2026 Legislation
Other Legislation Efforts
The Second Look Act
These are the current requests to legislators.
- Assign The Second Look Act to a Subcommittee to study its implementation and impact on victims, their mental health, and public safety.
- Amend The Second Look Act to:
- Limit petitions to one hearing per eligible inmate.
- Exclude first-degree murderers.
- Exclude those serving life sentences from eligibility.
- Exclude those convicted of hate crime from eligibility.
- Clarify how HB 853 interacts with the Maryland Parole Commission to maintain consistency and transparency.
MCVRC LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS
- RESTITUTION REQUIRED FOR EXPUNGEMENTS: requires restitution payment in full prior to any expungement. Affects CP 10-105 and CP 10-110.
- RESTITUTION PAYMENT SCHEDULE REQUIRED: requires a minimum payment schedule when restitution is ordered. Affects CP 11-607
- VICTIMS' NOTICE AND RIGHT TO BE HEARD: brings statute up to date with Syed decision and Constitutional rights. Affects CP 11-1002, 11-102 & HG 8-502
- VICTIMS’ RIGHT TO APPEAL: brings statute up to date with Syed decision and Constitutional rights. Affects CP §11-103.
- VICTIMS’ RIGHT TO MOVE FOR RECONSIDERATION OF RESTITUTION. Affects CP §11-103.
- CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION BOARD AWARDS: specifies what is legally sufficient evidence before the Board and specify that income or assets not received as a result of the criminal conduct at issue should not be allowed to be the basis to reject an award. Affects CP 11-810 and CP 11-811.
SB 129
Domestic Violence - Warrantless Arrests and Victims
FOR the purpose of authorizing a police officer to arrest a certain person without a warrant if the police officer has probable cause to believe that the person battered another person with whom the person has had a sexual relationship within the past year; altering the definition of “victim of domestic violence” in provisions relating to a certain domestic violence program to include an individual who has received certain injuries from another individual with whom the individual has had a sexual relationship within the past year; and generally relating to domestic violence.
SB 0008
CL; Identity Fraud; AI; Deepfake
Prohibiting a person from utilizing certain personal identifying information or engaging in certain conduct in order to cause physical injury, serious emotional distress, or economic damages; prohibiting a person from using certain artificial intelligence or certain deepfake representations for certain purposes; providing penalties of 5 years of imprisonment and a fine of up $10,000 or both where one victim is involved, and for two or more victims the term of imprisonment is up to 10 years and the fine is up to $15,000 or both; etc.
SB 110
Motor Vehicles - Accidents - Required Testing for Impaired Driving (Mateo's Law)
Requiring any person involved in a motor vehicle accident that results in the death of, or a life threatening injury to, another person to submit to breath and blood testing for impaired driving.
SB 66
Manslaughter by Vehicle or Vessel - Increased Penalties(Jamari's Law)
FOR the purpose of increasing the maximum periods of imprisonment for an individual convicted of manslaughter by vehicle or vessel; and generally relating to penalties 5 for manslaughter by vehicle or vessel.
SB 221
Criminal Law - Child Pornography - Prohibitions and Penalties
Prohibiting a person from possessing more than 100 images of certain child pornography or possessing or viewing images of certain child pornography depicting a minor or an individual indistinguishable from an actual and identifiable child under the age of 13 years; providing that a violation of the Act is a felony and on conviction a violator is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years; and providing that a sentence under the Act may be separate from and consecutive to or concurrent with a sentence imposed for certain other crimes.
SB 230
3rd Degree Sexual Offense - Burglary
FOR the purpose of establishing that engaging in sexual contact with another without the 3 consent of the other in connection with a first–, second–, or third–degree burglary 4 constitutes sexual offense in the third degree; altering the definitions of “tier I sex 5 offender”, “tier II sex offender”, and “tier III sex offender” applicable to provisions 6 relating to sex offender registration to include certain acts constituting sexual 7 offense in the third degree; and generally relating to sexual offense in the third 8 degree.
SB 162 - Opposition
Criminal Law - Child Pornography - Prohibitions and Penalties
FOR the purpose of repealing a certain sentencing date limitation for an individual convicted as an adult of an offense committed when the individual was a minor to file a motion to reduce the duration of the sentence; and generally relating to a motion to reduce duration of sentence.
HB 1406 - Opposition
Criminal Law - Self Defense - Prior Acts by Victim
Authorizing a person charged with murder or manslaughter in any degree or a crime under Title 3, Subtitle 2 of the Criminal Law Article to assert the defense that the person acted in self-defense and need not prove that the person believed danger was imminent or immediate if the victim had previously committed a certain act against the person.
HB 113 - Opposition
HB 16 - Opposition
- Correctional Services - Maryland Parole Commission - Members and Hearing Examiners
Increases # of commissioners from 10 to 15-20; Repeals use of hearing examiners; Creates a 12-person (7 appointed by the governor) panel nomination system for commissioners--panel that doesn't include any victim's rights advocate
HB 1366
Family Law - Final Protective Orders - Duration
FOR the purpose of requiring all relief granted under a final protective order to remain 3 effective against a respondent on probation during the period of the respondent’s 4 probation; and generally relating to final protective orders.
HB 1044
- Criminal Procedure – Postconviction Release – Crimes Resulting in Death of Young Victims
Bill will not allow pre-sentence relesase of a person convicted in the death of a child
HB 1320
Criminal Law - Child Pornography - Prohibitions and Penalties
FOR the purpose of repealing a certain sentencing date limitation for an individual convicted as an adult of an offense committed when the individual was a minor to file a motion to reduce the duration of the sentence; and generally relating to a motion to reduce duration of sentence.
HB 873 - Jamari's Law
Criminal Law - Self Defense - Prior Acts by Victim
Authorizing a person charged with murder or manslaughter in any degree or a crime under Title 3, Subtitle 2 of the Criminal Law Article to assert the defense that the person acted in self-defense and need not prove that the person believed danger was imminent or immediate if the victim had previously committed a certain act against the person.
HB 463
First Degree Murder - Diminution Credits - Prohibition
Prohibiting the earning of diminution credits to reduce the term of confinement of an incarcerated individual who is serving a sentence for murder in the first degree in a State or local correctional facility
HB 0824 - Opposition
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Altering a certain list of felony convictions that are eligible for expungement to include distributing or dispensing a controlled dangerous substance.
HB 187 - Opposition
Criminal Procedure - Expungement - No Finding and Case Terminated Without Finding
HB 697 - Opposition
Opposition - HB 819
Commission to Examine the Expungement Laws of Maryland
Oppositon - HB 169
Oppositon - SB 525
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Expungement of Records - Good Cause
Opposition - HB 360
Automated Expungement