Chances for reduced prison sentences, erased records now law in Maryland

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed two crime-focused bills into law this week, with one allowing long-term felons to seek early release from prison and another broadening the pool of ex-cons who can have their records expunged.

Mr. Moore, a Democrat, received cheers from onlookers as he inked the Second Look Act, which offers felons convicted at a young age a chance to petition for a reduced sentence.

“We are leaving too much potential on the table, including when it comes to men and boys who are returning citizens,” Mr. Moore said at a signing ceremony Tuesday. “Over 95% of Maryland’s incarcerated population is male, and many of those men deserve a second chance.”

Criminals eligible for the second look must have been convicted between the ages of 18 to 25 and spent at least 20 years behind bars.

Felons who are sentenced to life without parole, convicted sex offenders and people convicted of killing first responders are not allowed to apply for the sentencing reprieve.

Advocates for victims said they’re supportive of the newly signed law — as long as the state’s reentry programs can keep ex-cons on the straight and narrow.

Lisa Nitsch from House of Ruth Maryland, a Baltimore-based nonprofit that aids battered women, said the law will help correct the issue of women getting lengthy prison sentences for killing their abusers.

“There’s something about when women kill, it is seen as a more deviant behavior than when men kill, and they tend to get harsher sentences for it,” said Ms. Nitsch, who works as House of Ruth Maryland’s chief operating officer.

Ms. Nitsch noted that the idea of helping ex-cons reenter society is a relatively new concept. She said the state needs to run strict quality control for those programs so former felons who aren’t abiding by their probation can be quickly reined in.

Mr. Moore also signed the Expungement Reform Act, which he said intends to remove the “albatross” around ex-cons’ necks.

“They can’t get a loan. They can’t get a home. They can’t get hired. Often, it’s because of an offense they committed years ago,” the governor said. “We must confront the myth that every sentence is a life sentence.”

The bill lets convicts erase certain marijuana distribution felonies as well as misdemeanor alcohol and marijuana crimes. Some traffic and domestic-related offenses, such as driving under the influence, are also eligible for expungement under the new law.

The bill’s text says most ex-cons can seek the expungement five years after they serve their sentence. Felons would have to wait seven years to try to clear their criminal record, while people convicted of drunk driving would have to wait 15 years.

The governor introduced the bill this past legislative session, saying it tackles the same issue as the Second Look law by giving men returning from prison a chance at a normal life.

The Second Look Act takes effect Oct. 1, while some of the expungement changes take effect Oct. 1 and the rest go into effect Jan. 31.