Commission to Review and Assess Racial Disparities in the State Criminal Justice System - Establishment

SB 752 establishes a 15-member Commission to study racial disparities in Maryland's criminal justice system. The Commission, appointed by legislative leaders, the Governor, and criminal justice stakeholders, will examine how African Americans, Hispanics, and other non-White individuals experience differences in policing, arrests, sentencing, and other system stages. It must study issues like mandatory minimums, risk assessment tools, felony murder doctrine, and data collection methods, then hold public hearings and submit recommendations. The bill does not change laws but creates a body to analyze systemic inequities and propose reforms. This affects all Marylanders interacting with the criminal justice system by directing a formal review of racial bias patterns.