HB 191

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

Sponsor: Bernice Mireku-North (District 14)Committee: JudiciarySubject: CorrectionsStatus: Hearing 2/27 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Nov 13, 2024)

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 1 year following the birth; 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 (29)

MGA witness list

FAV 25FavorableFWA 2Favorable with amendmentsUNF 1UnfavorableINFO 1Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Patinella, Franklobbyist	ACLU of Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Dews, Christopherlobbyist	Center for Urban Families (CFUF)	Position only
FAV	Philip, Diana	Coalition to Protect Maryland's Children	Written (PDF)
FAV	Reynolds-Dominguez, Camilalobbyist	FreeState Justice	Position only
FAV	Ward, Lindsay	MD Chesapeake Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)	Position only
FAV	Arias, Dianelobbyist	Maryland Catholic Conference	Written (PDF)
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Karnes, Lauren	Maryland Office of the Public Defender	Oral
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	Tomasello, Beth	Montgomery County Women's Democratic Club	Written (PDF)
FAV	Proctor, Karessa	NASW Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Taylor, Vanita	Office of the Public Defender	Oral
FAV	Emerson, Jessica	The Human Trafficking Prevention Project	Written (PDF)
FAV	Clark, Karen	UULM-MD	Written (PDF)
FAV	Gallagher, E. Flannery	University of Baltimore Law School, Center for Criminal Justice Reform	Position only
FAV	Warnken, Heather	University of Baltimore School of Law Center for Criminal Justice Reform	Position only
FAV	Rafter, Andrea	Women's Law Center of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bradley, Erinlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Mireku-North, Delegate Mireku-Northlegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Harris, Mrs.	Individual	Position only
FAV	Jasen, Debi	Individual	Position only
FAV	Kasemeyer, Pam	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Mercer, Jenniferlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Mireku-North, Bernice	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	mcavoy, vince	Individual	Position only
FWA	Kirsch, Anne	PREPARE	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	SWASC, UM	Social Work Advocates for Social Change	Written (PDF)
INFO	Kahl, Catherine	DPSCS	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

ACLU of MarylandFAV 1

Center for Urban Families (CFUF)FAV 1

Coalition to Protect Maryland's ChildrenFAV 1

DPSCSINFO 1

FreeState JusticeFAV 1

Maryland Catholic ConferenceFAV 1

Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Maryland Office of the Public DefenderFAV 1

Maryland Office of the Public Defender, Parental Defense DivisionFAV 1

Mayor's Office of Government RelationsFAV 1

MD Chesapeake Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)FAV 1

Montgomery County Women's Democratic ClubFAV 1

NASW MarylandFAV 1

Office of the Public DefenderFAV 1

PREPAREFWA 1

Social Work Advocates for Social ChangeFWA 1

The Human Trafficking Prevention ProjectFAV 1

University of Baltimore Law School, Center for Criminal Justice ReformFAV 1

University of Baltimore School of Law Center for Criminal Justice ReformFAV 1

UULM-MDFAV 1

Women's Law Center of MarylandFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVPatinella, FrankACLU of MarylandRegistered for: ACLU of Maryland; American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland

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

FAVReynolds-Dominguez, CamilaFreeState JusticeRegistered for: FreeState Justice

FAVArias, DianeMaryland Catholic ConferenceRegistered for: Maryland Catholic Conference

FAVBradley, ErinRegistered for: Planned Parenthood of Maryland

FAVMercer, JenniferRegistered for: Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence