Bill > HB499

This bill reforms Maryland's criminal record expungement laws by making several key changes. First, it redefines "completion of the sentence" to mean the time when a sentence has fully expired, including any periods of probation, parole, or mandatory supervision. The bill expands the list of misdemeanor convictions that can be expunged and modifies waiting periods for filing expungement petitions, generally allowing petitions to be filed a set number of years after sentence completion depending on the offense type. The bill also adds new criteria for courts to consider when granting expungement, including the person's success at court-ordered probation and whether they have paid court-ordered monetary restitution. Additionally, the bill prohibits the Maryland Judiciary Case Search from displaying records of cannabis possession charges that were later pardoned by the Governor. For expungement petitions, courts must now determine that the expungement would be in the interest of justice and that the person is not a risk to public safety. The changes will take effect on October 1, 2025, with some provisions specifically related to the Judiciary Case Search taking effect on January 1, 2026.

Justice

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0499?ys=2025RS