Key Points of the Bill:
- Reduces the number of charges for which a child is automatically charged as an adult.
- The cross-filed house bill version, HB409, has not yet received a vote in the Judiciary Committee.
- Senator Will Smith (D), who represents Montgomery County and chairs the Judicial Proceedings Committee, sponsored the bill.
How'd they vote?
Here's a party breakdown of the vote, as of 11:55 a.m. on March 6, 2026:
Senator Carl Jackson (D), who represents Baltimore County, was the only Democrat to vote against the bill. Senator Chris West (R), of Baltimore County, and Senator Bryan Simonaire (R), of Anne Arundel County, voted for the bill. Here's the full breakdown of how the Senators voted:
The organizations and groups that testified in favor of the bill included:
- Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland
- SURJ Baltimore
- League of Women Voters of Maryland
- Maryland Alliance for Justice Reform
- Human Rights for Kids
- Maryland Department of Juvenile Services
- Jews United for Justice
- Governor's Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services
- The Sentencing Project
- R Street Institute
- ACLU of Maryland
- The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland
- Maryland Office of the Public Defender
- Baltimore Jewish Council
- Bridge Maryland, Inc
Groups testifying in opposition to the bill included:
- Maryland State's Attorney's Association
- Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office
- Worcester County Sheriff's Office
- MD Police Chiefs Association and Maryland Sheriffs' Association
- Maryland Crime Victim's Resource Center
- Baltimore County State's Attorney's Office
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Maryland Senate advances bill to move more juvenile charges out of the adult court system