HB 22 Maryland House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Correctional Services - Incarcerated Individuals - Identification Cards, Driver's Licenses, and Birth Certificates

HB 22 requires Maryland correctional facilities to return valid photo ID cards or driver's licenses to incarcerated individuals at release if they entered custody with them. It also mandates state corrections officials to help inmates obtain birth certificates and Social Security cards before release, with written consent required. Facilities must work with inmates six months before release (for those serving 1+ year sentences) to ensure they have valid ID or driver's licenses available upon release. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026, and explicitly states it cannot delay release.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Aug 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House of Delegates Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Aug 11, 2025 Last action Mar 24, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Correctional Services - Incarcerated Individuals - Identification Cards and Driver's Licenses → Third - Correctional Services - Incarcerated Individuals - Identification Cards, Driver's Licenses, and Birth Certificates · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill was expanded from focusing only on identification cards and driver's licenses to also include birth certificates for incarcerated individuals. The bill now applies only to those serving 18 months or more at state facilities, and adds requirements for the Commissioner of Correction to check for existing documentation at intake and provide forms for obtaining birth certificates and social security cards before release.

Scope change

The bill's scope was significantly broadened to include birth certificates in addition to identification cards and driver's licenses, and eligibility was narrowed to only those serving 18 months or more at state correctional facilities.

SCOPE

Added birth certificates to the list of documents the bill addresses for incarcerated individuals

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for Commissioner of Correction to determine if incarcerated individuals are in possession of birth certificates, social security cards, or valid IDs at intake

Added responsibility for managing officials to safely keep identification documents from the time of intake until release

Added specific provisions for when the Commissioner may not need to obtain documents if the individual already possesses them

ELIGIBILITY

Changed eligibility from all incarcerated individuals to only those serving 18 months or more at state correctional facilities

TIMELINE

Changed the timeline for obtaining birth certificates from 6 months before release to at least 9 months before anticipated release

Floor votes · House of Delegates Mar 8, 2026

How they voted

107–24

Passed · 11 other

Total votes 142

Mar 8, 2026

D Democratic103

94 Yea 9

91% Yea

R Republican39

13 Yea 24 Nay 2

61% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 23, 2026

Committee

Referred Judicial Proceedings

upper

Mar 20, 2026

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Government, Labor, and Elections

lower

Mar 8, 2026

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (107-24-11)

house of delegates

Jan 14, 2026

Committee

First Reading Government, Labor, and Elections

lower

Aug 11, 2025

Introduced

Pre-filed

lower

15 primary · 0 co-sponsors