EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
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SENATE BILL 694
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By: Senators Love, Benson, Hettleman, and Muse
Introduced and read first time: January 26, 2025
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Correctional Services – Assessment of State Correctional System 2
FOR the purpose of requiring the Office of the Correctional Ombudsman to engage an 3
independent consultant to perform a certain assessment of the State’s correctional 4
system at a certain time; altering the items required to be included in a certain 5
annual report of the Office; and generally relating to the State Correctional System. 6
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 7
Article – State Government 8
Section 9–4001(a) and (e) 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 11
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
Article – State Government 13
Section 9–4006 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 16
BY adding to 17
Article – State Government 18
Section 9–4009 19
Annotated Code of Maryland 20
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 21
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 22
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 23
Article – State Government 24
9–4001. 25 2 SENATE BILL 694
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 1
(e) “Office” means the Office of the Correctional Ombudsman. 2
9–4006. 3
(a) On or before December 31 each year, the Office shall report to the Governor 4
and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of this article, the General Assembly on: 5
(1) investigations conducted by the Office; 6
(2) any actions taken by an agency as a result of the conclusions or 7
recommendations of the Office; 8
(3) any instance where an agency rejects a recommendation or conclusion 9
of the Office; [and] 10
(4) information on any death of an individual confined by or under the care 11
of an agency; AND 12
(5) THE STATUS OF COMPLETION , RESULTS, AND STATUS OF 13
IMPLEMENTATION OF RE COMMENDATIONS OF THE ASSESSMENT RE QUIRED UNDER 14
§ 9–4009 OF THIS SUBTITLE . 15
(b) In addition to the report required by subsection (a) of this section, the Office 16
shall provide to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of this article, the General 17
Assembly any other reports that the Governor or the General Assembly may require. 18
(c) A report prepared under this section shall be published on the Office’s website. 19
9–4009. 20
(A) ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER 1, 2026, THE OFFICE SHALL ENGAGE A N 21
INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT TO PERFOR M A COMPREHENSIVE AS SESSMENT OF THE 22
STATE’S CORRECTION AL SYSTEM. 23
(B) THE ASSESSMENT REQUIR ED UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION 24
SHALL: 25
(1) ADDRESS THE FOLLOWIN G ISSUES: 26
(I) INFRASTRUCTURE , INCLUDING: 27
1. FACILITY LAYOUT ; 28 SENATE BILL 694 3
2. CELL DESIGN; 1
3. RECREATION AND ACTIV ITY AREAS; AND 2
4. TECHNOLOGY AND SECUR ITY SYSTEMS; 3
(II) STAFFING, INCLUDING: 4
1. STAFF–TO–INCARCERATED –INDIVIDUAL RATIOS; 5
2. TRAINING PROGRAMS ; AND 6
3. STAFFING CHALLENGES ; 7
(III) PROGRAMMING , INCLUDING: 8
1. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CURRENT OFFERINGS ; 9
2. PROGRAM ACCESSIBILIT Y; AND 10
3. PROGRAMMING GAPS; 11
(IV) MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH SERVICES , INCLUDING: 12
1. ACCESS TO CARE BY GENERAL AND SPECI AL 13
POPULATIONS ; AND 14
2. HOW MARYLAND’S CARE PRACTICES COM PARE TO 15
NATIONAL STANDARDS; AND 16
(V) RESTRICTIVE HOUSING , INCLUDING: 17
1. CONDITIONS; 18
2. CURRENT POLICIES REGARDING DURATION L IMITS, 19
OUT–OF–CELL TIME, AND CRITERIA FOR PLA CEMENT; 20
3. COMPLIANCE WITH BEST PRACTICES; AND 21
4. ALTERNATIVES TO REST RICTIVE HOUSING ; 22
4 SENATE BILL 694
(2) REFLECT THE INPUT OF STAKEHOLDER S AND INCARCERATED 1
INDIVIDUALS BY MEANS OF: 2
(I) INTERVIEWS; 3
(II) SURVEYS; AND 4
(III) PUBLIC HEARINGS ; AND 5
(3) INCLUDE: 6
(I) A COST–BENEFIT ANALYSIS THA T ADDRESSES: 7
1. THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF IMPLEMENTING 8
REFORMS; AND 9
2. POTENTIAL COST SAVIN GS FROM REDUCED 10
RECIDIVISM AND IMPRO VED INCARCERATED INDIVID UAL OUTCOMES; 11
(II) A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS THAT: 12
1. BENCHMARKS MARYLAND’S PRACTICES WITH THO SE 13
OF NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, AND OTHER LEADING ST ATES TO IDENTIFY GAP S AND 14
AREAS FOR IMPROVEMEN T; AND 15
2. IDENTIFIES BEST PRACTICES THAT HAVE PROVEN 16
EFFECTIVE ELSEWHERE ; AND 17
(III) RECOMMENDATIONS AND AN IMPLEMENTATION PL AN, 18
INCLUDING: 19
1. ACTIONABLE STEPS FOR THE SHORT–, MID–, AND 20
LONG–TERM; 21
2. A REALISTIC TIMELINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION , 22
CONSIDERING FUNDING AND OPERATIONAL CONS TRAINTS; AND 23
3. MONITORING AND ONGOI NG EVALUATION . 24
(C) ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER 1, 2028, THE INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT 25
ENGAGED BY THE OFFICE UNDER SUBSECTI ON (A) OF THIS SECTION SHALL 26
COMPLETE THE ASSESSMENT AND PROVIDE THE OFFICE WITH A WRITTEN REPORT 27
OF ITS FINDINGS AND RECOMME NDATIONS. 28 SENATE BILL 694 5
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 1
October 1, 2025. 2