# Maryland SB 0187: Correctional Services - Comprehensive Rehabilitative Prerelease Services - Female Incarcerated Individuals (Monica Cooper Prerelease Act)

Maryland SB 0187, Correctional Services - Comprehensive Rehabilitative Prerelease Services - Female Incarcerated Individuals (Monica Cooper Prerelease Act), is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Mary Washington (Democratic); status became law, last action 2026-05-31 (Enacted under Article II, Section 17(c) of the Maryland Constitution - Chapter 876) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0187-2026RS
- 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 0187
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Correctional Services - Comprehensive Rehabilitative Prerelease Services - Female Incarcerated Individuals (Monica Cooper Prerelease Act)
- Status: became law
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-10-10
- Last action: 2026-05-31, Enacted under Article II, Section 17(c) of the Maryland Constitution - Chapter 876
- Sponsor: Mary Washington (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Corrections, Accessibility - see also- Blind; Deaf; Disabilities; etc, Baltimore City, Boundaries, Certifications, Construction, Contracts -see also- Procurement, Correctional Institutions -see also- Patuxent Institution, Education -see also- ContEd; DrvEd; HigherEd; etc., Emergency Bills, Gender -see also- Women, General Services, Department of, Health Care Facilities -see also- Clinics; Hospices; etc, Housing -see also- Apartments; Condos; Mobile & Manuf Homes, Incarcerated Individuals, Job Training -see also- Continuing Ed; Vocational Rehab, Labor, Department of, Mass Transit -see also- Buses; Railroads, Medical Treatments, Mental and Behavioral Health -see also- Aut; Cogn; Dev; etc., Parents and Guardians, Prerelease and Reentry, Privacy, Procurement, Public Benefits -see also- Housing; MedAsst; SupplNutrAsstP, Public Safety and Correctional Services, Department of, Rehabilitation, Reports, Safety -see also- Occupational Safety, Social Services -see also- Public Benefits, Sports and Recreation, Time, Trauma Informed Approach -see also- Mental&Behavioral Health, Women -see also- Gender, Work, Labor, and Employment -see also- JobTrn; Leave; etc.
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 4 (196 yes, 74 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- On-site reentry services and benefits: benefit, medium. Eligible women at the center get evidence‑based, trauma‑informed, gender‑responsive help. Services include education, job training, parenting help, medical care, counseling, mental health and substance use treatment, and a personal reentry plan. Before release, staff screen for public benefits and…
- New prerelease center for women: benefit, medium. The law creates and requires a separate, community‑based prerelease center for eligible women, run by the Commissioner. The site must be near the communities most women return to; if in Baltimore City, it must be at least 3 acres and 0.5 miles from any correctional facility. The building must inclu…
- Eligibility and supervised leave for participants: mixed, medium. You are eligible if you are an incarcerated woman within 36 months of your expected release and you have prerelease or minimum security status. The Commissioner may allow supervised leave for work, school or training, community or civic activities, volunteer work, sports, and family visits. You mus…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Mary Washington (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-13 | Senate | Motion Limit Debate (Senator King) Adopted | pass | 32 | 13 | 2 |
| 2026-04-13 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 32 | 13 | 2 |
| 2026-04-13 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 101 | 36 | 3 |
| 2026-03-23 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 31 | 12 |   |

## Actions (23)

- 2026-05-31: Enacted under Article II, Section 17(c) of the Maryland Constitution - Chapter 876
- 2026-04-13: Passed Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (32-13) (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: Senate Concurs House Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: Motion Limit Debate (Senator King) Adopted (32-13) (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (101-36) (House)
- 2026-04-10: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House)
- 2026-04-10: Favorable with Amendments {293323/1 Adopted (House)
- 2026-04-10: Favorable with Amendments Report by Judiciary (House)
- 2026-04-02: Hearing 4/02 at 2:00 p.m. (Judiciary) (House)
- 2026-04-02: Hearing canceled (Judiciary) (House)
- 2026-03-30: Reassigned to Judiciary Appropriations (House)
- 2026-03-27: Hearing 4/02 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-03-27: Hearing canceled (House)
- 2026-03-26: Hearing 3/31 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-03-24: Referred Judiciary (House)
- 2026-03-23: Third Reading Passed (31-12) (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Favorable with Amendments {653123/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings (Senate)
- 2026-01-14: First Reading Judicial Proceedings and Budget and Taxation (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Hearing 1/28 at 11:00 a.m. (Judicial Proceedings) (Senate)
- 2025-10-10: Pre-filed (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-05-31: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_876_sb0187e.pdf)
- Enrolled, 2026-04-13: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0187e.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-20: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0187t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-01-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0187f.pdf)

## Related bills

- SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - Authorization (became law)
- SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishment (became law)
- SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law)
- SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-1 Specialists Act) (became law)
- SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits (became law)
- HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law)

## Sources
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_876_sb0187e.pdf)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0187e.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0187t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0187f.pdf)

## Related
- [SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - A…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0496-2026RS)
- [SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishm…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0366-2026RS)
- [SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0244-2026RS)
- [SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0148-2026RS)
- [SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0016-2026RS)
- [HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0529-2026RS)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0187-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).