Prior Legislative Sessions

2023 Legislative Session

This year,  $3 million to build the first Pre-Release Unit for Women required by HB 801/SB 684 passed in 2020 with UULM-MD support (with the prior Governor’s veto overridden in 2021) was added to HB 201 – Capital Budget. 

 

2022 Legislative Session

Signed into law

• HB 1018 - Governor's Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services - Required Performance Data and Scorecard

Enacted

• SB 691 and HB 459 – Juvenile Justice Reform – enacted without Governor’s signature

• SB 53 – Juvenile Law – Child Interrogation Protection Act – veto overridden

• HB 837 – Cannabis Reform – enacted without Governor’s signature

• HB 293 - Behavioral Health Crisis Response Services - 9-8-8 Trust Fund – enacted without Governor’s signature

Allowed to go into effect without signature

• HB 67 - Correctional Services - Restrictive Housing - Direct Release

• HB 129 / SB 12 – Behavioral Health Crisis Response Services and Public Safety Answering Points – Modifications

• HB 1005 / SB 350 - Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Community Violence Prevention Services

• HB 1023 - Department of Legislative Services - Collection of Information Related to Public Safety, Criminal Justice, Corrections, and Juvenile Services

• HB 441 - Baltimore City - Pretrial Release of Defendant – Notice

• SB 586 - Criminal Procedure and Public Safety - Courts and Criminal Justice in Baltimore City

• SB 777 - Task Force to Study Public Information Act Requests Made to Law Enforcement – Establishment

• SB 704 - Conditions of Pretrial Release - Home Detention Monitoring - Alterations and Extension

• HB 1078 / SB 788 - Cannabis - Regulation - Delta-8- and Delta-10-Tetrahydrocannabinol​

Passed (awaiting referendum by voters)

• HB 1 – Constitutional Amendment - Cannabis – Adult Use and Possession – passed and will become law if approved by popular referendum in November

Failed to Pass

• HB 604 / SB 512 - Office of the Attorney General - Correctional Ombudsman – no vote in committee

• HB 294 / SB 165 - Juvenile Court – Jurisdiction - no vote in either committee

• HB 25 - Rehabilitation and Education for All Prisons (REAP) Act – no vote in committee

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2021 Legislative Session

Police Accountability Reform:  

Landmark police accountability legislation became a reality in our state on October 1, 2021. With our support, the Maryland General Assembly passed several comprehensive measures to transform the way policing is done throughout the state and make transparent the process of holding officers accountable for misconduct.  

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The Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021 is a complex, multifaceted approach that includes a new Use of Force policy with significant consequences for excessive force, restrictions on no-knock warrants, independent investigations of police misconduct, disclosure of the results of misconduct investigations, and replacement of the obstructive Law Enforcement Officer's Bill of Rights (LEOBOR) with new procedures for administrative discipline. The document below provides a detailed description of the major components of this important legislation.

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Citations - HB 445 / SB 671: 

An outgrowth of the comprehensive correctional reform bill –In order to reduce detention centers population of non-violent offenders charged with minor infractions. This bill gives an arresting officer the option to either charge the individual OR issue a citation for certain categories of offences. This means fewer citizens will be entered into the correctional system for minor, non-violent offences, reduces the number being housed in jails and reduces potential hardships like loss of jobs for the offender. 

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HB 89 / SB 397 - Correctional Services - Diminution Credits - Education

Currently, people serving time in prison are allowed to earn days off their original sentences for good behavior. We are supporting an additional, new type of sentence diminution credits for successful attainment of major educational goals identified in an inmate’s approved treatment plan. 

 

SB 202- Correctional Services - Parole - Life Imprisonment (Passed in April; General Assembly overrode Governor Hogan's veto in December) 

Maryland is one of three states in the country that gives the Governor the final review for parole for this sentence. 

The bill we support relegates this decision to the appointed parole board as done in many states, thus removing the governor from this responsibility. Currently all other parolees are released via a parole board process except those with a Life with a Parole possibility.

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And Restrictive Housing - Direct Release - HB 131, was not passed. 

Would prohibit direct release from solitary to the outside. A transition program will provide needed skills to better prepare the citizen to successfully reestablish back into the community.

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2020 Legislative Session

The 2020 Legislative Session was adjourned early, due to the Covid-19 Pandemic and shut down. The Genral Asspmbly was able to pass two bills, HB 801 was vetoed by the Governor and HB 49 was allowed to become law withouth the Governor's Signature, as we most legislation due to social distancing requirements. 

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HB 801/SB 684 Correctional Services - Prerelease Unit for Women - Facilities and Services (Gender-Responsive Prerelease Act) would have required the Division of Correction to operate a comprehensive rehabilitative prerelease unit for women that is a separate structure in which specified services are provided, has security features for specified female inmates, and matches security level on a validated gender-responsive risk measure. The DOC is also required to make evidence-based and gender-responsive services available to female inmates at the prerelease unit for women. The bill also alters existing requirements for comprehensive rehabilitative prerelease services to require the services to utilize “evidence-based programs and practices” and “innovative programs and practices.” which was vetoed by the Governor. (Passed in 2020; General Assembly overrode Governor Hogan's veto in 2021)

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HB 49 - Criminal Procedure- Pretrial Release- Pretrial Risk Scoring Instruments - requires a jurisdiction that uses a “pretrial risk scoring instrument” to determine the eligibility of a defendant for pretrial release to have an independent validation study of the instrument conducted at least once every five years. The bill also adds “pretrial risk scoring instrument validation” as an authorized purpose for grants from the Pretrial Services Program Grant Fund and makes corresponding changes to provisions governing the fund, which was allowed to become law without the Governor's signature. 

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Priority Legislation

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Citations - HB 261/SB 333

The Citations bill is an outgrowth of the comprehensive correctional reform bill – Justice Reinvestment Act of 2016 which produced a 2-year  study and implementation overhaul of Maryland’s Criminal Justice System. One of its goals is to reduce detention centers population of non-violent offenders charged with minor infractions. They can be referred to rehabilitation programs or probation. The Citation bill is a piece of the reform package as suggested by the Pew Research Team. This bill permits police officers to issue citations for certain offences instead of the offender being taken into the local detention centers. (a similar process used for minor traffic violations)

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Restrictive Housing (Solitary Confinement)

• HB 740/SB 999 - Direct Release - Past efforts have shown little progress in prohibiting direct release of an offender from Solitary back into the community. This is a disservice  not only to the community but also the offender. A transitionalprogram is necessary to help the change be safe, successful and supportive.

• HB 742/SB 1002 - Mental Illness - Bill will prohibit restrictive housing for the most severe mentally ill inmates.

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Lifers with Parole Possibility - HB 1219/SB 817

Maryland is one of three states in the country that gives the Governor the final review for parole for this sentence. 

The bill we support relegates this decision to the appointed parole board as done in many states, thus removing the governor from this responsibility.

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Correctional Education - HB 812/SB 922, SB 971

Currently, people serving time in prison are allowed to earn days off their original sentences for good behavior. We are supporting an additional, new type of sentence diminution credits for successful attainment of major educational goals identified in an inmate’s approved treatment plan. When incarcerated people are offered the chance to learn new things, their sense of hope and self-esteem is greatly enhanced.

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2019 Legislative Session

In the 2019 General Assembly Session, UULM-MD continued to work with the Marylanders for Justice Reform (MAJR) and others on several fronts, aimed at addressing all aspects of the criminal justice system.   

 

Solitary Confinement 

Our top priority was the need to end Maryland's overuse and misuse of "restrictive housing" in correctional institutions.  Restrictive housing is any form of physical separation in which the inmate is placed in a locked room or cell for approximately 22 hours or more out of a 24-hour period. This includes administrative segregation and disciplinary segregation. This is commonly known as "solitary confinement." The UN Rapporteur on Torture, prolonged solitary confinement that is for 14 or more days is a form of psychological torture, and other experts have documented that prolonged solitary confinement is cruel, expensive and ineffective. 

The Interfaith Action for Human Rights proposes that legislation be adopted to ensure that prisoner may not be placed in solitary confinement unless: 

• The prisoner poses an immediate and substantial risk of physical harm to the security of the facility, to himself or herself, or to others that is not the result of a serious mental illness; 

• All other less-restrictive options to address the risk have been attempted and exhausted; 

• The prisoner is held in solitary confinement only for the minimum time required to address the risk, and for a period of time that does not compromise his or her mental and physical health of the prisoner. 

 

Facts About Solitary 

How many people are in restrictive housing? 

• Nationally, 4-5% of prisoners are in solitary—Maryland is roughly twice that, 8% of Maryland’s prison population is in solitary1 

• During 2017, 73% of Maryland’s prison population was placed in restrictive housing at some point. 

For how long? 

• According to the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture, there should be an absolute prohibition on restrictive housing in excess of 15 days3 x In Maryland, the average length of stay in restrictive housing is 3 times that, about 45 days! 

What about re-entry? 

• In 2017, 278 persons were released directly to the community. 

What about the mentally ill? 

• According the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture, the mentally ill should never be put in restrictive housing4 x In 2017, 216 seriously mentally ill inmates were placed in restrictive housing in Maryland. 

What about safety? 

• Prisoners who pose a safety risk can be separated from the general population without being put in restrictive housing. 

 

Measures Introduced in 2019 

Restrictive Housing 

HB 1002 - Correctional Services - Restrictive Housing - Direct Release - Prohibiting the Commissioner of Corrections from directly releasing an inmate who has been placed in restrictive housing from a facility to the community without providing the inmate a certain transitional process and more than 180 days before release; establishing the requirements of a certain transitional process; prohibiting an inmate from being placed in restrictive housing within a certain period of a release date, under certain circumstances; etc. 

 

HB 1029 - Correctional Services - Restrictive Housing - Limitations (Restrictive Housing Reform Act of 2019) - Requiring the managing official of a correctional facility to ensure that each inmate in restrictive housing receives a certain notice and is provided a certain review process, appeal information, and copies of certain documents, files, and records under certain circumstances; requiring that an inmate be provided with a certain evaluation,  techniques, and opportunities prior to placement in restrictive housing; providing for levels of sanctions for certain infractions by an inmate; etc. 

 

HB 1001/SB 774 - Correctional Services - Restrictive Housing - Reporting by Correctional Units and Requirements Relating to Minors - Expanding the entities required to submit a certain report relating to restrictive housing; prohibiting a certain correctional unit from placing a minor in certain restrictive housing unless a certain managing official makes a certain finding; requiring that a minor placed in restrictive housing be provided certain privileges and conditions; requiring a certain managing official or designee to make a record in the file of a minor of the reason a certain privilege or condition is not provided to the minor; etc. 

 

HB 745/SB 809- Correctional Facilities - Restrictive Housing - Pregnant Inmates - Requiring each correctional facility to have a written policy in place regarding the medical care of pregnant inmates that addresses the use of medical isolation or restrictive housing for certain purposes, during pregnancy and during a certain post-pregnancy period; establishing that a pregnant inmate may not be involuntarily placed in certain restrictive housing, with certain exceptions; providing that a certain pregnant inmate may be placed in certain restrictive housing if a certain managing official makes a certain determination. 

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Other Bills

HB 294/SB 621 - Correctional Services - Diminution Credits - Education - This measure, initiated in 2018 by a member of our Columbia congregation, would award a one-time diminution credit to reduce the term of confinement of an inmate if the inmate successfully obtains an educational certificate, diploma, or degree.  

Parole Reform 

 

HB 443/SB 121- Inmates - Life Imprisonment - Parole Reform - Establishing that inmates serving a term of life imprisonment may be paroled without the Governor's approval after serving 30 years under certain circumstances. 

Police Accountability 

 

SB 834 - Public Safety - Law Enforcement Accountability - Civilian Oversight - Adding a certain investigator to the list of individuals who may be considered a certain investigating officer or interrogating officer for purposes of a certain provision of law; prohibiting a record of a certain complaint against a law enforcement officer from being expunged; repealing a requirement that the Civilian Review Board of Baltimore City expunge certain records; etc. 

 

HB 413 - Public Information Act - Personnel and Investigatory Records - Formal Complaints Against Public Employees - Establishing that records related to a formal complaint of job-related misconduct made against a public employee do not constitute personnel records under the Public Information Act; and authorizing a custodian to deny inspection of records of an investigation, a hearing, or a decision by a governmental unit connected with a complaint of job-related misconduct made against a public employee. 

 

SB 838 - Maryland Public Information Act - Personnel Records of Law Enforcement Officers - Inspections by Investigative Agencies - Requiring a custodian of the personnel record of a law enforcement agency on a law enforcement officer to allow inspection of the record by a representative of an agency with the power and jurisdiction to administratively investigate alleged misconduct of the law enforcement officer who is the subject of the record. 

Update:

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Of the many bills that were introduced this past session, only the following were enacted and became settled law. The first was HB 1001/SB 774- Correctional Services - Restrictive Housing - Reporting by Correctional Units and Requirements Relating to Minors, which was signed by Governor Hogan on May 13. The other was SB 809 - Correctional Facilities - Restrictive Housing - Pregnant Inmates which was signed by Governor Hogan on April 30th.