Bill > H1667

This bill makes several changes related to safety, justice, and legal procedures for sexual offenders and individuals with criminal convictions. The bill modifies existing laws to establish a system for assigning social service vendors to assist indigent clients, changes the standard of proof for certain legal claims from "clear and convincing" to "preponderance of the" evidence, and expands provisions for compensation and support for individuals who have been wrongfully convicted. The bill introduces new requirements for victim notification when certain offenders are released from custody, mandates potential expungement or sealing of records for exonerated individuals, and creates a new criminal offense for intentionally tampering with GPS monitoring devices used in pretrial release, probation, or parole. Additionally, the legislation broadens the list of offenses for which pretrial detention can be requested based on dangerousness, including various types of violent, sexual, and domestic abuse-related crimes. The bill aims to enhance public safety, provide more comprehensive support for wrongfully convicted individuals, and improve the judicial system's ability to manage and monitor potentially dangerous offenders.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1667