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Bill > HB1198

MD HB1198

Correctional Services - Comprehensive Rehabilitative Prerelease Services - Female Incarcerated Individuals (The Monica Cooper Prerelease Act)

summary

Introduced
02/06/2025
In Committee
03/17/2025
Crossed Over
03/13/2025
Passed
Dead
04/08/2025

Introduced Session

2025 Regular Session

Bill Summary

Altering the required location and timeline for a certain prerelease facility for female incarcerated individuals; requiring the Commissioner of the Division of Correction to make certain services available to certain female incarcerated individuals; requiring the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to implement certain comprehensive rehabilitative prerelease services by July 1, 2026; requiring the Department to report certain information to certain entities; etc.

AI Summary

This bill requires the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to establish a comprehensive rehabilitative prerelease unit specifically for female incarcerated individuals, named the Monica Cooper Prerelease Act. The facility must be located in Baltimore City on at least 3 acres of land and be capable of accommodating the largest number of eligible women from calendar year 2023. The bill mandates that the Department develop and implement gender-responsive services by July 1, 2026, with a focus on holistic rehabilitation. These services include education and job training, workforce development, family relationship support, medical and mental health treatment, trauma-informed counseling, and comprehensive reentry planning. The services are designed to help incarcerated women obtain necessary documents, secure stable housing, access public health benefits, and prepare for independent living after release. The bill also requires the Department to provide annual reports to the Governor and General Assembly detailing the program's goals, outcomes, and participant numbers. The prerelease unit must offer all services on-site and cannot require women to obtain services at different facilities. Importantly, the bill emphasizes gender-responsive approaches that recognize the unique psychological, social, and experiential differences between men and women in the correctional system.

Committee Categories

Justice

Sponsors (61)

Charlotte Crutchfield (D)*,  Gabriel Acevero (D),  Jackie Addison (D),  Tiffany Alston (D),  Vanessa Atterbeary (D),  Heather Bagnall (D),  Sandy Bartlett (D),  Regina Boyce (D),  Lorig Charkoudian (D),  Luke Clippinger (D),  Bonnie Cullison (D),  Debra Davis (D),  Kris Fair (D),  Jessica Feldmark (D),  Diana Fennell (D),  Linda Foley (D),  Cathi Forbes (D),  Pam Guzzone (D),  Andrea Harrison (D),  Anne Healey (D),  Terri Hill (D),  Dana Jones (D),  Anne Kaiser (D),  Aaron Kaufman (D),  Ken Kerr (D),  Mary Lehman (D),  Robbyn Lewis (D),  Lesley Lopez (D),  Ashanti Martínez (D),  Aletheia McCaskill (D),  Bernice Mireku-North (D),  Julie Palakovich Carr (D),  Cheryl Pasteur (D),  Edith Patterson (D),  Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D),  Pam Queen (D),  Denise Roberts (D),  Malcolm Ruff (D),  Sheila Ruth (D),  Sheree Sample-Hughes (D),  Emily Shetty (D),  Karen Simpson (D),  Stephanie Smith (D),  Ryan Spiegel (D),  Deni Taveras (D),  Kym Taylor (D),  Jen Terrasa (D),  Karen Toles (D),  Veronica Turner (D),  Kris Valderrama (D),  Courtney Watson (D),  Melissa Wells (D),  Jennifer White Holland (D),  Jheanelle Wilkins (D),  Nicole Williams (D),  Greg Wims (D),  Sarah Wolek (D),  Jamila Woods (D),  Teresa Woorman (D),  Caylin Young (D),  Natalie Ziegler (D), 

Last Action

Referred Judicial Proceedings Budget and Taxation (on 03/17/2025)
(1 Companion Bills)

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