| 1 | 1 | | |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW. |
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| 4 | 4 | | [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law. |
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| 5 | 5 | | *hb0837* |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | HOUSE BILL 837 |
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| 8 | 8 | | E5 5lr2347 |
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| 9 | 9 | | |
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| 10 | 10 | | By: Delegates Mireku–North, Guyton, Kaufman, Palakovich Carr, and Wims |
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| 11 | 11 | | Introduced and read first time: January 29, 2025 |
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| 12 | 12 | | Assigned to: Judiciary |
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| 13 | 13 | | |
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| 14 | 14 | | A BILL ENTITLED |
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| 15 | 15 | | |
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| 16 | 16 | | AN ACT concerning 1 |
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| 17 | 17 | | |
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| 18 | 18 | | Task Force to Study Forced Infant Separation From Incarcerated Individuals 2 |
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| 19 | 19 | | |
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| 20 | 20 | | FOR the purpose of establishing the Task Force to Study Forced Infant Separation From 3 |
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| 21 | 21 | | Incarcerated Individuals; and generally relating to the Task Force to Study Forced 4 |
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| 22 | 22 | | Infant Separation From Incarcerated Individuals. 5 |
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| 23 | 23 | | |
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| 24 | 24 | | SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 6 |
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| 25 | 25 | | That: 7 |
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| 26 | 26 | | |
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| 27 | 27 | | (a) There is a Task Force to Study Forced Infant Separation From Incarcerated 8 |
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| 28 | 28 | | Individuals. 9 |
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| 29 | 29 | | |
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| 30 | 30 | | (b) The Task Force consists of the following members: 10 |
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| 31 | 31 | | |
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| 32 | 32 | | (1) one member of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate; 11 |
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| 33 | 33 | | |
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| 34 | 34 | | (2) one member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the 12 |
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| 35 | 35 | | House; 13 |
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| 36 | 36 | | |
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| 37 | 37 | | (3) the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services, or the 14 |
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| 38 | 38 | | Secretary’s designee; 15 |
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| 39 | 39 | | |
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| 40 | 40 | | (4) the Public Defender, or the Public Defender’s designee; and 16 |
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| 41 | 41 | | |
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| 42 | 42 | | (5) the following members, appointed by the Governor: 17 |
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| 43 | 43 | | |
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| 44 | 44 | | (i) one formerly incarcerated individual; 18 |
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| 45 | 45 | | |
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| 46 | 46 | | (ii) one family member of a currently incarcerated male individual; 19 |
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| 47 | 47 | | |
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| 48 | 48 | | (iii) one family member of a currently incarcerated female individual; 20 2 HOUSE BILL 837 |
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| 49 | 49 | | |
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| 50 | 50 | | |
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| 51 | 51 | | |
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| 52 | 52 | | (iv) three representatives of a nonprofit organization focused on 1 |
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| 53 | 53 | | women’s health; 2 |
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| 54 | 54 | | |
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| 55 | 55 | | (v) three representatives of a nonprofit organization focused on 3 |
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| 56 | 56 | | pediatric health; and 4 |
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| 57 | 57 | | |
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| 58 | 58 | | (vi) three representatives of a nonprofit organization focused on the 5 |
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| 59 | 59 | | rights of incarcerated individuals. 6 |
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| 60 | 60 | | |
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| 61 | 61 | | (c) The Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and 7 |
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| 62 | 62 | | Policy shall designate the chair of the Task Force. 8 |
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| 63 | 63 | | |
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| 64 | 64 | | (d) The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy shall provide staff for 9 |
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| 65 | 65 | | the Task Force. 10 |
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| 66 | 66 | | |
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| 67 | 67 | | (e) A member of the Task Force: 11 |
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| 68 | 68 | | |
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| 69 | 69 | | (1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Task Force; but 12 |
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| 70 | 70 | | |
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| 71 | 71 | | (2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 13 |
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| 72 | 72 | | Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 14 |
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| 73 | 73 | | |
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| 74 | 74 | | (f) The Task Force shall study: 15 |
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| 75 | 75 | | |
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| 76 | 76 | | (1) the number of pregnant and postpartum incarcerated individuals in the 16 |
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| 77 | 77 | | State’s prisons; 17 |
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| 78 | 78 | | |
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| 79 | 79 | | (2) the ability of the Division of Correction to create a space within the 18 |
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| 80 | 80 | | prerelease unit, when completed, for pregnant and postpartum incarcerated individuals; 19 |
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| 81 | 81 | | |
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| 82 | 82 | | (3) the impact of forced infant separation from the infant’s mother; 20 |
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| 83 | 83 | | |
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| 84 | 84 | | (4) the best practices of other state correctional systems in handling: 21 |
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| 85 | 85 | | |
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| 86 | 86 | | (i) forced infant separation; 22 |
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| 87 | 87 | | |
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| 88 | 88 | | (ii) pregnant and postpartum incarcerated individuals; and 23 |
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| 89 | 89 | | |
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| 90 | 90 | | (iii) visitation between postpartum incarcerated individuals and 24 |
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| 91 | 91 | | their children; and 25 |
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| 92 | 92 | | |
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| 93 | 93 | | (5) any other issues that the Task Force considers relevant. 26 |
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| 94 | 94 | | |
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| 95 | 95 | | (g) The Task Force shall make legislative recommendations regarding methods 27 |
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| 96 | 96 | | to reduce forced infant separation in the State and facilitate bonds between postpartum 28 |
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| 97 | 97 | | incarcerated individuals and their children. 29 HOUSE BILL 837 3 |
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| 98 | 98 | | |
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| 99 | 99 | | |
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| 100 | 100 | | |
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| 101 | 101 | | (h) On or before December 31, 2026, the Task Force shall report its findings and 1 |
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| 102 | 102 | | recommendations, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, to the 2 |
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| 103 | 103 | | General Assembly. 3 |
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| 104 | 104 | | |
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| 105 | 105 | | SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 4 |
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| 106 | 106 | | 1, 2025. It shall remain effective for a period of 2 years and, at the end of June 30, 2027, 5 |
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| 107 | 107 | | this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and 6 |
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| 108 | 108 | | of no further force and effect. 7 |
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| 109 | 109 | | |
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