Second Look Act clears key hurdle in Maryland House as it advances toward the Senate

Second Look Act clears key hurdle in Maryland House as it advances toward the Senate

A bill that would let some inmates ask a judge to reduce their jail time after they have served decades cleared a preliminary vote in the House of Delegates Saturday. The emotionally charged debate over the so-called Second Look Act lasted more than two hours. House Democrats led by Judiciary Committee Chair Luke Clippinger (D-Baltimore City) beat back wave after wave of Republican amendments. “It’s not easy, but this is what we have to do, I be…

Md. bill inches forward for violent offenders and murderers early release, Dems break rank

Amid a historic $3.3 billion budget deficit, one chamber of the Maryland General Assembly spent hours on Saturday debating a bill that could enable incarcerated

Second Look Act clears key hurdle in House as it advances toward the Senate

Del. Jackie Addison (D-Baltimore City) wipes away a tear during two hours of emotional debate in the House Saturday on the so-called Second Look Act. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters)A bill that would let some inmates ask a judge to reduce their jail time after they have served decades cleared a preliminary vote in the House of Delegates Saturday. The emotionally charged debate over the so-called Second Look Act lasted more than two hou…

Maryland lawmakers clash in emotional debate over bill for prison sentence reviews

In a long and emotional session Saturday, the Maryland House of Delegates advanced a bill giving more incarcerated people a chance to petition for shorter sentences.

THEY DESERVE A SECOND LOOK

words by charles brooksUPDATE as of 3/16/25: The bill was ultimately advanced in the House for a final vote, which is expected to occur in the coming days before moving to the Senate There’s an opportunity in 2025 for Maryland state lawmakers to address the state’s mass incarceration and sentencing policies with the Maryland Second Look Act.   The proposed measure creates a pathway for men and women who served twenty plus years in prison to peti…