Criminal Justice

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 24, 2026

HB 1467: Criminal Law - Fourth Degree Sexual Offense - Out-of-State Convictions

HB 1467 amends Maryland's criminal code to allow out-of-state, federal, or tribal court convictions for certain sex offenses to count as prior convictions for enhanced sentencing. Specifically, it expands the definition of "prior conviction" under fourth-degree sexual offense penalties to include crimes that would qualify as violations of specific Maryland statutes (e.g., sexual offenses involving minors) if committed in Maryland. This directly affects repeat offenders who have prior convictions for equivalent offenses in other jurisdictions, potentially leading to longer prison terms (up to 3 years) for subsequent offenses. The bill does not change the underlying offenses but modifies sentencing eligibility based on prior convictions from outside Maryland. It takes effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands prior conviction use for enhanced sentencing of repeat offenders, increasing penalties under fourth-degree sexual offense provisions95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 24, 2026

HB 313: Landlord and Tenant - Residential Housing - Rental Applications and Tenant Screening

HB 313 prohibits landlords in Maryland from charging application or screening fees unless a rental unit is immediately available or will become available within 30 days. Landlords must provide written disclosures about screening criteria, fees, and reporting agencies before collecting any fees, and must give prospective tenants specific reasons, copies of screening reports, and the right to dispute inaccuracies if denying an application. The bill also bans landlords from considering sealed court records or failure-to-pay rent proceedings in screening decisions. Violations are treated as consumer protection law violations under Maryland law, subject to enforcement and penalties.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticePrevents landlords from using sealed criminal records in tenant screening, protecting individuals with rehabilitated histories and aligning with criminal justice reform goals.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingProhibits unfair landlord fees and mandates transparency in tenant screening, strengthening tenant protections under housing policy.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 23, 2026

HB 159: Mail Theft

HB 159 proposes to amend Maryland law regarding mail theft by creating new prohibitions on stealing mail or packages under specific circumstances. The bill establishes two new sections (3-905 and 3-905.1) in the Criminal Law Article, defining prohibited acts and penalties for mail theft. It also clarifies that violations of these new provisions will be tried in District Court or Circuit Court, depending on the offense severity. This bill directly affects individuals who steal or possess stolen mail or packages, and it is currently pending in the Maryland General Assembly.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new criminal prohibitions for mail theft, expanding criminalization without reform elements or oversight improvements.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 19, 2026

HB 1058: Youth Delinquency Prevention Fund - Establishment

HB 1058 establishes Maryland's Youth Delinquency Prevention Fund to provide grants to community-based programs, including youth service bureaus, that offer preventive services like delinquency prevention, youth suicide prevention, substance use prevention, and youth development. The fund, administered by the state office, is funded through state budget appropriations and interest earnings, and it must be used exclusively for these preventive services without replacing existing funding. The bill requires annual reports detailing grant distribution, the number of children served (disaggregated by age, region, race, and ethnicity), and whether served youth later interacted with justice systems. The fund is non-lapsing, meaning money remains available year-to-year and cannot revert to the General Fund.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes new state fund requiring budget appropriations for youth programs, explicitly increasing public service funding without replacing existing resources.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill establishes fund for youth delinquency prevention programs, directly advancing criminal justice reform by reducing future involvement through preventive services like substance use and youth development.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 19, 2026

HB 688: Intercepted Communications - Penalty

HB 688 would reclassify violations of Maryland's law against intercepting or disclosing wire, oral, or electronic communications from a felony to a misdemeanor. This affects anyone who unlawfully intercepts, discloses, or uses the contents of such communications in violation of the law. The bill amends Section 10-402(b) of Maryland's Courts and Judicial Proceedings code to change the penalty level, though it maintains the same maximum fine ($10,000) and potential imprisonment (up to 5 years) for the offense.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeReclassifies felony violations to misdemeanor, reducing penalty severity aligning with criminal justice reform goals of less harsh sentencing.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 20, 2026

HB 432: Municipalities - Vagrancy - Repeal of Authority to Prohibit

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.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRepeals vagrancy laws criminalizing homelessness/loitering, reducing unnecessary arrests and aligning with criminal justice reform principles.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingRepeals vagrancy laws criminalizing homelessness, removing barriers for unhoused individuals and aligning with housing access protections90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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signed · Maryland · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SB 245: Public Safety - Immigration Enforcement Agreements - Prohibition

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.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProhibits local law enforcement from collaborating with federal immigration enforcement, reducing potential civil rights violations and aligning with criminal justice reform principles.85% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationProhibits state/local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, directly limiting such agreements per bill text.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice