SB 323

Juvenile Court - Jurisdiction, Detention, and Confinement (Youth Charging Reform Act)

Sponsor: William C. Smith, Jr. (District 20)Committee: Judicial ProceedingsSubject: Juvenile LawStatus: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 609 (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Altering the jurisdiction of the juvenile court by repealing provisions specifying that the juvenile court does not have jurisdiction over a child alleged to have committed any crime punishable by life imprisonment; requiring an intake officer to authorize detention for a child that is at least 16 years old and is accused of certain crimes; altering and establishing certain provisions relating to the detention, confinement, and transportation of certain children; 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 (140)

MGA witness list

FAV 112FavorableFWA 10Favorable with amendmentsUNF 16UnfavorableINFO 2Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Patinella, Franklobbyist	ACLU of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Wilkerson, Alicelobbyist	Advance Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Wilkerson, Alicelobbyist	Advance Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	RUBIN, ANNA	Anna Rubin	Written (PDF)
FAV	Snyder, Abigaillobbyist	Baltimore Jewish Council	Written (PDF)
FAV	Tilghman, Marlon	Bridge Maryland, Inc	Written (PDF)
FAV	Keyes, Rachael	CASH Campaign of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Moore, Tonaeyalobbyist	CASH Campaign of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Carrington, Darrell	Carrington & Associates, LLC	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hession, Melody	Delaware-Maryland Synod of the ELCA	Position only
FAV	Hession, Melody	Delaware-Maryland Synod of the ELCA	Written (PDF)
FAV	Dews, Christopherlobbyist	Dews & Associates	Written (PDF)
FAV	Dews, Christopherlobbyist	Dews & Associates	Position only
FAV	Dixon, Monique	Gibson-Banks Center for Race and the Law, University of Maryland Carey School of Law	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lennig, Dorothy	Governor's Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lennig, Dorothy	Governor's Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services	Written (PDF)
FAV	Dold, Jameslobbyist	Human Rights for Kids	Written (PDF)
FAV	Dold, Jameslobbyist	Human Rights for Kids	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	miller, deborahlobbyist	JCRC of Greater Washington	Written (PDF)
FAV	Koplik, Chuck	Jewish Community Relations Council of Howard County	Written (PDF)
FAV	Goemann, Melissa	Jews United for Justice	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lampel, Anita	Jews United for Justice	Written (PDF)
FAV	Zeimer, Matanlobbyist	Jews United for Justice	Written (PDF)
FAV	Caplan, Karen	Karen D. Caplan	Written (PDF)
FAV	Boddie-Willis, Cynthia	League of Women Voters of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Phillips, N. Scott	Legislative Black Caucus of MD	Written (PDF)
FAV	Agarin, Ufuoma	Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Park, Liz	MD Association of Youth Service Bureaus	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kovacs, Lisa	Maryland Association of Local Management Boards	Written (PDF)
FAV	O'Day, Garrettlobbyist	Maryland Catholic Conference	Written (PDF)
FAV	O'Day, Garrettlobbyist	Maryland Catholic Conference	Written (PDF)
FAV	Fox Tolentino, Betsy	Maryland Department of Juvenile Services	Written (PDF)
FAV	Fox Tolentino, Betsy	Maryland Department of Juvenile Services	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Seagears, Erin	Maryland Office of the Public Defender	Written (PDF)
FAV	Frey, Leslie	Montgomery County	Written (PDF)
FAV	Proctor, Karessa	NASW Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Proctor, Karessa	NASW Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Frost, Lesley	Nationa Council of Jewish Women, MD Action Team	Written (PDF)
FAV	Brown, Anthony	Office of the Attorney General	Written (PDF)
FAV	Duckett-Randolph, Neka	Out 4 Justice	Written (PDF)
FAV	Speaks, Terry	Out for Justice	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lofgren, Ingrid	Public Justice Center	Written (PDF)
FAV	Ciekot, Annlobbyist	Public Policy Partners	Written (PDF)
FAV	Melvin, Robertlobbyist	R Street Institute	Written (PDF)
FAV	Melvin, Robertlobbyist	R Street Institute	Written (PDF)
FAV	Watts, Lydia	Rebuild, Overcome, and Rise (ROAR) Center at UMB	Written (PDF)
FAV	Wilkins, Katherine	SURJ	Written (PDF)
FAV	Badeker, Melissa	SURJ Baltimore	Written (PDF)
FAV	Eckel, Rianna	SURJ Baltimore	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kleinman, Jan	SURJ Baltimore	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hoffman, Theresa M.	Showing Up for Racial Justice Baltimore	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hoffman, Theresa M.	Showing Up for Racial Justice Baltimore	Written (PDF)
FAV	Keipper, Lindsay	Showing Up for Racial Justice- Baltimore	Written (PDF)
FAV	SWASC, UM	Social Work Advocates for Social Change	Written (PDF)
FAV	SWASC, UM	Social Work Advocates for Social Change	Written (PDF)
FAV	Quinn, Kelly	The Choice Program at UMBC	Written (PDF)
FAV	Quinn, Kelly	The Choice Program at UMBC	Written (PDF)
FAV	Phelps Jr, Ken	The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Scali, Mary Ann	The Gault Center: Defenders of Youth Rights	Written (PDF)
FAV	Naugle, Olivia	The Sentencing Project	Written (PDF)

Showing 60 of 140

Organizations on record

ACLU of MarylandFAV 1

Advance MarylandFAV 2

Anna RubinFAV 1

Baltimore City State's Attorney's OfficeUNF 1

Baltimore County State's Attorney's OfficeUNF 1

Baltimore Jewish CouncilFAV 1

Bridge Maryland, IncFAV 1

Carrington & Associates, LLCFAV 1

CASH Campaign of MarylandFAV 2

Councilwoman At-Large, GlenardenFWA 1

Delaware-Maryland Synod of the ELCAFAV 2

Dews & AssociatesFAV 2

Gibson-Banks Center for Race and the Law, University of Maryland Carey School of LawFAV 1

Governor's Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim ServicesFAV 2

Human Rights for KidsFAV 2

JCRC of Greater WashingtonFAV 1

Jewish Community Relations Council of Howard CountyFAV 1

Jews United for JusticeFAV 3

Karen D. CaplanFAV 1

Leaders of a Beautiful StruggleFWA 1

League of Women Voters of MarylandFAV 1

Legislative Black Caucus of MarylandFAV 1

Legislative Black Caucus of MDFAV 1

Maryland Association of Local Management BoardsFAV 1

Maryland Catholic ConferenceFAV 2

Maryland Crime Victims' Resource CenterUNF 1

Maryland Department of Juvenile ServicesFAV 2

Maryland JudiciaryINFO 1

Maryland Office of the Public DefenderFAV 1FWA 1

Maryland State's Attorneys' AssociationUNF 1

MD Association of Youth Service BureausFAV 1

MD Chiefs of Police Asso & MD Sheriffs' AssocUNF 1

MD Police Chiefs Assoc. and MD Sheriffs Assoc.UNF 1

Montgomery CountyFAV 1

Montgomery County State's Attorney's OfficeUNF 1

NASW MarylandFAV 2

Nationa Council of Jewish Women, MD Action TeamFAV 1

Office of the Attorney GeneralFAV 1FWA 1

Office of the State's Attorney for Wicomico CountyUNF 1

Out 4 JusticeFAV 1

Out for JusticeFAV 1

Prince George's County Office of the State's AttorneyUNF 1

Public Justice CenterFAV 1

Public Policy PartnersFAV 1

R Street InstituteFAV 2

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

Sayra and Neil Meyerhoff Center for Families, Children and the CourtsFWA 2

selfFAV 1

Showing Up for Racial Justice BaltimoreFAV 2

Showing Up for Racial Justice- BaltimoreFAV 1FWA 1

Social Work Advocates for Social ChangeFAV 2

State's Attorney for Prince George's CountyUNF 1

SURJFAV 1

SURJ BaltimoreFAV 3

The Choice Program at UMBCFAV 2

The Episcopal Diocese of MarylandFAV 1

The Gault Center: Defenders of Youth RightsFAV 1

The Sentencing ProjectFAV 1

UMB: Center for Violence PreventionFAV 1

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

Worcester County Sheriffs OfficeUNF 1

YearFAV 1

Youth As ResourcesFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

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

FAVWilkerson, AliceAdvance MarylandRegistered for: Advance Maryland

FAVSnyder, AbigailBaltimore Jewish CouncilRegistered for: Baltimore Jewish Council

FAVMoore, TonaeyaCASH Campaign of MarylandRegistered for: CASH Campaign of Maryland

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

FAVDold, JamesHuman Rights for KidsRegistered for: Human Rights for Kids

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

FAVZeimer, MatanJews United for JusticeRegistered for: Jews United for Justice

FAVO'Day, GarrettMaryland Catholic ConferenceRegistered for: Maryland Catholic Conference

FAVCiekot, AnnPublic Policy PartnersRegistered for: American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network; B'More Clubhouse; Baltimore City Substance Abuse Directorate; Bard College; CareForth; Children's Advocacy Institute…

FAVMelvin, RobertR Street InstituteRegistered for: R Street Institute

FAVKrone, ChristineRegistered for: American Coatings Association; Baltimore Gas and Electric Company; City of Rockville; Coordinating Center for Home and Community Care, The, LLC (dba The Coordinating Center); Greater Washington Society for Clinical Social Work, Inc.; LifeSpan Network…

UNFJackson, SamiraMD Chiefs of Police Asso & MD Sheriffs' AssocRegistered for: Critical Response Group; Dell Technologies Inc.; Empower; Forward Financing; HDR Engineering, Inc.; Maryland Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs…

UNFJackson, SamiraMD Police Chiefs Assoc. and MD Sheriffs Assoc.Registered for: Critical Response Group; Dell Technologies Inc.; Empower; Forward Financing; HDR Engineering, Inc.; Maryland Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs…

FWAAmanuel, YanetRegistered for: ACLU of Maryland