SB 464 Maryland Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Commission to Examine the Expungement Laws of Maryland

SB 464 establishes a 10-member Commission to review Maryland's current expungement laws and processes, focusing on improving efficiency and equity. The Commission includes representatives from state government (like the Public Defender and State Court Administrator), legal advocates, workforce organizations, crime victims' groups, and two individuals with criminal records currently ineligible for expungement. It must examine existing laws, compare them with other states, and propose a streamlined, broader-expungement system by December 31, 2027. The bill expires automatically on June 30, 2028, without requiring further legislative action. This process directly affects how Maryland might reform its criminal record clearance system for residents.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 2, 2026 Last action Mar 26, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Commission to Examine the Expungement Laws of Maryland Third - Commission to Examine the Expungement Laws of Maryland · 5 edits
MODERATE
The bill was revised to add co-sponsors, update committee status and adoption dates, and reorganize the commission membership list. The substantive policy content regarding the commission's duties and report timeline remains largely the same, though the effective dates were adjusted to 2027 and the abrogation date to 2029.
Scope change
The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; the revisions are primarily procedural and formatting.
TECHNICAL

Added co-sponsors to the bill, expanding the list of legislators supporting the measure.

Reordered and renumbered the commission membership list, moving the State Court Administrator and Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services to earlier positions.

Added new committee report status and Senate action adoption dates to the header.

TIMELINE

Updated the effective date from June 1, 2026 to June 1, 2027, and changed the abrogation date from June 30, 2028 to June 30, 2029.

Adjusted the Commission's report deadline from December 31, 2027 to December 31, 2028.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 5, 2026

How they voted

420
Passed · 7 other
Total votes 49
Mar 5, 2026
D Democratic36
31 Yea 5
86% Yea
R Republican13
11 Yea 2
84% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
11
Key actions
4
Committee
4
Mar 21, 2026
Committee
Referred Judiciary
lower
Mar 20, 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
Mar 5, 2026
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (42-0-7)
senate
Feb 2, 2026
Committee
First Reading Judicial Proceedings
upper
10 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors