HB 523

Correctional Services - Pregnancy and Postpartum Support (Prevention of Forced Infant Separation Act)

Sponsor: Bernice Mireku-North (District 14)Committee: JudiciarySubject: CorrectionsStatus: Hearing 2/21 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Nov 9, 2023)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring the Division of Correction to allow a certain pregnant woman and a certain woman who recently gave birth to transfer to the prerelease unit for women for a certain time period; establishing the Healthy Start Bonding Program to facilitate strong bonds between incarcerated women and their children; and requiring the Division to allow liberal visitation between certain individuals and certain children under certain circumstances.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (40)

MGA witness list

FAV 37FavorableFWA 1Favorable with amendmentsUNF 1UnfavorableINFO 1Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Kriebs, Jan	American College of Nurse Midwifes (ACNM) - Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Henry, Donte	HTP Homes - Witness	Oral
FAV	Dews, Christopherlobbyist	JOTF	Oral
FAV	Dews, Christopherlobbyist	JOTF	Position only
FAV	Stoica, Ioanalobbyist	Job Opportunities Task Force	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Johnson, Qiana	Life After Release	Oral
FAV	Rojas, Psalms	Marian House	Written (PDF)
FAV	Moyd, Esquire, Olinda	Maryland Alliance for Justice Reform	Written (PDF)
FAV	Barnwell, Brianlobbyist	Maryland Catholic Conference	Written (PDF)
FAV	Phelps, Jr., Kenneth	Maryland Episcopal Public Policy Network	Position only
FAV	Cooper, Monica	Maryland Justice Project	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Levi, Gwen	Maryland Justice Project	Oral
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Position only
FAV	Mast, Carlyn	Maryland Office of the Public Defender, Parental Defense Division	Oral
FAV	Themelis, Nina	Mayor's Office of Government Relations	Written (PDF)
FAV	Richardson, Alexa	Office of the Public Defender	Oral
FAV	Taylor, Vanita	Office of the Public Defender	Oral
FAV	Khalfani, Natasha	Office of the Public Defender Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hanson, Nicole	Out for Justice	Oral
FAV	Emerson, Jessica	The Human Trafficking Prevention Project	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Siri, Michellelobbyist	The Women's Law Center of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Egan, Ashleylobbyist	UULM-MD	Position only
FAV	Achrati, Nora	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Boyd, Christina	Individual	Oral
FAV	Cahill, Emily	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	DeVaughn- Johnson, Ashley	Individual	Oral
FAV	Delegate Mireku-North, Delegate Mireku-Northlegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Elliott, Robynlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hanson- Mundell, Nicole	Individual	Oral
FAV	Jasen, Debi	Individual	Position only
FAV	Kabara, Ilona	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kasemeyer, Pam	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Levine, Ava	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Mireku-North, Bernice	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Schrader, Stuart	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Sutton, MJ	Individual	Oral
FAV	Yoder, Daryl	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	mcavoy, vince	Individual	Oral
FWA	Tomasello, Beth	Montgomery County Women's Democratic Club	Oral + Written (PDF)
INFO	Beskid, Jennifer	Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services	Written (PDF)

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVDews, ChristopherJOTFRegistered for: Advance Maryland Education Fund; Beyond Impact; Center for Urban Families; Dews & Associates; Out for Justice, Inc.; REFORM Alliance…

FAVStoica, IoanaJob Opportunities Task ForceRegistered for: Job Opportunities Task Force (JOTF); Jews United for Justice

FAVBarnwell, BrianMaryland Catholic ConferenceRegistered for: Maryland Catholic Conference

FAVSiri, MichelleThe Women's Law Center of MarylandRegistered for: Maryland Legal Services Corporation; Women's Law Center of Maryland, Inc.

FAVEgan, AshleyUULM-MDRegistered for: UULM-MD

FAVElliott, RobynRegistered for: American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists; Amica Center for Immigrant Rights; CareForth; Chase Brexton Health System; Coordinating Center, The; Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition…

HB 523

What this bill does

Testimony (40)

Organizations on record

Registered lobbyists who testified