[{"_1":2,"_76":-5,"_77":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6652544,"mediaKeyId","2490523-29c125198546f20feb3b2f56052b7feb","parentId",2490523,"title","Maryland Judicial Proceedings Committee hears a string of bills on police jurisdiction, mental-health discharges, foster housing, assault protections and more","audioSeconds",1432,"startMs",216000,"endMs",1648000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2490523-29c125198546f20feb3b2f56052b7feb&start=216&end=1648","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2490523-29c125198546f20feb3b2f56052b7feb/thumbnail_216000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6652544/Maryland/Maryland-Judicial-Proceedings-Committee-hears-a-string-of-bills-on-police-jurisdiction-mental-health-discharges-foster-housing-assault-protections-and-more","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6652544-f3403d3bd5cb60aeff3d7405feb2396a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139652&Signature=DN9GC95hk9lRYrA4REbPLo3qmEukecmbiq0aYbxwhd14nAbxxg0oEhI19V3r4R2C7zaxXSp1gXorAnW8~EX7QYqqwjXJzYKqLSyySskekJw9L3QlMz9oR7a-J6rFw8oq1SZEfOz3uaJMsysAWyzBSlJ4OQbUo7K47dZbDDBBBVWJYMJH1Kg9YKIiVC6u7Nr~QjZouSs2piJ1FRHTylAQc1kUi10wx~F4SpfsyIvKueCyftjS9d8n~DCQ1rU3qYS-7FqUaxzyLRQvegh0pG2DmUm5Uye~pmDPVhi4WxmfRXAvfNxQX4nXQlkvQ9EmhCHa7ICaHqq~sZVotTAgAjQVzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Maryland General Assembly - Judicial Proceedings","date","2025-03-04T22:52:49.767Z","article","Annapolis — The Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee spent its March 4 hearing considering a series of bills spanning law enforcement jurisdiction, criminal-justice procedures, victims' services and public-safety measures.

Senators and witnesses spent the longest portions of the hearing on measures to expand the Maryland Capitol Police's authority, to change when people found not criminally responsible for murder can be evaluated for release, and a wide-ranging bill to clarify the state's approach to immigration-enforcement activity at sensitive locations.

Senate Bill 766: Capitol Police jurisdiction

Senate Bill 766, introduced by Sen. Michael Jackson (D), would expand and clarify the Maryland Capitol Police's authority over state-owned and state-leased facilities and increase the perimeter where they have full law-enforcement powers from 1,000 feet to 2,000 feet. Mateef Chaudhry, secretary of the Maryland Department of General Services, described it as “a clean up bill. It does clarify inconsistencies.”

Deputy Chief Lt. Col. Glenn McGuire and Chief Mike Wilson of the Maryland Capitol Police said the change would reduce confusion about where officers can act, improve response times and allow established mutual aid and memorandums of understanding with local police departments to operate more smoothly. McGuire said Maryland Capitol Police currently cover about 1,400 state facilities and nearly 400 leases; expanding the perimeter would reduce what he described as operational uncertainty and potential court complications when jurisdiction is unclear.

Chief Wilson detailed some of the unit’s statewide work beyond Annapolis, including K-9 explosive detection teams and assistance on special events: “We scanned explosive and firearms 5,185 times last year,” he said, adding the unit handled dozens of demonstrations, calls for service and bomb-threat responses.

Committee members pressed witnesses about mission creep and whether the change would duplicate Maryland State Police responsibilities. Jackson and witnesses said they worked with state police during drafting and favored memorandums of understanding with local agencies to avoid conflicts.

Senate Bill 782: Not criminally responsible findings and discharge eligibility

Sen. Paul Quarterman (R) presented Senate Bill 782 after describing a high-profile 2022 workplace mass murder in which the shooter was found not criminally responsible and committed to the Clifton T. Perkins Psychiatric Hospital. Quarterman said current Maryland law allows a committed person found not criminally responsible to be evaluated for discharge shortly after commitment and every year thereafter. The bill would require at least 10 years of commitment before such a person could be eligible for discharge evaluation in first- or second-degree murder cases.

Family members of victims urged the bill: one witness said allowing someone who killed multiple co-workers to be evaluated for release annually “is absurd” and described the yearly notices as ongoing revictimization. Committee members and several senators said the issue raises constitutional and due-process questions — the Judiciary Committee’s written testimony flagged potential constitutional problems — and several members asked Quarterman to work with legal counselors and stakeholders to balance victims’ concerns and constitutional limits.

Senate Bill 765: Foster youth and college housing

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (bill sponsorship and co-sponsors were noted) and several witnesses from foster-care providers and advocacy groups supported SB 765 to allow foster placements to hold beds for youth who leave to attend higher education. Providers argued current regulations force providers to give up beds when youth go to college, creating housing instability on scheduled campus breaks and hindering educational opportunities.

Advocates said the change protects continuity and reduces the choice between education and housing, while Department of Human Services officials and the sponsor indicated a technical amendment would align the bill with existing regulations.

Senate Bill 669: Sexual-assault evidence-kit funding and use of state funds

Sen. Shelly Hettleman presented SB 669 to expand the permissible uses of an existing state fund created to support sexual-assault evidence (SAK) testing and associated victim services should federal funds be exhausted. Advocates and prosecutors explained Maryland is spending federal SAK grant money rapidly and could otherwise face a situation where kits are tested but not investigated.

Lisa Jordan of the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Jane Krinkke of the Maryland Hospital Association said allowing state funds to support victim notification, investigators, and telesafe (telehealth) exam support is critical to finish the work started with federal dollars and avoid trading an untested backlog for a backlog of tested kits that lack investigation.

Several law-enforcement and forensic stakeholders described coordination challenges, grant timing and the need to let forensic labs and local agencies use the funding over longer windows; the sponsor and the Office of the Attorney General’s Cold Case Investigation Team proposed amendments to extend grant windows and prioritize law-enforcement testing needs.

Senate Bill 820: Municipal fine authority

Sen. Ron Watson introduced SB 820 to permit municipalities to raise the maximum civil fine for municipal infractions from $1,000 to $5,000, mirroring authority the legislature granted charter counties in prior legislation. Municipal officials testified that the $1,000 ceiling — set decades ago — often fails to deter negligent property owners, landlords and absentee owners who treat fines as a cost of business. Municipal League and several city officials supported the measure; one county official noted a single negative written position from a housing authority but generally testimony was proponent-heavy and focused on compliance incentives.

Senate Bill 711: Off-highway vehicle (OHV) Title Tax Fund oversight

Sen. Michael McKay reintroduced legislation to create an advisory board for the Title Tax Fund — a fund supported by title taxes on off-highway vehicles that pays for OHV trail creation and maintenance. OHV advocates and the Maryland Off-Road Vehicle Alliance said the fund is user-funded and an advisory board would give riders a formal role in prioritizing projects and ensuring funds support facilities users expect.

Senate Bill 721: Permanent protective orders entered by consent

Sen. Shanika Henson presented SB 721 to allow permanent family-law protective orders to be entered by consent as part of plea agreements or case resolutions, instead of requiring the petitioner to wait for a conviction and a post-sentence filing. Prosecutors and advocates said the change would help victims secure long-term protection without subjecting children or victims to a full evidentiary hearing where they must recount trauma; defense counsel participating virtually said she supports negotiated consent orders and the provision would reduce re-traumatization while preserving legal safeguards.

Senate Bill 828: Guidance on immigration enforcement at sensitive locations

Sen. Johnny Smith led an extensive panel discussion on SB 828, which would require the Maryland attorney general to publish guidance concerning federal immigration enforcement at “sensitive locations” and impose consistent policies for state agencies. The attorney general’s office defined the bill’s intent as informational and implementation-focused: the bill would not block federal warrants but would ensure Maryland agencies understand limits, notification and coordination obligations and preserve access to services such as schools, clinics and courthouses.

Comptroller Brooke Lierman and immigration-advocacy groups testified that immigrants make up a substantial portion of Maryland’s workforce and tax base and that rescission of a prior federal “sensitive locations” policy has chilled access to health care, schools and legal services. Providers and local officials described families avoiding care and school, delayed vaccinations, and other public-health harms. Several senators asked whether the bill could risk federal funding; the comptroller said Maryland’s primary duty is to Marylanders and stressed the economic contribution of immigrants.

Senate Bill 735: Restrictions on diminution (good conduct) credits for serious violent offenses

Sen. William Folden presented SB 735 (referred to by proponents as “Jerry’s Law”), proposing limits on the application of diminution credits for certain violent offenses, including first- and second-degree murder, to reduce early release possibilities. Victims’ family members, advocates and local victims’-resource groups described cases in which people convicted of serious crimes received large sentence reductions and returned to the community far earlier than families expected.

Public defenders, formerly incarcerated witnesses and reentry advocates warned the bill would remove incentives for rehabilitation inside prison, potentially make facilities less safe by removing credit-based behavior incentives, and penalize model incarcerated people who used programs to transform their lives. Testimony highlighted real tragedies on both sides: families whose loved ones were murdered, and formerly incarcerated people who said diminution credits enabled positive change.

Senate Bill 858: Transit exclusion orders for assault on operators and passengers

Sen. Shanika Henson sponsored SB 858 to let transit agencies exclude people who assault operators or passengers from state transit services for escalating periods (30 days for a first qualified assault, 180 days for a second and lifetime for repeat violent offenders). Bus and rail operators and union leaders urged passage after recounting repeated incidents of threats, assaults, and system failures that left operators vulnerable. Witnesses described malfunctions in vehicle emergency systems and delayed police response. Public-safety witnesses and union leaders said civil exclusion combined with coordination with transit police would deter repeat offenders.

Other bills

The committee also heard shorter panels on related topics, including local technical matters, and a bill dealing with towing and owner remedies; the towing proposal drew legal questions and the sponsor offered to form a stakeholder working group to reconcile concerns about post-tow notice and procedural protections.

Why this matters

Committee members repeatedly balanced public-safety aims against constitutional and practical limits. Measures to expand policing authority, restrict early release for violent offenders, and permit civil exclusion from transit systems drew especially robust debate about duplication of jurisdiction, separation of powers, victims’ rights, rehabilitation incentives, and how to avoid unintended consequences while achieving safety goals.

What’s next

Most bills drew agreement to continue working with stakeholders and counsel on technical language and implementation: several sponsors offered or accepted amendments to address due-process, interagency memoranda and grant timing. Several senators asked for follow-up hearings or work-group reports before final votes.

Ending note

The committee’s March 4 session covered a broad set of public-safety and victim-service priorities. Many bills will undergo technical revisions and negotiation before the Senate takes final action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","JPR Committee Session, 3/4/2025 #1","oneSentenceSummary","Annapolis — The Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee spent its March 4 hearing considering a series of bills spanning law enforcement jurisdiction, criminal-justice procedures, victims' services and public-safety measures.","taxTitle","Judicial Proceedings Committee, SENATE, SENATE, Committees, Legislative, Maryland","taxId",15095,"location","Maryland","headline","","shortSummary","actionData","errors"]

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Maryland Judicial Proceedings Committee hears a string of bills on police jurisdiction, mental-health discharges, foster housing, assault protections and more