Criminal Procedure - Petition to Reduce Sentence (Maryland Second Look Act)

SB 291 (Maryland Second Look Act) allows individuals serving 20+ years in prison to petition courts for sentence reductions, provided at least 3 years have passed since a previous petition. Courts must hold hearings considering rehabilitation, age at offense, victim input, and community circumstances, with a rebuttable presumption of safety for those over 60 or serving 30+ years. The bill prohibits increasing sentences, bars using limited program access as evidence against petitioners, and applies retroactively to eligible cases. It limits individuals to three total petitions and requires courts to explain decisions publicly or in writing.