HB 677

Criminal Procedure - Out of Court Statements - Vulnerable Adult Victims and Witnesses

Sponsor: Karen Toles (District 25)Committee: JudiciarySubject: Criminal Law - ProceduresStatus: Hearing 2/11 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Dec 1, 2025)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Authorizing the court to admit into evidence in certain criminal proceedings certain out of court statements made by a vulnerable adult victim or witness under certain circumstances and subject to certain requirements.

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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 13FavorableFWA 1Favorable with amendmentsUNF 3UnfavorableINFO 1Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Gravely, Kathryn	Center For Hope	Written (PDF)
FAV	Taylor, Ronnie	FreeState Justice	Written (PDF)
FAV	Eaton, Lauren	Itineris Inc.	Oral
FAV	Jordan, Lisae Clobbyist	Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)	Written (PDF)
FAV	TOLES, KAREN	Maryland General Assembly	Oral
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Position only
FAV	Feinstein, Debbie	Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office	Oral
FAV	Delegate Toles, Delegate Toleslegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Kolp, Ande	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Mauer, William	Individual	Position only
FAV	Wetherington, Bertha	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Wetherington, John	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Wetherington, Liz	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Johnson, Daralobbyist	American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland	Written (PDF)
UNF	Vormelker, Will	Maryland Judiciary	Written (PDF)
UNF	Taylor, Vanita	Office of the Public Defender	Oral
FWA	Smith, Callie	Office of the Attorney General Medicaid Fraud and Vulnerable Victims Unit	Oral + Written (PDF)
INFO	Hayes, Justin	Department of Human Services	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

American Civil Liberties Union of MarylandUNF 1

Center For HopeFAV 1

Department of Human ServicesINFO 1

FreeState JusticeFAV 1

Itineris Inc.FAV 1

Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)FAV 1

Maryland General AssemblyFAV 1

Maryland JudiciaryUNF 1

Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Montgomery County State's Attorney's OfficeFAV 1

Office of the Attorney General Medicaid Fraud and Vulnerable Victims UnitFWA 1

Office of the Public DefenderUNF 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVJordan, Lisae CMaryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)Registered for: Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault

UNFJohnson, DaraAmerican Civil Liberties Union of MarylandRegistered for: ACLU of Maryland