JPR Committee Votes

Maryland’s legislative session is short – only 90 days. And we are over halfway through. One important deadline looms: the Committee Reporting Date, March 16 – next Tuesday. On this date, bills that have been heard by committees but not voted on will be effectively dead.

MAJR supports several important pieces of legislation that are in danger of not making it out of committee. We need your help in asking the President of the Senate, and the Chairmen of key committees to schedule a vote on these bills before next Tuesday!

SB0397 – Diminution Credits for Education

In recent years, Maryland law diluted “diminution credits” with equal time off sentences for any “assigned tasks” (which could be sweeping the floor) regardless of their potentially minimal value towards rehabilitation. Education and employment both have been proven to have a good effect in reducing recidivism. This bill restores incentives for both education and employment accomplishments, both proven to reduce recidivism.

SB0853 – Juvenile Justice Reform

This bill would effectively will use the Justice Reinvestment model to transform our State’s juvenile justice system, to reduce its overuse of confinement, and to make better use of restorative techniques.

Click on this link to send a message to the Chairman of the Senate Judicial Proceedings committee