Legislative Updates 

MCAA proposes, advocates and monitors relevant legislation.  Below are the lists of House and State Bills that are being tracked.  House Bills are listed first and are in order by number, followed by State Bills.

HOUSE BILLS:

HB – 300

Inmates – Life Imprisonment – Parole Reform.   Establishing that inmates serving a term of life imprisonment may be paroled without the Governor’s approval after serving 30 years without application of diminution of confinement credits.   (Introduced in the 2019 Session as HB-433.)  (Delegates Proctor, Queen et al.)   Judiciary.  1st Reading 1/20.

HB – 352

Criminal Law – Life – Threatening Injury Involving a Motor Vehicle or Vessel – Criminal Negligence (Wade’s Law).   Prohibiting a person from causing a life-threatening injury to another as a result of the person’s driving, operating or controlling a motor vehicle or vessel in a criminally negligent manner; exempting certain conduct that results in a life-threatening injury to another, and establishing a penalty of imprisonment not exceeding 18 months or a fine not exceeding $5,000 or both for a violation of the Act.  (Cross-filed w/SB-29) (Introduced in the 2019 Session as HB-368.) (Delegates Hartman, Adams, et al.)  Judiciary.  Hearing 2nd Reading 2/5 @ 2:00 PM.

HB – 446

Correctional Officer’s Retirement – Membership – Chaplains.   Altering the membership of the Correctional Officer’s Retirement System to include the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services employees in the position of chaplain on or after July 1, 2020; requiring a certain transfer and combination of certain service credit for certain individuals; requiring the Board of Trustees for the State Retirement System and Pension System to calculate a certain disability benefit for certain individuals and to grant a certain benefit under certain circumstances; etc.  (Introduced in the 2019 Session as HB-29.) (Delegate McKay and Chang) 1st Reading Appropriations 1/23.           

 

STATE BILLS:

SB – 235

Attempt to Commit Second Degree Murder – Penalty.  Increasing from 30 – 40 years, the maximum term of imprisonment that may be imposed for the offense of attempt to commit second-degree murder.  (Senator West) Judicial Proceedings.  Hearing 2/5 @ 1:00 PM.

SB – 320

Criminal Procedure – Sexual Offenders – Lifetime Supervision.  Requiring a sentence for certain persons convicted of certain sexual abuse crimes involving a child over the age of 12 years to include a term of lifetime sexual offender supervision; and providing for the prospective application of the Act.  Judicial Proceedings.  1st Reading 1/22.  (Senators Bailey & Ready)

SB – 332

Correctional Facilities – Individual Subject to Immigration Detainer – Homeland Security                Notification.   Requiring a State or local facility that is notified by the United States Department of Homeland Security that a certain individual is subject to an immigration detainer to provide notice to the United States Department of Homeland Security at least 72 hours before the individual is released from custody; authorizing a State or local correctional facility to maintain custody of a certain individual for no more than 48 hours for a certain purpose; etc.   (Senators Ready, Bailey, et al.) (Introduced in the 2017 Regular Session as SB-830) Judicial Proceedings.  2nd Reading Hearing 1/30 @ 1:00 PM.

SB – 255

Correctional Services – Pregnant Incarcerated Individuals – Substance Abuse Assessment &                   Treatment.  Requiring that a certain pregnant incarcerated individual be screened for substance use disorder at intake using a validated screening tool, requiring that a certain pregnant incarcerated individual be referred immediately to a behavioral health care provider and a reproductive health care provider for certain purposes; requiring a certain correctional unit to ensure that a pregnant incarcerated individual continues to receive certain medication in a certain manner under certain circumstances; etc.   (Senator West) Judicial Proceedings.  2nd Reading Hearing 2/6 @ 1:00 PM.

SB – 269

Income Tax Subtraction Modification – Correctional Officers – Law Enforcement Officers – Fire, Rescue, & Emergency Services Personnel (Hometown Heroes Act).   Altering from 55 years to 50 years old, the age at which a resident is eligible for a subtraction modification under the Maryland income tax for retirement income attributable to certain employment, altering the amount of certain retirement income that may be included under a certain subtraction modification; applying the Act to taxable years beginning after December 1, 2019; etc.   (Cross-filed w/HB-350.)   The President (By Request Administration) and Senators Augustine, Bailey et al.   Budget & Taxation.   Hearing 2nd Reading 2/5 @ 1:00 PM.

SB – 356

Possession of Medical Cannabis – Local Correctional Facilities and Home Detention Program –              Prohibition.  Providing that a certain provision of law may not be construed to authorize the                   possession of marijuana or cannabis on the grounds of a local correctional facility or while an offender is in a home detention program; authorizing the imposition of certain penalties for the possession of marijuana or cannabis on the grounds of a local correctional facility and while an offender is in a home detention program; applying the Act prospectively; etc. (Introduced in the 2019 Regular Session as SB-86) (Senators Serafini, Edwards and Salling.) 1st Reading Judicial Proceedings 1/24.