Maryland 2023 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB426 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTING LA W.
4	4	[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5	5	hb0426
6	6
7	7	HOUSE BILL 426
8	8	E5 3lr1851
9	9	HB 453/22 – JUD CF 3lr1012
10	10	By: Delegates Lopez, Bagnall, Charkoudian, Crutchfield, Cullison, Fair, Foley,
11	11	Grossman, Harris, Kaiser, Lehman, R. Lewis, McCaskill, Mireku–North,
12	12	Moon, Palakovich Carr, Qi, Reznik, Ruth, Simpson, Solomon, Stewart,
13	13	Taveras, and Vogel
14	14	Introduced and read first time: January 30, 2023
15	15	Assigned to: Judiciary
16	16
17	17	A BILL ENTITLED
18	18
19	19	AN ACT concerning 1
20	20
21	21	Correctional Facilities – Transgender, Nonbinary, and Intersex Inmates 2
22	22	(Transgender Respect, Agency, and Dignity Act) 3
23	23
24	24	FOR the purpose of requiring the Commissioner of Correction to report certain information 4
25	25	regarding the gender identities of inmates and the housing status of transgender, 5
26	26	nonbinary, or intersex inmates; prohibiting an employee of a correctional facility 6
27	27	from discriminating against inmates on the basis of certain protected classes; 7
28	28	requiring the managing official of a correctional facility to develop a written 8
29	29	nondiscrimination policy regarding inmates; establishing certain requirements for 9
30	30	correctional facilities relating to the gender identity of inmates and inmates who are 10
31	31	transgender, nonbinary, or intersex; and generally relating to correctional facilities 11
32	32	and transgender, nonbinary, and intersex inmates. 12
33	33
34	34	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 13
35	35	Article – Correctional Services 14
36	36	Section 1–101(a) and 9–614(a)(1) and (3) 15
37	37	Annotated Code of Maryland 16
38	38	(2017 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 17
39	39
40	40	BY adding to 18
41	41	Article – Correctional Services 19
42	42	Section 1–101(h–1) and 9–618 through 9–620 20
43	43	Annotated Code of Maryland 21
44	44	(2017 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 22
45	45
46	46	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 23
47	47	Article – Correctional Services 24
48	48	Section 3–207 25 2 HOUSE BILL 426
49	49
50	50
51	51	Annotated Code of Maryland 1
52	52	(2017 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 2
53	53
54	54	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 3
55	55	Article – State Government 4
56	56	Section 20–101(a) and (e) 5
57	57	Annotated Code of Maryland 6
58	58	(2021 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 7
59	59
60	60	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 8
61	61	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 9
62	62
63	63	Article – Correctional Services 10
64	64
65	65	1–101. 11
66	66
67	67	(a) In this article the following words have the meanings indicated. 12
68	68
69	69	(H–1) “GENDER IDENTITY” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 20–101 OF THE 13
70	70	STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE. 14
71	71
72	72	3–207. 15
73	73
74	74	(a) On or before October 31 of each year, the Commissioner shall submit an 16
75	75	annual report to the Secretary and the Governor that states, for each correctional facility 17
76	76	in the Division: 18
77	77
78	78	(1) its expenses, receipts, disbursements, condition, and progress; 19
79	79
80	80	(2) the number of inmates and each inmate’s age, sex, GENDER IDENTITY , 20
81	81	race, place of birth and conviction, crime, and term of confinement; 21
82	82
83	83	(3) the number of inmates who escape, are pardoned, or discharged; 22
84	84
85	85	(4) the job classifications for inmate labor in each department and facility 23
86	86	under the authority of the Division; 24
87	87
88	88	(5) the daily wage scale at each prison for each job classification under the 25
89	89	authority of the Division; 26
90	90
91	91	(6) the total number of inmates currently employed at facilities under the 27
92	92	authority of the Division, disaggregated by facility; 28
93	93
94	94	(7) the annual cost of living for inmates, including the average cost of: 29
95	95
96	96	(i) telephone calls, including calls to medical providers; 30
97	97	HOUSE BILL 426 3
98	98
99	99
100	100	(ii) video calls; and 1
101	101
102	102	(iii) items available for purchase at a commissary, including: 2
103	103
104	104	1. feminine hygiene products; 3
105	105
106	106	2. toiletries; and 4
107	107
108	108	3. medications; [and] 5
109	109
110	110	(8) THE HOUSING STATUS O F TRANSGENDE R, NONBINARY, AND 6
111	111	INTERSEX INMATES , INCLUDING WHETHER SU CH INMATES ARE HOUSE D IN 7
112	112	RESTRICTIVE HOUSING , HAVE SINGLE –CELL STATUS , OR ARE HOUSED WITH 8
113	113	ANOTHER INMATE , AND THE GENDER IDENT ITY OF ANY INMATES S HARING A CELL 9
114	114	WITH A TRANSGENDER , NONBINARY, OR INTERSEX INMATE; 10
115	115
116	116	(9) THE NUMBER OF REQUES TS FOR HOUSING TRANS FERS UNDER § 11
117	117	9–620 OF THIS ARTICLE, THE OUTCOME OF EACH REQUEST, AND THE REASON FOR 12
118	118	ANY DENIALS; AND 13
119	119
120	120	[(8)] (10) any remarks and suggestions the Commissioner considers 14
121	121	necessary to advance the interests of the correctional facility. 15
122	122
123	123	(b) The Commissioner shall submit with the report required by subsection (a) of 16
124	124	this section a statement similar to the statement that is required to be submitted under § 17
125	125	3–206 of this subtitle. 18
126	126
127	127	(c) The Commissioner shall verify the report and statement required by this 19
128	128	section. 20
129	129
130	130	(d) Subject to § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the Governor shall 21
131	131	submit to the General Assembly the report and statement required under this section and 22
132	132	any recommendations that the Governor considers expedient. 23
133	133
134	134	9–614. 24
135	135
136	136	(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 25
137	137
138	138	(3) (i) “Restrictive housing” means a form of physical separation that 26
139	139	has not been requested by the inmate in which the inmate is placed in a locked room or cell 27
140	140	for approximately 22 hours or more out of a 24–hour period. 28
141	141
142	142	(ii) “Restrictive housing” includes administrative segregation and 29
143	143	disciplinary segregation. 30
144	144
145	145	9–618. 31 4 HOUSE BILL 426
146	146
147	147
148	148
149	149	(A) AN EMPLOYEE OF A CORR ECTIONAL FACILITY MA Y NOT DISCRIMINATE 1
150	150	AGAINST AN INMATE WI TH REGARD TO PROGRAM S, SERVICES, OR ACTIVITIES, 2
151	151	INCLUDING HARASSING OR RETALIATING AGAIN ST THE INMATE , ON THE BASIS OF 3
152	152	THE INMATE’S RACE, ETHNICITY, RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN , AGE, SEX, GENDER 4
153	153	IDENTITY, SEXUAL ORIENTATION , DISABILITY, PREGNANCY STATUS , OR POLITICAL 5
154	154	BELIEFS. 6
155	155
156	156	(B) THE MANAGING OFFICIAL OF A CORRECTIONAL FA CILITY SHALL 7
157	157	IMPLEMENT A WRITTEN POLICY STATING THAT AN INMATE MAY NOT BE 8
158	158	DISCRIMINATED AGAINS T WITH REGARD TO PRO GRAMS, SERVICES, OR ACTIVITIES, 9
159	159	INCLUDING BEING HARASSED OR RETALIAT ED AGAINST, ON THE BASIS OF THE 10
160	160	INMATE’S RACE, ETHNICITY, RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN , AGE, SEX, GENDER 11
161	161	IDENTITY, SEXUAL ORIENTATION , DISABILITY, PREGNANCY STATUS , OR POLITICAL 12
162	162	BELIEFS. 13
163	163
164	164	9–619. 14
165	165
166	166	(A) DURING THE INITIAL IN TAKE AND CLASSIFI CATION PROCESS , AN 15
167	167	OFFICER SHALL , IN A PRIVATE SETTING , ASK EACH INMATE TO S PECIFY THE 16
168	168	FOLLOWING INFORMATIO N: 17
169	169
170	170	(1) THE INMATE’S GENDER IDENTITY , INCLUDING MAN , WOMAN, OR 18
171	171	NONBINARY; 19
172	172
173	173	(2) WHETHER THE INMATE I DENTIFIES AS TRANSGE NDER, 20
174	174	NONBINARY, OR INTERSEX; AND 21
175	175
176	176	(3) THE INMATE’S GENDER PRONOUNS AN D HONORIFICS. 22
177	177
178	178	(B) AN INMATE MAY NOT BE DISCIPLINED FOR REFU SING TO DISCLOSE 23
179	179	INFORMATION IN RESPO NSE TO THE QUESTIONS REQUIRED UNDER SUBSE CTION (A) 24
180	180	OF THIS SECTION. 25
181	181
182	182	(C) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL INFO RM AN INMATE, VERBALLY AND IN 26
183	183	WRITING, THAT THE INMATE WILL NOT BE DISCIPLINED F OR REFUSING TO DISCL OSE 27
184	184	INFORMATION IN RESPO NSE TO THE QUESTIONS REQUIRED UNDER SUBSE CTION (A) 28
185	185	OF THIS SECTION. 29
186	186
187	187	(2) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL INFO RM AN INMATE, VERBALLY AND IN 30
188	188	WRITING, OF THE INMATE’S RIGHTS UNDER SUBSE CTION (A) OF THIS SECTION. 31
189	189
190	190	(D) AT ANY TIME , ON THE REQUEST OF AN INMATE, CORRECTIONAL 32 HOUSE BILL 426 5
191	191
192	192
193	193	FACILITY STAFF SHALL PROMPTLY PROVIDE THE INMATE AN OPPORTUNIT Y TO 1
194	194	UPDATE THE INFORMATI ON PROVIDED U NDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION. 2
195	195
196	196	(E) STAFF, CONTRACTORS , AND VOLUNTEERS AT A CORRECTIONAL 3
197	197	FACILITY SHALL USE T HE GENDER PRONOUNS A ND HONORIFICS AN INM ATE HAS 4
198	198	SPECIFIED IN ALL VER BAL AND WRITTEN COMM UNICATIONS WITH OR R EGARDING 5
199	199	THE INMATE. 6
200	200
201	201	9–620. 7
202	202
203	203	(A) IT IS THE INTENT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT THE DEPARTMENT 8
204	204	PROVIDE GENDER –APPROPRIATE HOUSING PLACEMENT AND SEARCH 9
205	205	PROCEDURES , INCLUDING FOR TRANSG ENDER, NONBINARY, INTERSEX, 10
206	206	TWO–SPIRIT, AND OTHER GENDER DIV ERSE INDIVIDUALS . 11
207	207
208	208	(B) STAFF, CONTRACTORS , AND VOLUNTEERS AT A CORRECTIONAL 12
209	209	FACILITY SHALL ADDRE SS AN INMATE IN A MA NNER CONSISTENT WITH THE 13
210	210	INMATE’S GENDER IDENTITY . 14
211	211
212	212	(C) A TRANSGENDER , NONBINARY, OR INTERSEX INMATE S HALL BE GIVEN 15
213	213	THE OPPORTUNITY TO S HOWER SEPARATELY FRO M OTHER INMATES . 16
214	214
215	215	(D) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (H) OF THIS SECTION , AN INMATE SHALL BE 17
216	216	HOUSED AT A CORRECTI ONAL FACILITY DESIGN ATED FOR MEN OR WOME N BASED 18
217	217	ON WHETHER THE INMAT E PREFERS TO BE HOUS ED ACCORDING TO THE 19
218	218	PLACEMENT THAT MOST CLOSELY ALIGNS WITH THE INMATE’S GENDER IDENTIT Y 20
219	219	OR ACCORDING TO THE INMATE’S SEX ASSIGNED AT BI RTH, INCLUDING 21
220	220	RESIDENTIAL TREATMEN T FACILITIES MANAGED BY THE DEPARTMENT IF THE 22
221	221	INMATE IS ELIGIBLE . 23
222	222
223	223	(E) (1) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (H) OF THIS SECTION , A HOUSING 24
224	224	DECISION WITHIN A FA CILITY, INCLUDING GRANT ING SINGLE–CELL STATUS , 25
225	225	HOUSING AN INMATE WI TH ANOTHER INMATE OF THE INMATE’S GENDER IDENTITY , 26
226	226	OR REMOVING ANOTHER INMATE WHO POSES A T HREAT TO THE INMATE , SHALL BE 27
227	227	BASED ON THE INMATE ’S PREFERENCE AND PER CEPTION OF HEALTH AN D SAFETY. 28
228	228
229	229	(2) AN INMATE MAY NOT BE PLACED IN RES TRICTIVE HOUSING , AS 29
230	230	DEFINED IN § 9–614 OF THIS SUBTITLE , IN RESPONSE TO A REQ UEST MADE UNDER 30
231	231	PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION . 31
232	232
233	233	(F) AN INMATE’S ASSIGNMENT , PLACEMENT , OR PROGRAMMING SHALL BE 32
234	234	REASSESSED ANY TIME THE INMATE RAISES CO NCERNS FOR THE INMATE ’S HEALTH 33
235	235	OR SAFETY. 34 6 HOUSE BILL 426
236	236
237	237
238	238
239	239	(G) (1) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (H) OF THIS SECTION, IF AN INMATE IS 1
240	240	LAWFULLY SEARCHED , THE INMATE SHALL BE SEARCHED ACCORDING T O THE 2
241	241	INMATE’S PREFERENCE OF WHET HER TO BE SEARCHED B Y AN OFFICER OF THE 3
242	242	GENDER THAT MOS T CLOSELY ALIGNS TO THE INMATE’S GENDER IDENTITY OR TO 4
243	243	BE SEARCHED BY AN OF FICER OF THE INMATE ’S ASSIGNED SEX AT BI RTH. 5
244	244
245	245	(2) IF THE INMATE ’S SEARCH PREFERENCE OR GENDER IDENTITY 6
246	246	CANNOT BE DETERMINED , THE INMATE SHALL BE SEARCHED ACCORDING T O THE 7
247	247	GENDER DESIGNATION OF THE F ACILITY IN WHICH THE INMATE IS HOUSED . 8
248	248
249	249	(H) (1) THE DEPARTMENT MAY DENY A N INMATE’S SEARCH OR HOUSING 9
250	250	PLACEMENT REQUEST DU E TO CLEAR AND CONVI NCING EVIDENCE OF SP ECIFIC AND 10
251	251	ARTICULABLE MANAGEME NT OR SECURITY CONCE RNS, INCLUDING A PRESE NT RISK 11
252	252	THAT THE INMATE WILL COMMIT ABUSE BASED O N THE INMATE ’S PREVIOUS 12
253	253	BEHAVIOR. 13
254	254
255	255	(2) IF THE DEPARTMENT DENIES AN INMATE’S SEARCH OR HOUSING 14
256	256	PLACEMENT REQUEST , THE SECRETARY, OR THE SECRETARY’S DESIGNEE, SHALL 15
257	257	CERTIFY IN WRITING A SPECIFIC AND ARTICUL ABLE BASIS FOR THE DEPARTMENT ’S 16
258	258	INABILITY TO ACCOMMO DATE THE INMATE ’S PREFERENCE . 17
259	259
260	260	(3) THE DEPARTMENT MAY NOT DE NY AN INMATE ’S SEARCH OR 18
261	261	HOUSING PLACEMENT PR EFERENCE BASED ON A DISCRIMINATORY REASO N, 19
262	262	INCLUDING THE INMATE ’S ANATOMY , PAST OR CURRENT PHYS ICAL 20
263	263	CHARACTERISTICS , HISTORY OR LACK OF G ENDER–AFFIRMING MEDICAL 21
264	264	TREATMENT , OR SEXUAL ORIENTATIO N. 22
265	265
266	266	(4) (I) AN INMATE DENIED A SE ARCH OR HOUSING PLAC EMENT 23
267	267	PREFERENCE REQUEST S HALL RECEIVE A COPY OF THE WRITTEN BASIS FOR THE 24
268	268	DENIAL AND SHALL BE GIVEN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME AF TER THE RECEIPT OF 25
269	269	THE DENIAL TO VERBAL LY RAISE OR SUBMIT A COMPLAINT WITH ANY O BJECTIONS 26
270	270	TO THE DENIAL. 27
271	271
272	272	(II) ANY VERBAL OBJECTIONS RAISED BY THE INMATE TO THE 28
273	273	DENIAL SHALL BE DOCU MENTED. 29
274	274
275	275	(III) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL REAS SESS ANY DENIED SEARCH 30
276	276	OR HOUSING PLACEMENT REQUESTS AT LEAST TW ICE A YEAR. 31
277	277
278	278	Article – State Government 32
279	279
280	280	20–101. 33
281	281	HOUSE BILL 426 7
282	282
283	283
284	284	(a) In Subtitles 1 through 11 of this title the following words have the meanings 1
285	285	indicated. 2
286	286
287	287	(e) “Gender identity” means the gender–related identity, appearance, expression, 3
288	288	or behavior of a person, regardless of the person’s assigned sex at birth, which may be 4
289	289	demonstrated by: 5
290	290
291	291	(1) consistent and uniform assertion of the person’s gender identity; or 6
292	292
293	293	(2) any other evidence that the gender identity is sincerely held as part of 7
294	294	the person’s core identity. 8
295	295
296	296	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 9
297	297	October 1, 2023. 10