SB 187 Maryland Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Correctional Services - Comprehensive Rehabilitative Prerelease Services - Female Incarcerated Individuals (Monica Cooper Prerelease Act)

SB 187 requires Maryland to establish a dedicated prerelease facility for female incarcerated individuals at the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women. The bill mandates a separate facility with security features for low-risk, well-behaved inmates, located in Baltimore City on at least 3 acres, with sufficient capacity for all eligible women. It requires the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to provide gender-responsive services - including education, job training, trauma-informed counseling, and family support - starting by September 2026, and to report compliance to legislative committees. The facility must be operational by June 2023, with specific design standards for privacy, accessibility, and community reentry support.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Oct 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Apr 2026

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Oct 10, 2025 Signed May 31, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Third - Correctional Services - Comprehensive Rehabilitative Reentry Services - Female Incarcerated Individuals → Enrolled - Correctional Services - Comprehensive Rehabilitative Prerelease Services - Female Incarcerated Individuals (Monica Cooper Prerelease Act) · 4 edits · Mar 30, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was finalized as an Enrolled Bill, changing its status from a pre-filed draft to a law ready for the Governor's signature. The title was updated to reflect 'Prerelease Services' and include the 'Monica Cooper Prerelease Act' designation. Substantive changes include expanding eligibility for incarcerated women to include those with 'minimum security status' and clarifying the facility requirements to include multiple classrooms and updated capacity calculations.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on female incarcerated individuals, but the specific criteria for who qualifies for the program were broadened to include those with minimum security status in addition to prerelease status.

STATUS

The document status changed from a pre-filed Senate Bill to an Enrolled Bill, indicating it has passed all legislative stages and is awaiting the Governor's approval.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'Eligible Individual' was expanded to include women with 'prerelease or minimum security status,' broadening the pool of women who can access these services.

REQUIREMENT

The required facility specifications were updated to explicitly require multiple classrooms and adjusted capacity planning based on 2024 data.

TITLE

The official title of the act was revised to emphasize 'Prerelease Services' and formally name it the 'Monica Cooper Prerelease Act'.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 27, 2026 · House of Delegates Mar 30, 2026

How they voted

34–13

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 49

Mar 27, 2026

D Democratic36

34 Yea 2

94% Yea

R Republican13

13 Nay

100% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed Enrolled

upper

Apr 13, 2026

Introduced

Senate Concurs House Amendments

upper

Apr 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Motion Limit Debate (Senator King) Adopted

upper

Apr 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Apr 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

lower

Apr 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Judiciary

lower

Mar 30, 2026

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (102-36-4)

house of delegates

Mar 27, 2026

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (34-13-2)

senate

Mar 24, 2026

Committee

Referred Judiciary

lower

Mar 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Mar 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

upper

Mar 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings

upper

Jan 14, 2026

Committee

First Reading Judicial Proceedings and Budget and Taxation

upper

Oct 10, 2025

Introduced

Pre-filed

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors