Compare versions

--- version:First - Division of Correction - Release Preparation Program
+++ version:(document, no version)
@@ -1,146 +1,106 @@
-EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
-        [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
-           *hb0108*
+  HB 108
+Department of Legislative Services
+Maryland General Assembly
+2026 Session
 
-HOUSE BILL 108
-E5   6lr1418
-  (PRE–FILED) CF SB 61
-By: Delegate Pasteur
-Requested: October 29, 2025
-Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
-Assigned to: Government, Labor, and Elections
+FISCAL AND POLICY NOTE
+Third Reader - Revised
+House Bill 108 (Delegate Pasteur, et al.)
+Government, Labor, and Elections Judicial Proceedings and Finance
 
-A BILL ENTITLED
+Division of Correction - Volunteer Services Program
 
-AN ACT concerning 1
+This bill establishes the Volunteer Services Program in the Division of Correction (DOC)
+within the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS). DOC must
+establish a protocol for registering volunteers, including formerly incarcerated individuals
+and organizations led by formerly i ncarcerated individuals, in the program to have access
+to State correctional facilities for the purpose of assisting incarcerated individuals with
+release preparation. The protocol must require (1) DOC to maintain a record of volunteers
+registered in the p rogram; (2) the registration of volunteers in the program to be made
+available to the public, subject to specified conditions; and (3) a volunteer in the program
+to provide to DOC a written schedule describing when the volunteer intends to access a
+State correctional facility. A volunteer in the program (1) has the right to elect whether the
+volunteer’s name is made available to the public and (2) must consent in writing if the
+volunteer elects the disclosure of the volunteer’s name to the public. DOC may not deny a
+schedule provided unless the schedule interferes with the normal function of the State
+correctional facility.
 
-Division of Correction – Release Preparation Program 2
+Fiscal Summary
 
-FOR the purpose of establishing the Release Preparation Program in the Division of 3
-Correction for the purpose of providing access to formerly incarcerated individuals  4
-to State correctional facilities to assist incarcerated individuals with release 5
-preparation; altering the purposes of the Cannabis Regulation and Enforcement 6
-Fund to include providing funds to cover the costs of  supporting the Release 7
-Preparation Program; and generally relating to the Release Preparation Program. 8
+State Effect:  DPSCS can handle the bill’s requirements with existing resources. The bill
+is not otherwise expected to materially affect State finances.
 
-BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
- Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 10
-Section 36–206 11
- Annotated Code of Maryland 12
- (2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 13
+Local Effect:  None.
 
-BY adding to 14
- Article – Correctional Services 15
-Section 9–619 16
- Annotated Code of Maryland 17
- (2025 Replacement Volume) 18
+Small Business Effect:  None.
 
- SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
-That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
+HB 108/ Page 2
+Analysis
 
-Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 21
+Current Law:
 
-36–206. 22
+Release from Division of Correction
 
- (a) In this section, “Fund” means the Cannabis Regulation and Enforcement 23
-Fund. 24
-2 HOUSE BILL 108
+The Commissioner of Correction must adopt regulations (1) establishing a release plan for
+incarcerated individuals upon release from confinement in a State correctional facility to
+help identify resources to assist incarcerated individuals following release, including the
+provision of transportation from the facility for an incarcerated individual upon release and
+(2) implementing provisions concerning issuance of an identification card to incarcerated
+individuals on release from confinement in a State correctional facility.
 
- (b) There is a Cannabis Regulation and Enforcement Fund. 1
+Current regulations specify that, when feasible, a pa role release plan must be completed
+before a parole hearing. A release plan must include the name of the parolee’s employer or
+evidence of other legitimate means of financial support, the location at which the parolee
+will reside, and the nature of any com munity services necessary to meet the special needs
+of the parolee.
 
- (c) The purpose of the Fund is to provide funds to cover the costs of: 2
+Task Force on the Creation of a Division of Returning Citizens and Expanded Reentry
+Services
 
-  (1) the operation of the Administration; 3
+Chapters 936 and 937 of 2024 established the Task Force on the Creation of a Division of
+Returning Citizens and Expanded Reentry Services, staffed by DPSCS. The task force must
+(1) identify and assess the reentry services that exist in the State; (2) identify gaps in reentry
+services; (3) assess the markers of successful reentry; (4) ensure that the recommendations
+of the task force equally consider returning citizens regardless of gender; (5) develop a plan
+to establish a Division of Returning Citizens within DPSCS for specified purposes; and
+(6) develop a plan to expand specified services for ind ividuals after release from
+incarceration.
 
-  (2) administering and enforcing this title; [and] 4
+Chapters 112 and 113 of 2025 extended the termination date of the task force to
+June 30, 2027, and the deadline for submission of the task force’s required report to
+October 31, 2026.
 
-  (3) supporting the Social Equity Partnership Grant Program established 5
-under § 1–323 of this article; AND 6
+Performance Incentive Grant Fund
 
-  (4) SUPPORTING THE RELEASE PREPARATION PROGRAM 7
-ESTABLISHED UNDER § 9–619 OF THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES ARTICLE. 8
+The Performance Incentive Grant Fund within the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention
+and Policy is intended to make use of the savings from the implementation of
+Chapter 515 of 2016, the Justice Reinvestment Act, to provide grants for specified
+programs and services, including providing for pretrial risk assessments, services to reduce
+pretrial detention, diversion programs, specialty courts, reentry programs, and ensuring that
 
- (d) The Administration shall administer the Fund. 9
+HB 108/ Page 3
+the rights of crime victims are protected and enhanced. Money expended from the fund for
+programs to reduce recidivism and control correctional costs is supplemental to and is not
+intended to take the place of funding that otherwise would be appropriated for such
+purposes.
 
- (e) (1) The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7–302 of 10
-the State Finance and Procurement Article. 11
+Additional Information
 
-  (2) The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately, and the 12
-Comptroller shall account for the Fund. 13
+Recent Prior Introductions:  Similar legislation has not been introduced within the last
+three years.
 
- (f) The Fund consists of: 14
+Designated Cross File:  SB 61 (Senator Sydnor) - Judicial Proceedings and Finance.
 
-  (1) fees distributed to the Fund under § 36–205 of this subtitle; 15
+Information Source(s):  Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services;
+Maryland Department of Labor; Maryland Cannabis Administration; Department of Social
+and Economic Mobility; Department of Legislative Services
 
-  (2) revenue distributed to the Fund under § 2–1302.2 of the Tax – General 16
-Article; 17
+Fiscal Note History:   First Reader - January 26, 2026
+Third Reader - March 21, 2026
+ Revised - Amendment(s) - March 21, 2026
 
-  (3) interest earnings of the Fund; and 18
+jg/lgc
 
-  (4) any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the 19
-Fund, in accordance with any conditions adopted by the Commission for the acceptance of 20
-donations or gifts to the Fund. 21
-
- (g) The Fund may be used for: 22
-
-  (1) carrying out this title [and]; 23
-
-  (2) supporting the Social Equity Partnership Grant Program established 24
-under § 1–323 of this article; AND 25
-
-  (3) SUPPORTING THE RELEASE PREPARATION PROGRAM 26
-ESTABLISHED UNDER § 9–619 OF THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES ARTICLE. 27
-
- HOUSE BILL 108 3
-
- (h) (1) The State Treasurer shall invest the money of the Fund in the same 1
-manner as other State money may be invested. 2
-
-  (2) Any interest earnings of the Fund shall be credited to the Fund. 3
-
- (i) The Fund is subject to audit by the Office of Legislative Audits as provided for 4
-in § 2–1220 of the State Government Article. 5
-
- (j) (1) On or before March 15 each year, the Administration shall publish on 6
-its website a detailed report on revenue distributed to and expenditures from the Fund. 7
-
-  (2) The report shall also be submitted to the General Assembly in 8
-accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article. 9
-
-Article – Correctional Services 10
-
-9–619. 11
-
- (A) IN THIS SECTION , “PROGRAM” MEANS THE RELEASE PREPARATION 12
-PROGRAM. 13
-
- (B) THERE IS A RELEASE PREPARATION PROGRAM IN THE DIVISION OF 14
-CORRECTION. 15
-
- (C) (1) THE DIVISION OF CORRECTION SHALL ESTABLISH A PROTOCOL  16
-FOR REGISTERING FORM ERLY INCARCERATED IN DIVIDUALS IN THE PROGRAM TO 17
-HAVE ACCESS TO STATE CORRECTIONAL FA CILITIES FOR THE PUR POSE OF  18
-ASSISTING INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS WITH RELEASE PREPARATION. 19
-
-  (2) THE DIVISION OF CORRECTION SHALL SUBMIT THE PRO TOCOL 20
-ESTABLISHED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION TO THE OFFICE OF THE 21
-ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR APPROVAL.  22
-
- (D) THE PROTOCOL ESTABLIS HED UNDER SUBSECTION  (C) OF THIS 23
-SECTION SHALL REQUIRE: 24
-
-  (1) THE REGISTRATION OF FORMERLY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS 25
-IN THE PROGRAM TO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC; AND 26
-
-  (2) A FORMERLY INCARCERA TED INDIVIDUAL IN THE PROGRAM TO 27
-PROVIDE TO THE DIVISION OF CORRECTION A WRITTEN SCHEDULE D ESCRIBING 28
-WHEN THE INDIVIDUAL INTENDS TO ACCESS A STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. 29
-
- (E) THE DIVISION OF CORRECTION MAY NOT DENY A SCHEDULE PROVIDED 30
-4 HOUSE BILL 108
-
-UNDER SUBSECTION (D)(2) OF THIS SECTION UNLESS THE SCHEDULE INTERFERES 1
-WITH THE NORMAL FUNCTION OF THE STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. 2
-
- SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 3
-October 1, 2026. 4
+Analysis by:  Shirleen M. E. Pilgrim  Direct Inquiries to:
+(410) 946-5510
+(301) 970-5510