SB 810 prohibits public school security personnel (including school resource officers, security employees, and certain off-duty officers providing school coverage) from engaging in federal immigration enforcement or sharing student/employee information for immigration purposes. The bill specifically bans using school staff for Section 287(g) federal immigration investigations and restricts sharing educational or personnel records related to immigration enforcement, except when presented with a valid judicial warrant, subpoena, or legal order. School security personnel must immediately contact the county superintendent and legal counsel if shown such legal documents. This law directly affects all Maryland public schools and their security staff, taking effect July 1, 2026, and aligns with existing privacy laws.
HB 557 creates a pre-approval review process for individuals with non-violent criminal convictions seeking occupational licenses (e.g., cosmetology, contracting, healthcare roles) in Maryland. It requires state departments (excluding Public Safety and Correctional Services) to provide a binding determination on whether an applicant’s criminal history would block their license *before* they formally apply, based on specific criteria like the nature of the offense, time since conviction, and rehabilitation evidence. The bill prohibits denial solely for past non-violent convictions unless a direct relationship to the job or safety risk exists, and establishes a $100 fee (waivable for low-income applicants) for the review. It applies to most occupational licenses but excludes sex offense convictions and automatically allows licenses after 7 years without new offenses.
SB 412 establishes Maryland’s Community Forensic Aftercare Program within the Maryland Department of Health. The program monitors two groups: individuals committed to the health department due to being "not criminally responsible" (often called "not guilty by reason of insanity" cases), and people with mental illness or intellectual disability requiring community monitoring under specific legal circumstances. Key mechanisms include creating a community monitoring board to decide on conditional release and out-of-state travel, and requiring licensed social workers ("Program Monitors") to track compliance with court orders and make health recommendations. The bill amends Maryland’s Criminal Procedure and Health codes to implement this program, focusing on safety and structured oversight for these individuals.
HB 1311 requires Maryland's Department of Public Safety to help incarcerated individuals access federal Pell Grants and state student financial aid. It mandates that correctional facilities assist eligible incarcerated people in applying for these funds and explicitly states that financial aid established under Maryland law must be available to those meeting eligibility criteria. The bill affects incarcerated individuals in state correctional facilities, directing the Department to collaborate with the Maryland Higher Education Commission and specific higher education institutions to facilitate access. This change takes effect July 1, 2026, without creating new funding but altering access procedures.
SB 823 changes how Maryland Parole Commission members are appointed. It replaces the current process where the Governor appoints members with Senate approval, requiring instead a new panel to submit at least three nominees per vacancy. The panel includes specific officials (like the Public Safety Secretary and Public Defender) plus representatives from mental health, education, social work, community organizations, prisoners' rights, victims' rights, and the general public. This bill directly affects the Commission's membership structure and takes effect October 1, 2026.
HB 577 prohibits the manufacture, sale, purchase, possession, or transfer of "machine gun convertible pistols" in Maryland after a specified date. These are defined as semiautomatic pistols with a special trigger mechanism that can be easily converted to automatic fire using common tools or a "pistol converter" device. The bill creates new criminal penalties for violating this ban, with key exceptions allowing law enforcement use, licensed dealer transactions for specific purposes, and inheritance by qualified individuals. It does not affect standard semiautomatic firearms or restrict existing lawfully owned weapons.
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 1018 establishes minimum mandatory standards for the care, custody, and conditions of individuals held in Maryland's immigration detention facilities. It directly affects immigration detainees, facility operators (including private entities), and healthcare/security staff who must report violations. Key provisions require the Secretary of Public Safety to adopt regulations covering safety, housing, food, and rights; mandate facility inspections and annual certifications; and authorize the Commission to shut down facilities deemed life-threatening or health-endangering. The bill also obligates staff to report violations with disciplinary consequences for non-compliance and allows the Attorney General to sue private facility operators for violations.
HB 16 restructures Maryland's Parole Commission by increasing its membership from 10 to 15-20 members and changing how they are appointed. The bill requires the Governor to appoint members from a panel of 8 specific experts (including the Public Defender, a mental health specialist, and a prisoners' rights advocate), with the panel only needed for initial appointments. It eliminates the Commission's authority to use hearing examiners for parole hearings, replacing that role entirely. These changes directly affect parole commissioners, the parole hearing process, and individuals seeking parole in Maryland.
