# Maryland SB 0323: Juvenile Court - Jurisdiction, Detention, and Confinement (Youth Charging Reform Act)

Maryland SB 0323, Juvenile Court - Jurisdiction, Detention, and Confinement (Youth Charging Reform Act), is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by William C. Smith (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 609) (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0323-2026RS
- As of: 2026-10-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland SB 0323
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Juvenile Court - Jurisdiction, Detention, and Confinement (Youth Charging Reform Act)
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-22
- Last action: 2026-05-26, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 609
- Sponsor: William C. Smith (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 8
- Subjects: Juvenile Law, Age -see also- Age of Maj; Children; Elderly; Inf&Tod.; etc, Arrests, Committees and Commissions, Correctional Institutions -see also- Patuxent Institution, Crimes and Punishments -see also- Penalties and Sentnc; etc., Fingerprinting, Hearings, Jurisdiction, Juvenile Facilities, Juvenile Justice and Delinquency, Pretrial Detention or Release, Privacy, Protection and Peace Orders, Records -see also- Land Records; Vital Records, Reports, Restrictive Housing, Standards and Best Practices, Time, Trials, Violence -see also- Domestic Violence; Hate Crimes
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 12 (437 yes, 582 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 5

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Keeps kids out of adult jails: benefit, low. Beginning 2029-10-01, children in the criminal process are not held where they can see or hear adult inmates. Kids are not housed in adult correctional facilities, and they are not transported with charged or convicted adults. A narrow exception allows temporary processing in an adult jail for up t…
- Tighter privacy for juvenile identities: benefit, low. Law enforcement may no longer publicly release photos or identifying details of certain youth who escaped, were missing, or were subject to arrest. This change strengthens privacy for children and families.
- When these youth rules apply: benefit, low. The law applies only to acts committed on or after 2026-10-01. It does not apply to prosecutions or delinquency cases for acts that happened before that date.
- Stricter, risk-based youth detention rules: mixed, low. A child can be held before a hearing only to protect the child or others, or to prevent flight. Judges or intake officers must consider a validated risk tool before ordering detention. A child is not detained prehearing if the top charge would be a misdemeanor for an adult, except for listed gun of…
- Who handles youth cases and charges: mixed, low. The law makes juvenile court the main court for most youth cases. Juvenile court handles any child age 13 or older who is alleged delinquent. It also handles children age 10 to 12 for listed serious acts like violent crimes, certain gun crimes, aggravated animal cruelty, and third‑degree sexual off…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: William C. Smith (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Benjamin Brooks (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Bill Ferguson (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Shelly Hettleman (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Sara Love (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: C. Anthony Muse (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Charles E. Sydnor (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Ron Watson (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Chris West (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-06 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 92 | 39 | 5 |
| 2026-04-06 | House | Floor Amendment {943025/1 (Delegate Pippy) Rejected | fail | 38 | 88 | 9 |
| 2026-04-06 | House | Floor Amendment {503923/1 (Delegate Beauchamp) Rejected | fail | 38 | 89 | 8 |
| 2026-04-06 | House | Floor Amendment (Delegate Buckel) Rejected | fail | 37 | 90 | 9 |
| 2026-04-06 | House | Floor Amendment {773229/1 (Delegate Schmidt) Rejected | fail | 39 | 88 | 8 |
| 2026-04-06 | House | Motion Not Allow Laid Over (Delegate Ruth) Adopted | pass | 88 | 37 | 11 |
| 2026-03-06 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 32 | 12 | 1 |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Floor Amendment {943023/1 (Senator Folden) Rejected | fail | 14 | 27 | 3 |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Floor Amendment {793920/1 (Senator Ready) Rejected | fail | 13 | 30 | 1 |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Floor Amendment {963320/1 (Senator Ready) Rejected | fail | 16 | 26 | 2 |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Motion Special Order until 3/5 (Senator Folden) Rejected | fail | 14 | 29 | 1 |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Floor Amendment {983221/1 (Senator Folden) Rejected | fail | 16 | 27 | 1 |

## Actions (31)

- 2026-05-26: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 609
- 2026-04-07: Returned Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-06: Third Reading Passed (92-39) (House)
- 2026-04-06: Floor Amendment (Delegate Buckel) Rejected (37-90) (House)
- 2026-04-06: Motion Not Allow Laid Over (Delegate Ruth) Adopted (88-37) (House)
- 2026-04-06: Motion Laid Over (Delegate Pippy) Adopted (House)
- 2026-04-06: Floor Amendment {393423/1 (Delegate Buckel) (House)
- 2026-04-06: Floor Amendment {773229/1 (Delegate Schmidt) Rejected (39-88) (House)
- 2026-04-06: Floor Amendment {503923/1 (Delegate Beauchamp) Rejected (38-89) (House)
- 2026-04-06: Floor Amendment {943025/1 (Delegate Pippy) Rejected (38-88) (House)
- 2026-04-03: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2026-04-03: Favorable Report by Judiciary (House)
- 2026-03-27: Hearing 3/31 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-03-27: Hearing canceled (House)
- 2026-03-26: Hearing 4/02 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-03-09: Referred Judiciary (House)
- 2026-03-06: Third Reading Passed (32-12) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Floor Amendment {983221/1 (Senator Folden) Rejected (16-27) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Motion Special Order until 3/5 (Senator Folden) Rejected (14-29) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Floor Amendment {983221/1 (Senator Folden) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Floor Amendment {963320/1 (Senator Ready) Rejected (16-26) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Floor Amendment {793920/1 (Senator Ready) Rejected (13-30) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Floor Amendment {943023/1 (Senator Folden) Rejected (14-27) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Floor Amendment {883829/1 (Senator Smith) Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Motion Laid Over (Senator Smith) Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Floor Amendment {883829/1 (Senator Smith) (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Favorable with Amendments {133421/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings (Senate)
- 2026-01-23: Hearing 2/04 at 11:00 a.m. (Senate)
- 2026-01-22: First Reading Judicial Proceedings (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-05-26: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_609_sb0323t.pdf)
- Racial Equity Impact Note, 2026-04-07: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/Pubs/BudgetFiscal/2026RS-SB0323-REIN.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-04: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0323t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-01-22: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0323f.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_609_sb0323t.pdf)
- [Racial Equity Impact Note (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/Pubs/BudgetFiscal/2026RS-SB0323-REIN.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0323t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0323f.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-SB0323-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).