# Maryland SB 0822: Correctional Services - Maryland Parole Commission and Erroneously Convicted Individuals - Improvements in Transparency and Equity Maryland SB 0822, Correctional Services - Maryland Parole Commission and Erroneously Convicted Individuals - Improvements in Transparency and Equity, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by William C. Smith (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-12 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 431); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0822-2026RS - 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 0822 - State: Maryland - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Correctional Services - Maryland Parole Commission and Erroneously Convicted Individuals - Improvements in Transparency and Equity - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-02-06 - Last action: 2026-05-12, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 431 - Sponsor: William C. Smith (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: Corrections, Committees and Commissions, Counties -see also- Chartered Counties; Code Counties; etc., Disclosure, Electronic Government, Hearings, Incarcerated Individuals, Medical Testing and Diagnosis, Notices, Parole and Probation, Privacy, Public Information, Public Safety and Correctional Services, Department of, Recordings -see also- Video, Records -see also- Land Records; Vital Records, Reports, State's Attorneys, Time, Victims -see also- Criminal Injuries Compensation, Voting -see also- Absentee and Mail-In Voting - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 3 (168 yes, 144 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Compensation access for wrongfully convicted people: benefit, high. Beginning October 1, 2026, an administrative law judge must order eligibility for State compensation and benefits for qualifying wrongful convictions. The person must have been convicted, sentenced, and confined for a felony or felony conspiracy. One path requires a full Governor’s pardon stating t… - More parole hearings after a denial: benefit, high. Beginning October 1, 2026, Maryland’s Parole Commission cannot permanently deny parole. After a denial, people sentenced to 10 years or less get another hearing within 2 years. People sentenced to more than 10 years get another hearing within 3 years. For sentences over 20 years for crimes against… - More time to challenge parole reports: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, hearing examiners must provide written parole findings, recommendations, and reasons within 14 days, down from 21. The incarcerated person or Commissioner of Correction has 30 days after receiving the report to file written objections, up from 5. If neither files an objec… - Parole applicants get documents and recordings: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, parole applicants and their representatives must receive copies of documents used before a parole-release hearing. These include the case plan, pre-parole summary, risk assessment, and case manager’s recommendation. Access has exceptions for privileged information, confid… - Public parole reasons and victim input: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, the public can access the panel’s reasons for parole decisions and each commissioner’s vote. Votes to close a hearing or limit access must also be public. Parole decision-makers must consider victims’ original, later-filed, or updated impact statements, or recommendations… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: William C. Smith (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-07 | House | Floor Amendment {243326/1 (Delegate Griffith) Rejected | fail | 36 | 98 | 4 | | 2026-04-07 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 101 | 35 | 2 | | 2026-03-20 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 31 | 11 | 1 | ## Actions (15) - 2026-05-12: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 431 - 2026-04-08: Returned Passed (Senate) - 2026-04-07: Third Reading Passed (101-35) (House) - 2026-04-07: Floor Amendment {243326/1 (Delegate Griffith) Rejected (36-98) (House) - 2026-04-06: Second Reading Passed (House) - 2026-04-06: Favorable Adopted (House) - 2026-04-06: Favorable Report by Judiciary (House) - 2026-03-26: Hearing 3/31 at 1:00 p.m. (House) - 2026-03-21: Referred Judiciary (House) - 2026-03-20: Third Reading Passed (31-11) (Senate) - 2026-03-19: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate) - 2026-03-19: Favorable with Amendments {753321/1 Adopted (Senate) - 2026-03-19: Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings (Senate) - 2026-02-12: Hearing 2/25 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate) - 2026-02-06: First Reading Judicial Proceedings (Senate) ## Bill text - Enacted, 2026-05-12: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_431_sb0822t.pdf) - Third Reading, 2026-03-19: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0822t.pdf) - First Reading, 2026-02-06: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0822f.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_431_sb0822t.pdf) - [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0822t.pdf) - [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0822f.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) - [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-SB0822-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).