Criminal Justice (Corrections)

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Jan 29, 2026

HB 463: First Degree Murder - Diminution Credits - Prohibition

HB 463 prohibits incarcerated individuals serving sentences for specific first-degree murder convictions from earning time-off credits (diminution credits) that reduce their prison terms. It directly affects people convicted of murder under Maryland law, including those convicted of murder involving a child under 16 (under older statutes), repeat child murder offenders, or any first-degree murder (§2-201 of the Criminal Law Article). The bill amends Maryland’s Correctional Services law to block these credits for the specified offenses, effective October 1, 2026. This change applies only to sentences for offenses committed on or after that date, not past cases.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeProhibits sentence reduction for specific murder convictions, increasing mandatory incarceration periods and restricting defendant rights through elimination of diminution credits.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Jan 16, 2026

HB 171: Criminal Law - Drug Trafficking Crime - Definition

HB 171 modifies Maryland's definition of "drug trafficking crime" to include misdemeanor cannabis possession or distribution violations (under sections 5-602(b)(1) and 5-603(b)), expanding the scope of offenses triggering firearm restrictions. This means individuals charged with certain cannabis-related misdemeanors could now face enhanced penalties if they possess a firearm during the offense. The bill mandates a minimum 5-year prison sentence for a first offense and 10 years for repeat offenses, with no possibility of sentence suspension or parole eligibility. It directly affects people convicted of cannabis misdemeanors who possess firearms, as these offenses would now qualify as "drug trafficking crimes" under the law. The changes would take effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands drug trafficking definition to include cannabis misdemeanors, imposing mandatory minimum sentences (5-10 years), increasing penalties and criminalization per bill summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy Firearms

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signed · Maryland · Senate May 12, 2026

SB 230: Criminal Law - Third-Degree Sexual Offense - Burglary

SB 230 amends Maryland law to treat sexual contact without consent during a burglary (first, second, or third degree) as a third-degree sexual offense. This directly affects individuals who commit such acts, elevating the offense level from a misdemeanor to a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The bill also updates sex offender registration tiers to include this specific burglary-related offense in the definitions of "tier I" and "tier II" sex offenders. These changes clarify that committing sexual contact without consent while burglarizing a property triggers stricter legal consequences and registration requirements. The bill does not alter existing provisions for offenses involving minors or other specific circumstances.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeElevates burglary-related sexual offenses to felony with up to 10-year prison term, increasing penalties and expanding criminalization per bill's explicit amendment of offense level.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Jan 29, 2026

HB 544: Vehicle Laws - Cannabis Use in Motor Vehicle With Minor Occupant - Prohibition

HB 544 prohibits smoking, vaping, or consuming cannabis in the passenger area of a motor vehicle when a minor (under 18) is present. This applies to all occupants, including drivers and passengers, and creates a new misdemeanor offense for violations. Penalties include up to one year in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both. The bill, introduced in January 2026, will take effect on October 1, 2026.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill creates new misdemeanor for cannabis use with minors, expanding criminalization and penalties, opposing reform trends by increasing criminalization.92% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationProhibits cannabis use in vehicles with minors to enhance road safety, aligning with transportation safety regulations.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy

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in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 9, 2026

SB 362: Criminal Law - Child's Access to Firearms - Penalty (Ny'Kala Strawder Act)

SB 362 (the Ny'Kala Strawder Act) amends Maryland law to increase penalties for storing or leaving a loaded firearm where a person knew or should have known an unsupervised minor could access it. It prohibits negligent firearm storage in locations accessible to minors, making violations a misdemeanor punishable by up to 5 years in prison or a $1,000 fine, or both. Exceptions include supervised access by an adult, unlawful entry, law enforcement possession during duties, or a minor with a valid hunter safety certificate. The law also explicitly states violations cannot be used as evidence of negligence in civil cases or referenced during civil trials involving firearm-related injuries or deaths. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill increases penalties for negligent firearm storage, aligning with 'oppose' indicators of expanding criminalization and increasing mandatory sentences.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy Firearms

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signed · Maryland · Senate May 12, 2026

SB 437: Criminal Law – Theft and Fraud Crimes – Valuation and Forgery of Gift Cards

SB 437 clarifies how gift card value is determined in theft and fraud cases and prohibits tampering with gift cards to defraud others. It defines "closed-loop" (single merchant) and "open-loop" (multi-merchant network) gift cards, setting their value as the highest of: face value, what the defendant claimed, or actual loss incurred. The bill creates a new misdemeanor offense for altering gift cards or packaging with fraudulent intent, punishable by up to 18 months in jail or a $500 fine. This directly affects individuals committing gift card fraud and businesses handling gift card transactions in Maryland.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new misdemeanor for gift card fraud, expanding criminalization of non-violent offenses without reform intent90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

in committee · Maryland · Senate Jan 22, 2026

SB 302: Criminal Law - Causing Ingestion of an Abortion-Inducing Drug - Prohibition (Women's Freedom From Coercion Act)

SB 302 prohibits knowingly causing another person to ingest an abortion-inducing drug when the person knows or believes the other is pregnant and does so without consent, through fraud/coercion, or force/threat of force. The bill directly affects individuals who would cause others to take such drugs under these specific conditions. Key provisions define "abortion-inducing drug" and establish that violations constitute a felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison. The law takes effect October 1, 2026, and applies to conduct occurring after that date.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new felony for causing ingestion of abortion-inducing drug without consent, expanding criminalization and imposing up to 25 years prison. Aligns with 'oppose' indicators of increasing criminalization and penalties.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 2, 2026

HB 697: Correctional Services - Diminution of a Term of Confinement

HB 697 prohibits incarcerated individuals convicted of first-degree murder (under §2-201 of the Criminal Law Article) from earning time-off credits that reduce their prison sentences. It also denies these credits for certain child-related offenses, including specific violations under §3-303, §3-304, §3-305, §3-306, and §3-307 of the Criminal Law Article involving victims under 16 years old. The law applies to all Maryland state and local correctional facilities and takes effect October 1, 2026. It directly affects people serving sentences for these offenses by eliminating a mechanism that could shorten their confinement terms.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeDenies sentence reduction credits for first-degree murder and child offenses, increasing mandatory sentence lengths for violent crimes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Probation & Parole

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in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Jan 16, 2026

HB 138: Criminal Law - Third-Degree Sexual Offense - Burglary

HB 138 clarifies that committing sexual contact without consent during a burglary (first, second, or third degree) constitutes a third-degree sexual offense. It updates sex offender registration definitions to include this specific offense under "Tier I" and "Tier II" categories, affecting individuals convicted of such acts. The bill modifies Maryland’s criminal code to explicitly link burglary with non-consensual sexual contact, raising the offense to a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. These changes directly impact offenders convicted of sexual contact during burglaries and alter how their registration levels are determined under state law.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill elevates burglary with non-consensual sex to felony with mandatory registration, increasing penalties and expanding criminalization under criminal justice.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Jan 30, 2026

HB 631: Criminal Law - Threats Against State or Local Official - Penalties

HB 631 increases penalties for threatening state or local officials, deputies, or public defenders in Maryland. It reclassifies violations from misdemeanors to felonies, raising maximum penalties to 10 years in prison or a $5,000 fine (up from 3 years/$2,500). The bill specifically targets threats involving taking life, kidnapping, or causing physical injury to the listed officials. It affects anyone making such threats against designated public officials and takes effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases penalties by reclassifying threats to felonies, expanding criminalization and imposing harsher sentences (10 years/$5k), directly opposing reform-focused criminal justice priorities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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