Criminal Justice (Drug Policy)

died · Maryland · Senate Mar 9, 2026

SB 737: Juvenile Law - Probation and Treatment Services - Required Disposition (Parental Accountability Act)

SB 737, the "Parental Accountability Act," requires Maryland juvenile courts to place children on probation (instead of out-of-home placement) if they’ve repeatedly committed specific offenses: violent acts (like crimes of violence or firearm use) or been adjudicated as habitually truant more than once. The probation must include a court-approved treatment service plan and mandate participation from the child’s parents, guardians, or custodians in rehabilitation services. This bill directly affects youth with repeat offenses in these categories and their families, shifting focus from confinement to structured support. It amends Maryland’s juvenile code to prioritize treatment plans over secure detention for qualifying cases, excluding minor offenses like first-time cannabis possession or technical violations.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates probation with treatment over out-of-home placement for juveniles, prioritizing rehabilitation and family involvement to reduce recidivism, aligning with reform goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Drug Policy Juvenile Justice

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in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 732: Cannabis - Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund - Distribution and Use of Funds for Baltimore City

SB 732 requires Maryland's Comptroller to direct funds from the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund (funded by cannabis tax revenue and business fees) specifically to Baltimore City's Comptroller. The Baltimore City Comptroller must then establish a special fund to distribute these resources to community programs in areas disproportionately impacted by historical cannabis enforcement. Funds can support services like behavioral health care, job training, housing assistance, and after-school programs - but cannot fund law enforcement or replace existing city programs. The bill mandates these funds remain separate from general city revenue and are subject to audit, ensuring they directly benefit Baltimore communities most affected by past cannabis policies.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesDirectly allocates cannabis tax revenue to fund community programs in Baltimore City, supporting public services through fiscal management of tax proceeds.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeDirectly funds community programs in areas impacted by historical cannabis enforcement, aligning with criminal justice reform goals like reducing recidivism and addressing systemic inequities.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly allocates cannabis tax funds for housing assistance as a direct use within community programs for areas impacted by cannabis enforcement.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Audits & Accountability Revenue Drug Policy Law Enforcement

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in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 13, 2026

HB 1162: Correctional Services – Medication–Assisted Treatment Funding

HB 1162 requires Maryland correctional facilities in specific counties (starting with Howard, Montgomery, Prince George’s, and St. Mary’s) to provide medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for incarcerated individuals with opioid use disorder. It mandates facilities to conduct assessments, offer FDA-approved MAT options, and provide behavioral health counseling, with special provisions for pregnant individuals. The bill establishes funding mechanisms: the Special Secretary of Overdose Response must annually reimburse counties for MAT costs, and the Opioid Restitution Fund’s authorized uses expand to support this. This applies to local detention centers and the Baltimore Pre-trial Complex by 2023, with implementation schedules for additional counties.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates funding for MAT in correctional facilities, establishing budget allocation for essential health services within state correctional system.90% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates MAT in correctional facilities for opioid use disorder, advancing rehabilitation and reducing recidivism - key criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder in prisons with funding, expanding healthcare access for incarcerated individuals through FDA-approved treatment and counseling.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Victims' Rights Mental Health Substance Abuse

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in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 5, 2026

HB 824: Criminal Procedure - Expungement - Conviction of Distribution of Controlled Dangerous Substance

HB 824 would allow individuals convicted of distributing controlled substances (like drugs) to clear those felony convictions from their criminal records through expungement. Currently, such convictions are excluded from expungement eligibility, but this bill would add them to the list of eligible offenses under Maryland law. The change modifies specific sections of Maryland's Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure codes to explicitly include distribution convictions in the expungement process. This directly affects people with past felony drug distribution convictions who seek to remove these records from public access.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands expungement eligibility for drug distribution convictions, reducing barriers to reentry and aligning with criminal justice reform goals to lower recidivism.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

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in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Jan 21, 2026

HB 390: Budget Bill (Fiscal Year 2027)

HB 390 is Maryland's 2027 state budget bill, allocating $859 million in total funding for fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027). It directs $208 million to civil divisions (including $203.6 million for Disparity Grants and $3.0 million for cannabis tax distributions), $163.6 million to legislative operations (like the Office of Legislative Audits), and $859.2 million to the judiciary (covering courts, public defenders, and judicial systems). The bill primarily affects state agencies and programs by authorizing specific funding amounts for their operations, with no new policy requirements. It serves as the formal appropriations framework for state government spending under Maryland's constitutional budget process.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $859M to state services including courts, public defenders, Disparity Grants, and cannabis tax distributions, directly funding essential public programs and fiscal operations.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAllocates $859M to judiciary including public defenders and $203.6M Disparity Grants addressing racial inequities in criminal justice.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Government Spending State Budget Drug Policy

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signed · Maryland · Senate May 12, 2026

SB 61: Division of Correction - Volunteer Services Program

SB 61 establishes a Release Preparation Program within Maryland's Division of Correction to help formerly incarcerated individuals prepare for reentry. The program allows these individuals to access state correctional facilities to receive assistance with release planning. It amends the Cannabis Regulation and Enforcement Fund to include funding for this program, directing the fund to cover related costs. The bill requires participants to provide written schedules for facility visits, and prohibits denial of access unless it disrupts facility operations.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEstablishes reentry program for formerly incarcerated individuals, promoting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism through structured release planning and funding.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Probation & Parole

in committee · Maryland · Senate Jan 14, 2026

SB 20: Family and Law Enforcement Protection Act

SB 20, the "Family and Law Enforcement Protection Act," modifies Maryland's domestic violence protective order process to require firearm surrender when abuse involves firearms or threats. It directly affects victims seeking protective orders, respondents (abusers) who possess firearms, and law enforcement handling these cases. Key provisions mandate petitioners to provide specific firearm details (make, model, location, and vehicle info) if firearms are alleged to be in the respondent's possession, and require courts to automatically order firearm surrender and license relinquishment in temporary protective orders when abuse involved firearm use, threats, or serious harm. This strengthens firearm safety measures during domestic violence proceedings without changing eligibility for protective orders.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates firearm surrender in domestic violence cases to protect victims and improve law enforcement response, aligning with criminal justice reform by enhancing victim safety and accountability.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Drug Policy Firearms

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

HB 551: Criminal Law - Drug Paraphernalia and Controlled Paraphernalia Prohibitions - Repeal

HB 551 repeals specific sections of Maryland's Criminal Law that prohibited certain drug paraphernalia and controlled paraphernalia. It removes prohibitions related to items like syringes, packaging materials, and cutting agents used with controlled substances (excluding cannabis). The bill directly affects individuals who might possess these items under current law, as the repeal eliminates criminal penalties for such possession. This change modifies Maryland's legal definitions and prohibitions regarding drug paraphernalia by deleting the referenced sections from the Annotated Code.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRepeals criminal penalties for drug paraphernalia possession, reducing unnecessary criminalization and aligning with criminal justice reform principles by removing prohibitions on items like syringes.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRepeals criminal prohibitions on syringes and drug paraphernalia, enabling harm reduction programs that improve public health access and reduce disease transmission among people who use drugs.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

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in committee · Maryland · Senate Jan 21, 2026

SB 217: Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund - Alterations

SB 217 amends Maryland’s Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund to clarify its administration and distribution. It requires the Comptroller to manage the Fund under the Office of Social Equity’s direction, mandates counties to consult with community stakeholders and hold public hearings when adjusting fund distribution plans, and updates reporting requirements. The Fund, funded by cannabis tax revenue, directly serves communities disproportionately impacted by pre-2022 cannabis enforcement, directing funds to community-based organizations for programs like behavioral health services, job training, housing, and education initiatives. It prohibits using funds for law enforcement or replacing existing local government programs, while ensuring compliance through the Office of Social Equity. These changes refine how counties allocate funds to address historical inequities tied to cannabis criminalization, as outlined in Section 1-3A-03 of the Maryland Code.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesFunds community reinvestment using cannabis tax revenue, directing existing tax funds to targeted communities impacted by past enforcement.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill directs cannabis tax revenue to communities disproportionately impacted by pre-2022 cannabis enforcement, aligning with criminal justice reform by addressing historical inequities through targeted reinvestment.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Audits & Accountability Revenue Drug Policy Law Enforcement

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in committee · Maryland · Senate Jan 14, 2026

SB 171: Mail Theft

SB 171 proposes to update Maryland's mail theft laws by adding new prohibitions against stealing mail or packages under specific circumstances and banning possession of "arrow keys" in certain contexts. The bill creates two new sections (3-905 and 3-905.1) in the Criminal Law Article, explicitly making mail theft a criminal offense and clarifying jurisdiction for prosecuting such cases. It also revises court jurisdiction rules to ensure District Courts can handle mail theft violations, adding them to the list of cases under the court's authority. This legislation directly affects individuals who steal mail or packages, as well as law enforcement and courts handling these offenses. The bill is currently in the pre-filed stage, with no votes recorded yet.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates new criminal offenses for mail theft and clarifies prosecution jurisdiction, strengthening enforcement within criminal justice system.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Drug Policy Law Enforcement

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