HB 647

Correctional Services - Restrictive Housing

Sponsor: N. Scott Phillips (District 10)Committee: JudiciarySubject: CorrectionsStatus: Hearing 3/04 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Dec 1, 2025)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Altering a certain definition of restrictive housing; limiting the amount of time that an individual may be placed in restrictive housing from approximately 22 hours to 17 hours in a 24-hour period; requiring all restrictive housing units to create the least restrictive environment necessary for certain purposes; prohibiting the placement of a certain member of a vulnerable population in restrictive housing for any period of time; etc.

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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 (0)

MGA witness list

FAV 38FavorableFWA 1Favorable with amendmentsUNF 8UnfavorableINFO 2Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Hudson, Lee	Delaware-Maryland Synod, ELCA	Position only
FAV	Bezdek, Barbara	Homewood Friends Meeting, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)	Written (PDF)
FAV	White, Natasha	Interfaith Action for Human Rights	Written (PDF)
FAV	miller, deborahlobbyist	JCRC of Greater Washington	Written (PDF)
FAV	Williams, Krystal	MD Office of the Public Defender	Oral
FAV	Goode-Cross, David	MD Psychological Assn	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bovello, Donald	Maryland Alliance For Justice Reform	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Caroom, Philip	Maryland Alliance for Justice Reform	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lichtenberg, Judith	Maryland Alliance for Justice Reform	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kelter, Chris	Maryland Centers for Independent Living	Position only
FAV	Browning, Jeremy	Maryland Commission on LGBTQIA+ Affairs	Written (PDF)
FAV	Morgan, Jessica	Maryland Legislative Agenda for Women (MLAW)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kemerer, Hannibal	Maryland Office of the Public Defender	Written (PDF)
FAV	Geddes, Annlobbyist	Mental Health Association of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Gray, Michael	NAMI Maryland (National Alliance on Mental Illness)	Written (PDF)
FAV	anderson, shannice	Office of The Public Defender	Oral
FAV	Taylor, Vanita	Office of the Public Defender	Oral
FAV	Selden, Trina	Out for Justice	Position only
FAV	Speaks, Terry	Out for Justice	Oral
FAV	Williamson, Sam	Public Justice Center	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bezdek, Barbara	Quaker Voice of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Clark, Karen	UULM-MD	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	McNair, Lee	Unitarian Universalist Environmental Justice Ministry	Position only
FAV	Warnken, Heather	University of Baltimore School of Law Center for Criminal Justice Reform	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	OMalley, Catherine	Women's Law Center	Position only
FAV	Kaplowitz, Richard KAP	Year	Written (PDF)
FAV	Barry, Margaret	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Benjamin, Alexis	Individual	Oral
FAV	Delegate Phillips, Delegate Phillipslegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Holmes, Paul	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Neal, Christina	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Phillips, N. Scott	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Shifrin, Jo	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Sterling, Eric	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Tsiongas, Magdalena	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Turnbull, Bruce	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Zaccharias, Chris	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Porter, Larry	Caroline County Commissioners	Written (PDF)
UNF	Galbraith, Daniel	Harford County Sheriff's Office - Detention Center	Oral
UNF	Sample, Sarah	Maryland Association of Counties	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Lasher, Daniel	Maryland Correctional Administrators Association	Oral
UNF	Reece, Thomas	Maryland Correctional Administrators Association	Oral
UNF	Ross, Ryan	Maryland Correctional Administrators Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Thompson, Mary Ann	St. Mary's County Detention and Rehabilitation Center	Written (PDF)
UNF	Tibbals, Trudy	Individual	Position only
FWA	Parsley, Luciene	Disability Rights Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
INFO	Gilmore , Deniselobbyist	AFSCME Maryland	Written (PDF)
INFO	Thoms, Christopher	DPSCS	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

AFSCME MarylandINFO 1

Caroline County CommissionersUNF 1

Delaware-Maryland Synod, ELCAFAV 1

Disability Rights MarylandFWA 1

DPSCSINFO 1

Harford County Sheriff's Office - Detention CenterUNF 1

Homewood Friends Meeting, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)FAV 1

Interfaith Action for Human RightsFAV 1

JCRC of Greater WashingtonFAV 1

Maryland Alliance for Justice ReformFAV 2

Maryland Alliance For Justice ReformFAV 1

Maryland Association of CountiesUNF 1

Maryland Centers for Independent LivingFAV 1

Maryland Commission on LGBTQIA+ AffairsFAV 1

Maryland Correctional Administrators AssociationUNF 3

Maryland Legislative Agenda for Women (MLAW)FAV 1

Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Maryland Office of the Public DefenderFAV 1

MD Office of the Public DefenderFAV 1

MD Psychological AssnFAV 1

Mental Health Association of MarylandFAV 1

NAMI Maryland (National Alliance on Mental Illness)FAV 1

Office of the Public DefenderFAV 1

Office of The Public DefenderFAV 1

Out for JusticeFAV 2

Public Justice CenterFAV 1

Quaker Voice of MarylandFAV 1

St. Mary's County Detention and Rehabilitation CenterUNF 1

Unitarian Universalist Environmental Justice MinistryFAV 1

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

UULM-MDFAV 1

Women's Law CenterFAV 1

YearFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVmiller, deborahJCRC of Greater WashingtonRegistered for: Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington

FAVGeddes, AnnMental Health Association of MarylandRegistered for: Mental Health Association of Maryland; Maryland Coalition of Families

INFOGilmore , DeniseAFSCME MarylandRegistered for: AFSCME Maryland Council 3; AFSCME Council 3