HB 450 protects victims of sexual assault or stalking by requiring courts and parties in criminal or juvenile cases to redact identifying information (like names or addresses) from public court records and filings. It directly affects victims, courts, and legal parties by prohibiting disclosure of such information to nonparties unless the court finds "clear and convincing evidence" of good cause to allow it. The bill mandates redaction of victim identifiers in all filings - including charging documents - and requires courts to redact existing records upon written request from the victim. Exceptions only apply when a court specifically authorizes disclosure after reviewing evidence of necessity. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.
SB 514 redefines third-degree assault in Maryland as a misdemeanor involving intentional non-consensual touch a reasonable person would find offensive, excluding cases involving physical injury, domestic violence, or sexual crimes. It creates a new offense with penalties of up to 90 days in jail or a $500 fine for causing "offensive contact," engaging in conduct that puts someone in fear of such contact, or attempting it. The bill also modifies expungement eligibility for certain convictions and clarifies court procedures for charging third-degree assault cases. It directly affects individuals committing non-injurious, non-domestic, non-sexual assault-like acts under this new standard.
HB 687 (the PACE Act) protects criminal defendants and juvenile respondents in Maryland from having their creative works (like music, poetry, visual art, or film) used as evidence against them in court. It blocks such evidence unless a court finds, by a preponderance of evidence, that the creator intended the work to be literal (not fictional), it directly references the specific facts of the alleged crime, and it's relevant to a disputed fact. The bill explicitly excludes this protection for juvenile cases where creative expression is used to evaluate mental health or diversion programs. This law directly affects artists facing criminal or juvenile charges in Maryland, changing how their original creative expression can be considered as evidence. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.
HB 921 limits when minors in Maryland juvenile facilities can be placed in restrictive housing (isolation or special confinement). It prohibits using restrictive housing for discipline, punishment, or staff convenience, and requires facilities to use it only for immediate safety risks (like harm to self/others or facility security) for the shortest time possible (max 6 hours). Minors can request restrictive housing or withdraw that request at any time, and facilities must provide mental health screenings within 1 hour of placement. The bill also mandates that minors in restrictive housing receive the same access to phone calls, visits, medical care, education, and recreation as other minors, unless safety is at risk.
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.
HB 194, the Incarcerated Job Training Act, requires Maryland's Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to create a paid apprenticeship program for incarcerated individuals in skilled trades. The bill mandates that participants earn at least the state minimum wage, with earnings deposited into their personal accounts for use after release. Employers - such as state agencies, local governments, or private businesses - can participate, but may reject assignments or withdraw from the program. Successful completers receive a certificate within 30 days of release, and the program must prioritize developing marketable job skills. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.
This constitutional amendment prohibits judges or justices removed or retired for misconduct from holding any future judicial position. It directly affects judges disciplined by the Commission on Judicial Disabilities, adding a new provision that explicitly bars such individuals from future judicial office. The key mechanism requires the Supreme Court to remove or retire judges found guilty of misconduct, with the amendment ensuring these individuals lose eligibility for any subsequent judicial role. This change modifies Article IV of the Maryland Constitution and requires voter approval in the November 2026 election.
HB 477 modifies Maryland's evidence rules to allow certain out-of-court statements in assault in the second degree cases where the defendant caused the witness's unavailability. It permits such statements as evidence if the court finds by a preponderance of evidence that the defendant engaged in wrongdoing to make the witness unavailable. The bill requires statements to have been given under oath, written and signed, or recorded verbatim, and mandates early notice to the defense about the statement's use. This directly affects criminal trials for assault in the second degree by expanding admissible evidence while adding procedural safeguards. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.
HB 432 repeals a provision in Maryland law that allowed municipalities to prohibit "vagrancy" (laws targeting homeless or loitering individuals without clear purpose). The bill directly affects local governments by removing their legal authority to enforce such vagrancy prohibitions under Section 5-207(c)(2) of the Maryland Annotated Code. Key mechanisms include deleting "vagrancy" from the list of activities municipalities could ban, while preserving other related powers like prohibiting gambling or vice. The change takes effect October 1, 2026, and represents a concrete policy shift in local law enforcement authority.
Maryland's SB 245 prohibits state, local governments, county sheriffs, and their agencies from entering new agreements with federal authorities to enforce civil immigration law. It defines such agreements as contracts under federal laws like 8 U.S.C. § 1103 or § 1357. Existing agreements must be terminated by July 1, 2026, or immediately upon the bill's effective date of June 1, 2026. The law directly affects all Maryland local law enforcement entities and state agencies that previously collaborated with federal immigration enforcement.
