EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0485*
HOUSE BILL 485
E5, E4, L2 5lr1236
By: Delegates T. Morgan, Crosby, and M. Morgan St. Mary’s County Delegation
Introduced and read first time: January 20, 2025
Assigned to: Judiciary
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 1, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
St. Mary’s County – Corrections 2
FOR the purpose of adding programs that the St. Mary’s County Sheriff is authorized to 3
establish; repealing a requirement that the Sheriff or the Sheriff’s designee collect 4
the earnings of a certain individual participating in a certain program; authorizing 5
the Sheriff or the Sheriff’s designee to direct an individual participating in a certain 6
program to provide proof that the individual has made payments toward certain 7
obligations; and generally relating to corrections in St. Mary’s County. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
Article – Correctional Services 10
Section 11–720 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2017 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
Article – Correctional Services 16
11–720. 17
(a) This section applies only in St. Mary’s County. 18
(b) (1) The Sheriff may establish: 19 2 HOUSE BILL 485
(i) a home detention program; 1
(II) A DAY REPORTING PROG RAM; 2
[(ii)] (III) a work release program; 3
(IV) AN IN–PATIENT TREATMENT PR OGRAM; 4
[(iii)] (V) a pretrial release SUPERVISION program; and 5
[(iv)] (VI) a prerelease program. 6
(2) (i) If the Sheriff establishes a program under this section, the 7
Sheriff shall adopt regulations necessary to implement each program established. 8
(ii) If a condition that a court imposes on an [incarcerated] 9
individual is inconsistent with a regulation adopted under this subsection, the condition 10
imposed by the court controls as to that [incarcerated] individual. 11
(c) (1) At the time of [sentencing] A COURT PROCEEDING or at any time 12
during an individual’s [confinement] PARTICIPATION IN A PROGRAM , the court may 13
allow the individual to participate in any program established under this section if the 14
individual: 15
(i) is [sentenced] COURT–ORDERED to the custody of the Sheriff; 16
and 17
(ii) has no other charges for a felony or a [violation of a] crime of 18
violence as defined in § 14–101 of the Criminal Law Article pending in any jurisdiction. 19
(2) An [incarcerated] individual who is participating in any program 20
established under this section and who is [sentenced to the] AUTHORIZED TO 21
PARTICIPATE IN A St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center PROGRAM 22
may [leave the detention center to], WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE SHERIFF OR THE 23
SHERIFF’S DESIGNEE: 24
(i) continue regular employment; 25
(ii) seek new employment; 26
(iii) attend any court–ordered treatment appointments; 27
(iv) receive intensive counseling; 28
(v) obtain academic education; or 29 HOUSE BILL 485 3
(vi) maximize use of other community resources or other similar 1
rehabilitative activities. 2
(d) [(1)] The Sheriff or the Sheriff’s designee [shall collect the earnings of an 3
incarcerated individual participating in a program established under this section, less any 4
payroll deduction required by law. 5
(2) From the earnings of the incarcerated individual, the Sheriff may 6
deduct: 7
(i) the amount determined to be the cost to the county of providing 8
food, lodging, clothing, and transportation for the incarcerated individual; 9
(ii) actual and necessary food, travel, and other expenses incidental 10
to the incarcerated individual’s participation in the program;] MAY DIRECT AN 11
INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPA TING IN A PROGRAM ES TABLISHED UNDER THIS SECTION TO 12
PROVIDE PROOF THAT THE INDIVIDUAL HAS M ADE PAYMENTS TOWARD ANY OF THE 13
FOLLOWING OBLIGATION S: 14
[(iii)] (1) an amount the [incarcerated] individual is legally 15
obligated [or desires] to pay for the support of a dependent; 16
[(iv) if applicable, a reasonable amount to repay the State or the 17
county for an attorney appointed by the court; and] 18
[(v)] (2) court–ordered payments for restitution[. 19
(3) The Sheriff shall: 20
(i) credit to the incarcerated individual’s account any remaining 21
balance; and 22
(ii) dispose of the balance in the incarcerated individual’s account as 23
the incarcerated individual requests and the Sheriff approves]; OR 24
(3) COURT–ORDERED FEES OR FINE S. 25
(e) (1) If an [incarcerated] individual violates a trust or a condition that a 26
court or Sheriff has established for participating in any program established under this 27
section, the Sheriff or the Sheriff’s designee shall notify the court in writing of the violation. 28
(2) An [incarcerated] individual who violates a trust or a condition that a 29
court or Sheriff has established for participating in any program established under this 30
section is subject to: 31
4 HOUSE BILL 485
(i) removal from the program; and 1
(ii) cancellation of any earned diminution of the [incarcerated] 2
individual’s term of confinement. 3
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 4
October 1, 2025. 5
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.