety and Correctional Services) to provide a binding determination on whether an applicant’s criminal history would block their license *before* they formally apply, based on specific criteria like the nature of the offense, time since conviction, and rehabilitation evidence. The bill prohibits denial solely for past non-violent convictions unless a direct relationship to the job or safety risk exists, and establishes a $100 fee (waivable for low-income applicants) for the review. It applies to most occupational licenses but excludes sex offense convictions and automatically allows licenses after 7 years without new offenses.
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.
