Juvenile Reform, Port Relief bills move forward on Sine Die in Annapolis
MARYLAND – The final day of the legislative session marks the final moment for compromise and deals to be struck on bills to clear opposite chambers and make their way to Governor Wes Moore’s desk.
“There are some bills the House doesn’t want, and there are some bills the Senate doesn’t want. And what ultimately happens is either those differences get resolved and bills move or there is controversy and debate,” said Senator Johnny Mautz who says he is continuing to push for local bills to make their way forward until the session is over Monday evening.
Juvenile Crime Heads to Governor
Juvenile Crime Reform will not be one of those measures, as lawmakers passed a finalized version that now heads to the Governor, though it is missing a provision championed by Senator Mary Beth Carozza and Wicomico County State’s Attorney Jamie Dykes to allow law enforcement to question juveniles without a lawyer present in the room.
Despite the omission, Eastern Shore lawmakers are praising what is in the bill, characterizing it as far more extensive than they had believed was possible when the session began.
“If a juvenile is presently under home monitoring, detention or has that device and they violate it, then the Department of Juvenile Services is to meet immediately notify the court system and the state’s attorney, so there is a little bit more accountability in that space,” said Delegate Sheree Sample Hughes adding that “the law enforcement, if they deem it necessary to have the juvenile go to the primary or juvenile services and does not agree, then they have a maximum of two days to respond to law enforcement and learn what the status is going to be.”
Delegate Sample-Hughes says she was motivated to support the bill due to a rise in juvenile crime in her district that covers Cambridge, including a string of auto thefts that had targeted seniors. She says she is glad to see a provision that adds penalties for juveniles who are found to have participated in auto theft made its way into the final version.
“Our senior citizens and citizens overall should not have to worry about, you know, auto theft by a teenager and then turn around and see that nothing’s being done for them or to them and I’m pleased with the fact we were able to move the needle,” Delegate Sample Hughes said.
Senator Carozza tells 47ABC she also pushed for the bill to put greater focus on the role of the Department of Juvenile Services, to further track cases, and send them to either diversionary programs through the Children In Need of Supervision (CINS) system or to the courts in incidents of violence, rather than what she calls of resolved at intake case where juveniles were released back the community.
She says that created a safety issue in the schools, as spoken to by the Wicomico County Superintendent in testimony during the session, she says she is glad that now law enforcement will at least be aware of these incidents, and hopes it can act as a deterrent.
“I’m really excited to know that the parts about if those juveniles commit felonies that they now have to notify the state’s attorney’s office. We had no accountability beforehand,” Senator Carozza said.
Pimlico Race Track Bill
The day saw a surprise for Eastern Shore Lawmakers in the form of a bill to renovate and rebuild the Pimlico Horseracing stadium, with what was at one time a proposal to draw funding away from the Ocean Downs Casino Horse racing to help fund the new project.
Senator Mary Beth Carozza supported an amendment that ultimately passed that made sure to protect funding for Ocean Downs Casino and the Thoroughbred breeding industry for the horses that are crucial to the Casino’s events.
“What we want to make sure in any deal is that we protect our you know, our standard horse racing at Ocean Downs and that when they start looking at shifting funds, that we’re not shifting anything away from the purses down at Ocean Downs,” Senator Carozza said.
Port Relief Moves forward
The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse disaster hung over the final day of the session, with Eastern Shore lawmakers pushing to allow impacted companies from across the state to apply for aid, acknowledging the shutdown of the port will have logistical challenges for all businesses that rely on the port, not just those in Baltimore County.
“On the 11th hour it is Amazing, we were able to respond as a state legislature in a way that helped set the state up for the next handful of weeks and months,” said Delegate Chris Adams.
