Sen. Will Smith

Maddy summarySB 280, the *Judicial and Public Safety for Service Members Act*, updates Maryland law to ensure legal protections apply consistently to all uniformed service members (not just veterans) in judicial, criminal, family, and public safety matters. It revises definitions in key laws to replace "veteran" with "uniformed services" and expands the application of court procedures, corrections policies, criminal laws, family law, and public safety regulations to cover active-duty and reserve service members. The bill adds new provisions (e.g., in family law and public safety sections) to address service-related circumstances, such as deployment impacts on custody or safety protocols. This directly affects service members navigating Maryland’s legal system during active duty or in related legal proceedings.

Maddy summarySB 274 modifies Maryland court procedures for child abuse cases by allowing a child victim to testify remotely via closed-circuit television outside the courtroom if a judge determines their presence with the defendant would cause serious emotional distress. It specifies that only certain attorneys (prosecution, defense, child's advocate), court staff, and therapeutic support personnel may be present with the child during remote testimony, while the defendant and judge remain in the courtroom. The bill explicitly prohibits two-way video that would let the child see or hear the defendant during testimony. This directly affects child victims, defendants, and their legal representatives in abuse cases covered under Maryland’s Family Law and Criminal Law Articles.

Maddy summarySB 80 increases penalties for animal abuse or neglect in Maryland that results in an animal's death or the need for humane euthanasia. It raises penalties from up to 90 days/$1,000 to up to 3 years/$5,000 for such severe cases, requiring validation of euthanasia decisions by a second veterinarian or state veterinarian for livestock. The bill also adds new sentencing options, including mandatory counseling, reimbursement for animal care costs, and court-ordered bans on owning or living with animals for convicted offenders. This directly affects individuals convicted of severe animal cruelty and gives courts additional tools to address repeat offenses.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 432, known as the "Expungement Reform Act of 2025," updates Maryland's laws concerning the expungement of criminal records, directly affecting individuals seeking to clear certain past convictions. The bill modifies the waiting periods for filing expungement petitions after a sentence is completed and expands the list of misdemeanor convictions eligible for expungement. It also requires courts to consider if restitution has been paid or if the person lacks the ability to pay before granting expungement. Finally, the bill prohibits the Maryland Judiciary Case Search from displaying any reference to certain expunged records.

Maddy summarySB 348 amends Maryland's criminal law to clarify and expand protections against surreptitious filming of people's private areas. It directly affects anyone who secretly films another person's genitals, pubic area, buttocks, or female breast (below the areola) without consent in places where privacy is expected, such as residences, dressing rooms, or hotel rooms. Key changes include explicitly defining "private place" to include homes and adding specific examples like tanning rooms, while clarifying that "visual surveillance" covers camera use, mirrors, or direct observation. Violations are punishable by up to one year in jail, a $2,500 fine, or both, and victims gain a civil right to sue for damages and attorney fees.

Maddy summarySB 334 prohibits intentionally setting fires (malicious or fraudulent burning) that cause death or serious injury to firefighters. It directly affects individuals who commit such acts, making it a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The bill adds specific language to Maryland’s criminal code clarifying that harming firefighters during fire-related crimes carries enhanced penalties. Sentences under this law may run separately from sentences for the original fire offense. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 811 extends deadlines for the existing Task Force on the Creation of a Division of Returning Citizens and Expanded Reentry Services. It changes the report submission deadline from December 31, 2025, to October 31, 2026, and extends the task force’s operational period until June 30, 2027 (from June 30, 2026). The bill modifies two prior laws (Chapters 936 and 937 of 2024) to adjust these timelines without creating new policies or services. This procedural change affects the task force’s schedule but does not alter the scope of reentry services planning.

Maddy summarySB 608 amends Maryland law to update how local authorities certify victims' helpfulness for U Nonimmigrant Status (U visa) petitions. It expands who can certify these petitions to include more agencies like child/adult protective services and the Commission on Civil Rights, beyond just police and prosecutors. The bill requires certifying officials to include specific details about the crime, the victim’s past/present cooperation, and evidence of harm in the certification form. This directly affects victims of qualifying crimes (like trafficking or domestic violence) seeking U visas to stay in the U.S. while assisting law enforcement. The changes align Maryland’s process with federal U visa rules and streamline certification for victims and advocates.

Maddy summarySB 181 (Correctional Services - Geriatric and Medical Parole) requires Maryland’s Parole Commission to consider an incarcerated person’s age when deciding parole eligibility, specifically including age in the assessment of "reasonable probability" of not reoffending. It also clarifies medical parole standards, defining "chronically debilitated" (e.g., severe dementia or permanent disability) and "terminal illness," and mandates that medical parole requests include a licensed medical professional’s evaluation. The bill requires the Commission to develop procedures for reviewing such requests and allows for a direct meeting between the incarcerated person and the Commission under certain medical circumstances. This directly affects older inmates (60+) or those with serious, non-improving medical conditions who are eligible for parole.

Maddy summarySB 360 updates Maryland law to address non-consensual sharing of computer-generated images resembling real people. It allows victims to file civil lawsuits if someone distributes such images that falsely show their intimate parts or sexual activity without consent, and it creates a new criminal offense for knowingly distributing these images under specific circumstances (like with intent to harm or without consent). The bill defines "computer-generated visual representation" to include images made from scratch or altered from existing photos without permission, while excluding drawings, cartoons, sculptures, or paintings. This directly affects individuals who create or share such images without consent, as well as victims seeking legal remedies for privacy violations.