# Maryland SB 0608: Criminal Procedure - U Nonimmigrant Status Petitions Maryland SB 0608, Criminal Procedure - U Nonimmigrant Status Petitions, is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Malcolm Augustine (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-04-22 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 114) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0608-2025RS - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maryland SB 0608 - State: Maryland - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Criminal Procedure - U Nonimmigrant Status Petitions - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-01-27 - Last action: 2025-04-22, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 114 - Sponsor: Malcolm Augustine (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Criminal Law - Procedures, Attorneys, Certifications, Court Orders, Crimes and Punishments -see also- Penalties and Sentnc; etc., Disclosure, Evidence, Forms, Immigrants and Citizenship -see also- Residency, Investigations and Inquiries -see also- Crim Bckgrnd Invest, Jurisdiction, Language -see also- Communications; Literacy, Law Enforcement -see also- SRO; Sheriffs; State Police, Parents and Guardians, Penalties and Sentences -see also- Death Penalty, Petitions, State's Attorneys, Statutes of Limitation, Time, Victims -see also- Criminal Injuries Compensation - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 4 (322 yes, 45 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 7 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Clearer certification records for immigrant victims: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2025, officials must complete and sign certifications for qualifying victims who meet the helpfulness standard. They must include crime details, describe past, current, or likely helpfulness, and supply harm documents they possess. Officials must explain in writing when they ca… - Clearer cooperation rules protect immigrant victims: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2025, helpfulness includes past, current, or likely future help with detecting crimes through sentencing. The law presumes helpfulness unless evidence shows otherwise, using whether reasonably requested cooperation or assistance was unreasonably refused. A parent, guardian, or… - Faster certification decisions for immigrant victims: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2025, Maryland agencies must approve or decline certification within 45 days of receiving a request, down from 90. The deadline is 7 days for noncitizen victims in removal, exclusion, or deportation proceedings, including detention pending resolution. That 7-day deadline also c… - More crimes support immigrant victims’ petitions: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2025, Maryland certification covers crimes substantially similar in nature and elements to federally qualifying crimes. Attempts, conspiracies, solicitations, and activity covered by federal U petition guidelines also qualify. Each crime supporting a victim’s request must appea… - More help requesting immigrant victim certification: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2025, victims, parents, guardians, next friends, attorneys, victim advocates, and other representatives can request certification. Requests seek completion of Form I-918, Supplement B, for a federal U visa petition. Certifiers include police, prosecutors, and agencies with rele… - Privacy protections for immigrant crime victims: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2025, Maryland officials face limits on sharing information about victims seeking certification or seeking or holding U status. Disclosure is allowed to comply with federal law, court orders, or discovery duties in a criminal prosecution. Where applicable, disclosure also requi… - Fewer liability shields for certifying officials: mixed, low. Beginning October 1, 2025, Maryland removes the certification law’s good-faith liability shield for certifying agencies and officials. It also removes the rule limiting attorney-fee and cost awards to enforcement cases showing willful or wanton misconduct. Petitioners face fewer statutory barriers… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Malcolm Augustine (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: William C. Smith (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-07 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 34 | 12 | 1 | | 2025-04-07 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 128 | 11 | 2 | | 2025-04-03 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 128 | 10 | | | 2025-03-17 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 32 | 12 | | ## Actions (34) - 2025-04-22: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 114 - 2025-04-07: Passed Enrolled (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Third Reading Passed (128-11) (House) - 2025-04-07: Conference Committee Report {223528/1 Adopted (House) - 2025-04-07: Third Reading Passed (34-12) (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Conference Committee Report {223528/1 Adopted (Senate) - 2025-04-07: House Conference Committee Appointed (Delegates Moon, Embry and Valentine) (Senate) - 2025-04-07: House Refuses Recede (Senate) - 2025-04-07: House Conference Committee Appointed (Delegates Moon, Embry and Valentine) (House) - 2025-04-07: House Refuses Recede (House) - 2025-04-07: Senate Conference Committee Appointed (Senators Smith, Love and McKay) (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, Love and McKay) (Senate) - 2025-04-05: Senate Requests House Recede (Senate) - 2025-04-05: Senate Refuses Concur House Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-03: Third Reading Passed (128-10) (House) - 2025-04-02: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House) - 2025-04-02: Favorable with Amendments {343529/1 Adopted (House) - 2025-04-01: Favorable with Amendments Report by Judiciary (House) - 2025-03-26: Hearing 3/26 at 3:15 p.m. (House) - 2025-03-26: Hearing canceled (House) - 2025-03-19: Hearing 3/26 at 1:00 p.m. (House) - 2025-03-17: Referred Judiciary (House) - 2025-03-17: Third Reading Passed (32-12) (Senate) - 2025-03-14: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate) - 2025-03-14: Favorable with Amendments {173128/1 Adopted (Senate) - 2025-03-14: Motion Laid Over (Senator Ready) Adopted (Senate) - 2025-03-14: Favorable with Amendments {173128/1 (Senate) - 2025-03-14: Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings (Senate) - 2025-02-06: Hearing 2/07 at 10:00 a.m. (Senate) - 2025-02-06: Hearing canceled (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Hearing 2/07 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate) - 2025-01-27: First Reading Judicial Proceedings (Senate) ## Bill text - Enacted, 2025-04-22: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/Chapters_noln/CH_114_sb0608e.pdf) - Enrolled, 2025-04-07: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0608e.pdf) - Third Reading, 2025-03-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0608t.pdf) - First Reading, 2025-01-27: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0608f.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 - [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/Chapters_noln/CH_114_sb0608e.pdf) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0608e.pdf) - [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0608t.pdf) - [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0608f.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-SB0608-2025RS (as of 2026-10-17).