HB 84

Criminal Procedure - Sentencing - Domestic Violence as a Mitigating Factor (Providing Alternatives Through Healing for Justice-Involved Individuals (PATH) Act)

Sponsor: Stephanie Smith (District 45)Committee: JudiciarySubject: Criminal Law - ProceduresStatus: Hearing 2/05 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Authorizing the introduction of evidence that a certain defendant was the victim of domestic violence and that the domestic violence was a significant contributing factor to the commission of a certain crime as a mitigating factor at sentencing of the defendant or a hearing on a motion for modification or reduction of a sentence; and establishing related procedures.

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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 (34)

MGA witness list

FAV 28FavorableFWA 3Favorable with amendmentsINFO 3Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Johnson, Carmen	Court Watch - PG	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Hession, Melody	Delaware-Maryland Synod of the ELCA	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Moore, DaMarqus	Helping Ourselves To Transform	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Sackie, Sackiella	Helping Ourselves To Transform	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Johnson, Dr. Carmen	Helping Ourselves to Transform	Written (PDF)
FAV	Mathis-Chambers, Nasyr	Helping Ourselves to Transform	Written (PDF)
FAV	Owens, Sonja	Helping Ourselves to Transform	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	WIEST, ANITA	MAJR	Written (PDF)
FAV	Rojas, Psalms	Marian House	Written (PDF)
FAV	Moyd, Esquire, Olinda	Maryland Alliance for Justice Reform	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Arias, Dianelobbyist	Maryland Catholic Conference	Written (PDF)
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Muhammad, Dr. Mildred D	Mildred D Muhammad Enterprises, LLC	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Rubenstein, Cynthia	Montgomery County Women's Democratic Club	Written (PDF)
FAV	Williams, Deborah	Montgomery County Women's Democratic Club	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Ivey, Jolene	Prince George's County Council	Written (PDF)
FAV	Watts, Lydia	Rebuild, Overcome, and Rise (ROAR) Center at UMB	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Phelps Jr, Ken	The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Clark, Karen	UULM-MD	Written (PDF)
FAV	Gardner, Gretta	Ujima, The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	McNair, Lee	Unitarian Universalist Environmental Justice Ministry	Position only
FAV	Jones, Dana	Women Legislators of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	OMalley, Catherine	Women's Law Center	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kaplowitz, Richard KAP	Year	Written (PDF)
FAV	Combs, Crystal	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Smith, Delegate Smithlegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Lao, Serena	Individual	Position only
FAV	Smith, Stephanie	Individual	Written (PDF)
FWA	Dews, Christopherlobbyist	Dews & Associates	Oral
FWA	Watts, Kimberlee	Maryland Office of the Public Defender	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Clark, Tiffany	Office of the Attorney General	Written (PDF)
INFO	Jordan, Lisae Clobbyist	Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)	Written (PDF)
INFO	Vormelker, Will	Maryland Judiciary	Written (PDF)
INFO	Brown, Kirsten	Maryland State's Attorneys' Association	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Court Watch - PGFAV 1

Delaware-Maryland Synod of the ELCAFAV 1

Dews & AssociatesFWA 1

Helping Ourselves to TransformFAV 3

Helping Ourselves To TransformFAV 2

MAJRFAV 1

Marian HouseFAV 1

Maryland Alliance for Justice ReformFAV 1

Maryland Catholic ConferenceFAV 1

Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)INFO 1

Maryland JudiciaryINFO 1

Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Maryland Office of the Public DefenderFWA 1

Maryland State's Attorneys' AssociationINFO 1

Mildred D Muhammad Enterprises, LLCFAV 1

Montgomery County Women's Democratic ClubFAV 2

Office of the Attorney GeneralFWA 1

Prince George's County CouncilFAV 1

Rebuild, Overcome, and Rise (ROAR) Center at UMBFAV 1

The Episcopal Diocese of MarylandFAV 1

Ujima, The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black CommunityFAV 1

Unitarian Universalist Environmental Justice MinistryFAV 1

UULM-MDFAV 1

Women Legislators of MarylandFAV 1

Women's Law CenterFAV 1

YearFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVArias, DianeMaryland Catholic ConferenceRegistered for: Maryland Catholic Conference

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

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