Post by Logan on Apr 5, 2016 6:21:56 GMT -6
The House of Delegates approved a broad overhaul of Maryland's criminal justice system Monday, setting up negotiations with the state Senate over a version it passed last month.
The Justice Reinvestment Act, which seeks to improve public safety while reducing the state's prison population, passed the House with bipartisan support on a 105-31 vote. The Senate approved its version 46-0.
The bill would put more low-level drug offenders into treatment instead of prison, release some offenders sooner and reduce the time that parole violators spend behind bars, among other things.
Considered one of the most consequential bills of the 2016 General Assembly session, the measure is the product of almost a year of study and debate by the Justice Reinvestment Coordinating Council and legislative committees. The effort has the backing of Democratic leaders in the legislature and Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, who appointed a high-level aide to chair the council, which made recommendations to lawmakers.
Read more: www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-justice-house-20160404-story.html
The Justice Reinvestment Act, which seeks to improve public safety while reducing the state's prison population, passed the House with bipartisan support on a 105-31 vote. The Senate approved its version 46-0.
The bill would put more low-level drug offenders into treatment instead of prison, release some offenders sooner and reduce the time that parole violators spend behind bars, among other things.
Considered one of the most consequential bills of the 2016 General Assembly session, the measure is the product of almost a year of study and debate by the Justice Reinvestment Coordinating Council and legislative committees. The effort has the backing of Democratic leaders in the legislature and Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, who appointed a high-level aide to chair the council, which made recommendations to lawmakers.
Read more: www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-justice-house-20160404-story.html