# Maryland SB 0181: Correctional Services - Geriatric and Medical Parole Maryland SB 0181, Correctional Services - Geriatric and Medical Parole, is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Shelly Hettleman (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-04-22 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 102); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0181-2025RS - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maryland SB 0181 - State: Maryland - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Correctional Services - Geriatric and Medical Parole - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2024-10-30 - Last action: 2025-04-22, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 102 - Sponsor: Shelly Hettleman (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 7 - Subjects: Corrections, Age -see also- Age of Maj; Children; Elderly; Inf&Tod.; etc, Committees and Commissions, Correctional Institutions -see also- Patuxent Institution, Death -see also- Homicide; Murder; Wrongful Death, Disabilities, Discipline, Elderly Persons (65+) -see also- Elder Abuse and Neglect, Governor, Health -see also- COVID19; EnvHlth; MedCon; etc., Health Care Facilities -see also- Clinics; Hospices; etc, Health Occupations -see also- (specific health occupations), Hearings, Hospitals -see also- Clinics; State Hospitals, Housing -see also- Apartments; Condos; Mobile & Manuf Homes, Incarcerated Individuals, Long-Term Care -see also- Continuing Care; Nursing Homes, Medical Conditions -see also- AIDS; COVID-19; rabies, Medical Treatments, Mental and Behavioral Health -see also- Aut; Cogn; Dev; etc., Notices, Parole and Probation, Personal Representatives, Physicians -see also- MedExmnrs; Pediatr; Psychiatrists etc., Prerelease and Reentry, Psychologists, Public Safety and Correctional Services, Department of, Records -see also- Land Records; Vital Records, Recruitment and Hiring, Repeat Offenders, Reports, Revenue and Taxes -see also- (specific tax), Rules and Regulations, Time, Victims -see also- Criminal Injuries Compensation, Violence -see also- Domestic Violence; Hate Crimes - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 5 (294 yes, 120 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 6 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Medical parole opens earlier release options: benefit, high. Beginning October 1, 2025, medical parole allows release before ordinary parole eligibility, including for people serving life sentences. All sentences being served must allow parole. A licensed doctor must find a terminal illness or chronic disability or incapacity that substantially limits self-c… - Free exams strengthen medical parole reviews: benefit, medium. The Maryland Parole Commission must review medical records, treatment recommendations, discharge plans, and case information before granting medical parole. An authorized requester can obtain a free, in-person independent medical exam whose findings receive equal consideration. A person in prison o… - Older prisoners gain structured parole review: benefit, medium. The Commission must consider age in parole decisions and weigh how aging affects repeat-offense risk in geriatric cases. Each geriatric candidate submitted as eligible must receive a hearing and suitability decision. For eligible people serving combined sentences of at least 40 years for multiple v… - Prison savings support parole and reentry: benefit, low. Maryland’s corrections department must use geriatric parole savings for risk assessments, parole hearings, and prerelease and reentry services. The Justice Reinvestment Oversight Board may also recommend using some remaining reinvestment savings to hire psychologists for geriatric parole assessment… - Medical parole carries continuing release conditions: cost, high. The Commission may require medical care, suitable housing, and authentic medical records showing that the condition supporting release continues. Suitable housing can include a family home; these conditions are not automatic for every medical parolee. Return to custody is required when a licensed d… - Older prisoners face tighter parole access: cost, high. Geriatric parole now requires age 65 and 20 years served, up from age 60 and 15 years served. All sentences must allow parole, and people defined as sex offenders are excluded. Applicants must have no Category 1A disciplinary violations during the past 3 years. The law also repeals the separate age… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Shelly Hettleman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Nick Charles (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Shaneka Henson (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Sara Love (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: C. Anthony Muse (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: William C. Smith (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Charles E. Sydnor (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Chris West (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-07 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 104 | 36 | 1 | | 2025-04-07 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 35 | 12 | | | 2025-04-03 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 101 | 35 | 2 | | 2025-03-13 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 36 | 10 | | | 2025-03-12 | Senate | Floor Amendment {203426/1 (Senator Corderman) Rejected | fail | 18 | 27 | 2 | ## Actions (33) - 2025-04-22: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 102 - 2025-04-07: Passed Enrolled (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Third Reading Passed (104-36) (House) - 2025-04-07: Conference Committee Report {263024/1 Adopted (House) - 2025-04-07: Third Reading Passed (35-12) (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Conference Committee Report {263024/1 Adopted (Senate) - 2025-04-07: House Conference Committee Appointed (Delegates Bartlett, Kaufman and Clippinger) (Senate) - 2025-04-07: House Refuses Recede (Senate) - 2025-04-07: House Conference Committee Appointed (Delegates Bartlett, Kaufman and Clippinger) (House) - 2025-04-07: House Refuses Recede (House) - 2025-04-07: Senate Conference Committee Appointed (Senators Smith, Sydnor and West) (House) - 2025-04-07: Senate Requests House Recede (House) - 2025-04-07: Senate Refuses Concur House Amendments (House) - 2025-04-05: Senate Conference Committee Appointed (Senators Smith, Sydnor and West) (Senate) - 2025-04-05: Senate Requests House Recede (Senate) - 2025-04-05: Senate Refuses Concur House Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-03: Third Reading Passed (101-35) (House) - 2025-04-02: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House) - 2025-04-02: Favorable with Amendments {293421/1 Adopted (House) - 2025-04-01: Favorable with Amendments Report by Judiciary (House) - 2025-03-19: Hearing 3/25 at 1:00 p.m. (House) - 2025-03-13: Referred Judiciary (House) - 2025-03-13: Third Reading Passed (36-10) (Senate) - 2025-03-12: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate) - 2025-03-12: Floor Amendment {203426/1 (Senator Corderman) Rejected (18-27) (Senate) - 2025-03-12: Floor Amendment {943327/1 (Senator Smith) Adopted (Senate) - 2025-03-11: Motion Laid Over (Senator Ready) Adopted (Senate) - 2025-03-11: Floor Amendment {943327/1 (Senator Smith) (Senate) - 2025-03-11: Favorable with Amendments {283328/1 Adopted (Senate) - 2025-03-10: Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings (Senate) - 2025-01-09: Hearing 1/28 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate) - 2025-01-08: First Reading Judicial Proceedings (Senate) - 2024-10-30: Pre-filed (Senate) ## Bill text - Enacted, 2025-04-22: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/Chapters_noln/CH_102_sb0181e.pdf) - Enrolled, 2025-04-07: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0181e.pdf) - Third Reading, 2025-03-12: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0181t.pdf) - First Reading, 2025-01-08: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0181f.pdf) ## Related bills - HB 0384: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established (vetoed) - SB 0227: Workers' Compensation - Payment From Uninsured Employers' Fund - Revisions (vetoed) - HB 0482: Occupational Licensing and Certification - Criminal History - Predetermination Review Process (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 - [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/Chapters_noln/CH_102_sb0181e.pdf) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0181e.pdf) - [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0181t.pdf) - [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0181f.pdf) ## Related - [HB 0384: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0384-2025RS) - [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) - [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-SB0181-2025RS (as of 2026-10-19).