HB 115 automatically restores voting rights for Maryland residents released from state prisons who were registered to vote before incarceration. The Department of Public Safety must send the State Board of Elections a weekly list of released individuals' names and new addresses, prompting the Board to reactivate their voter registration at their updated address. The bill requires the Board to send notification cards confirming voting eligibility and the right to update address or decline registration, while prohibiting public disclosure of how someone was restored through this process. This applies to all released individuals with prior registration who now reside in Maryland, effective January 2027.
SB 162 repeals a deadline that previously prevented certain individuals from filing motions to reduce their prison sentences. It affects adults convicted as minors for crimes committed before their 18th birthday (and sentenced before October 1, 2021) or adults aged 18-25 convicted of non-violent offenses (not life sentences, sex offenders, or murder involving first responders). The bill removes the October 2021 cutoff, allowing eligible individuals to file motions regardless of when they were sentenced. If approved, courts must hold a hearing where the person can present evidence, and victims may submit impact statements without cross-examination. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.
SB 230 amends Maryland law to treat sexual contact without consent during a burglary (first, second, or third degree) as a third-degree sexual offense. This directly affects individuals who commit such acts, elevating the offense level from a misdemeanor to a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The bill also updates sex offender registration tiers to include this specific burglary-related offense in the definitions of "tier I" and "tier II" sex offenders. These changes clarify that committing sexual contact without consent while burglarizing a property triggers stricter legal consequences and registration requirements. The bill does not alter existing provisions for offenses involving minors or other specific circumstances.
SB 82 amends Maryland law to specifically prohibit creating, aiding, or possessing counterfeit leases or rental agreements with fraudulent intent. It directly affects individuals who attempt to defraud landlords or tenants through fake housing documents. The bill adds "lease" and "rental agreement" to the list of forgery targets (alongside checks, deeds, and other documents), making it a felony to create such counterfeits (up to 10 years in prison or $1,000 fine) and a misdemeanor to knowingly possess them (up to 3 years or $1,000 fine). The law takes effect October 1, 2026.
SB 346, titled "Civil Actions - Violation of Constitutional Rights (No Kings Act)," creates a new legal pathway in Maryland for individuals to sue government officials who violate constitutional rights under "color of law." The bill allows plaintiffs to seek damages, injunctions, and attorney fees for deprivations of rights secured by the U.S. Constitution, Maryland Declaration of Rights, or Maryland Constitution. Key provisions include a 3-year statute of limitations for filing claims, protections for judicial officers (limiting injunctive relief unless a declaratory judgment is violated), and restrictions on awarding fees against judges acting within their authority. This law directly affects government officials and citizens who experience constitutional violations during official actions.
SB 305 extends funding for nonprofit organizations providing automotive repair training and reentry services to formerly incarcerated individuals in Maryland. It extends the grant period from fiscal years 2026-2028 to 2026-2029, authorizing $1 million annually for qualifying nonprofits that train at least 50 individuals yearly in auto repair and achieve a 50% job placement rate for participants. The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention administers the grants, requiring nonprofits to submit annual reports on fund usage, participant numbers, and employment outcomes. This bill directly affects nonprofits meeting specific service criteria and supports employment pathways for formerly incarcerated individuals.
HB 467 requires the Maryland Parole Commission to improve transparency and equity in parole decisions. It mandates annual reports broken down by race showing parole grants, denials (with reasons), administrative releases, hearing purposes, and parole-eligible individuals not granted parole. The bill also prohibits permanent parole denial, requires the Commission to document hearing reasoning publicly, and makes all hearing recordings publicly available after redaction for privacy, with specific retention rules. These changes directly affect incarcerated individuals in Maryland's correctional system by increasing accountability in parole proceedings.
HB 351 allows Maryland's Attorney General or State's Attorney to direct the Maryland State Police to collect and securely retain specific digital data (like license plates, cell tower records, GPS, or facial recognition data) about federal agents when a complaint alleges misconduct such as excessive force or civil rights violations. It directly affects complainants who file such misconduct claims and law enforcement agencies handling those cases. The bill requires that complainants can only access this digital data through a court order in a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 civil rights case or a related criminal proceeding. It does not authorize general surveillance but creates a targeted process for gathering evidence in verified misconduct complaints against federal agents. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.
SB 437 clarifies how gift card value is determined in theft and fraud cases and prohibits tampering with gift cards to defraud others. It defines "closed-loop" (single merchant) and "open-loop" (multi-merchant network) gift cards, setting their value as the highest of: face value, what the defendant claimed, or actual loss incurred. The bill creates a new misdemeanor offense for altering gift cards or packaging with fraudulent intent, punishable by up to 18 months in jail or a $500 fine. This directly affects individuals committing gift card fraud and businesses handling gift card transactions in Maryland.
SB 465 modifies Maryland's evidence rules to allow certain out-of-court statements in second-degree assault cases when the defendant caused the witness's unavailability through wrongdoing. It permits statements made under oath, in writing with the declarant's signature, or recorded verbatim to be admitted if the court finds by a preponderance of evidence that the defendant engaged in wrongdoing to make the witness unavailable. Before admitting such a statement, the court must hold a separate hearing outside the jury's presence to verify the defendant's wrongdoing. This bill directly affects defendants charged with second-degree assault and prosecutors seeking to use specific witness statements in trial.
