# Maryland HB 0686: Victims and Witnesses - U Nonimmigrant Status - Certification of Victim Helpfulness

Maryland HB 0686, Victims and Witnesses - U Nonimmigrant Status - Certification of Victim Helpfulness, is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Jared Solomon (Democratic); status failed, last action 2025-02-10 (Hearing 2/27 at 1:00 p.m.) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0686-2025RS
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland HB 0686
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Victims and Witnesses - U Nonimmigrant Status - Certification of Victim Helpfulness
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-24
- Last action: 2025-02-10, Hearing 2/27 at 1:00 p.m.
- Sponsor: Jared Solomon (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 16
- Subjects: Criminal Law - Procedures, Crimes and Punishments -see also- Penalties and Sentnc; etc., Forms, Immigrants and Citizenship -see also- Residency, Investigations and Inquiries -see also- Crim Bckgrnd Invest, Language -see also- Communications; Literacy, Law Enforcement -see also- SRO; Sheriffs; State Police, Time, Victims -see also- Criminal Injuries Compensation, Witnesses
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Jared Solomon (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Lorig Charkoudian (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Eric Ebersole (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: David Fraser-Hidalgo (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Aaron M. Kaufman (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Ashanti Martinez (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Julie Palakovich Carr (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Joseline A. Peña-Melnyk (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Robbyn Lewis (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Malcolm P. Ruff (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Sheila Ruth (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Emily Shetty (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Deni Taveras (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jen Terrasa (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kriselda Valderrama (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Joe Vogel (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Teresa Woorman (Democratic), House

## Actions (2)

- 2025-02-10: Hearing 2/27 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2025-01-24: First Reading Judiciary (House)

## Bill text

- First Reading, 2025-01-24: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb0686f.pdf)

## Related bills

- SB 0227: Workers' Compensation - Payment From Uninsured Employers' Fund - Revisions (vetoed)
- HB 0482: Occupational Licensing and Certification - Criminal History - Predetermination Review Process (vetoed)
- HB 0384: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established (vetoed)
- SB 0157: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established (vetoed)
- HB 1294: Commercial Law - Credit Regulation - Earned Wage Access and Credit Modernization (became law)
- HB 0228: Maryland Veterans Trust – Assistance to Members of the Maryland National Guard (signed)

## Sources
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb0686f.pdf)

## Related
- [SB 0227: Workers' Compensation - Payment From Uninsured Employers' Fund - Revisions](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0227-2025RS)
- [HB 0482: Occupational Licensing and Certification - Criminal History - Predetermination…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0482-2025RS)
- [HB 0384: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0384-2025RS)
- [SB 0157: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0157-2025RS)
- [HB 1294: Commercial Law - Credit Regulation - Earned Wage Access and Credit Modernization](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB1294-2025RS)
- [HB 0228: Maryland Veterans Trust – Assistance to Members of the Maryland National Guard](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0228-2025RS)
- [Maryland bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland/bills)
- [Maryland state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0686-2025RS (as of 2026-10-17).