HB 658 Maryland House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Maryland Department of Health - Forensic Review Boards and Community Forensic Aftercare Program

HB 658 establishes Maryland’s Community Forensic Aftercare Program within the Department of Health. The program monitors two groups: individuals found not criminally responsible due to mental illness who are on conditional release, and people with mental illness or intellectual disability requiring community monitoring under specific legal circumstances. Key provisions require the Program to create a community monitoring board to make decisions about conditional release and out-of-state travel for these individuals. The bill amends existing criminal procedure and health codes to implement this new oversight structure, replacing outdated sections with the new program framework.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 30, 2026 Last action Mar 23, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Maryland Department of Health - Community Forensic Aftercare Program - Established Third - Maryland Department of Health - Forensic Review Boards and Community Forensic Aftercare Program · 5 edits
MODERATE
The bill was amended to rename the program to include 'Forensic Review Boards' and to remove a requirement for the review boards to send written notice to individuals within a specific timeframe after issuing recommendations. Additionally, the bill added new provisions allowing committed persons to appoint an 'authorized agent' to attend board meetings virtually and argue on their behalf, while restricting legal counsel from attending these meetings.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded to explicitly cover forensic review boards alongside the aftercare program, and the applicability of notification requirements was narrowed by removing a specific deadline for sending recommendations.
DEFINITION

Added a new definition for 'authorized agent,' defined as a non-lawyer individual selected by the committed person to represent their interests in forensic review board matters.

REQUIREMENT

Established that committed persons may appoint an authorized agent to attend the entirety of forensic review board meetings, except for the final voting portion.

Authorized authorized agents to attend board meetings virtually.

Deleted the requirement that forensic review boards must provide notice to individuals within a specific number of days after issuing a recommendation to the court.

Prohibited counsel for any party from attending forensic review board meetings.

Floor votes · House of Delegates Mar 11, 2026

How they voted

10236
Passed · 4 other
Total votes 142
Mar 11, 2026
D Democratic103
100 Yea 3
97% Yea
R Republican39
2 Yea 36 Nay 1
92% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
8
Key actions
4
Committee
4
Mar 23, 2026
Committee
Referred Finance Judicial Proceedings
upper
Mar 23, 2026
Lower · Passed
Third Reading Passed
lower
Mar 23, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments {
lower
Mar 23, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments Report by Health
lower
Mar 11, 2026
House Of Delegates · Passed
House of Delegates Vote: pass (102-36-4)
house of delegates
Jan 30, 2026
Committee
First Reading Health
lower
12 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors