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Historic Reforms Include Long-Sought Youth Justice Breakthrough, Confronting Maryland's Historic Mistreatment of Black Youth, Stronger Protections for Sexual Assault Survivors, and New Authority to Fight Voting Discrimination
BALTIMORE, MD – As the 2026 Maryland General Assembly session concluded, Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today announced the passage of a set of bills that mark some of the most significant advances for justice, equity, and accountability in recent Maryland history. In a session defined by fiscal uncertainty and growing federal threats to civil rights, voting rights, and consumer protections, the Office of the Attorney General worked with legislative partners to deliver reforms that Marylanders have waited years, and in some cases generations, to see.
Among the session's most significant victories: new state-level authority for the Attorney General to challenge discriminatory voting practices in Maryland counties and municipalities, a critical backstop at a moment when federal voting rights enforcement has been severely weakened. The session also delivered new state protections against housing discrimination, reinforcing the OAG's civil rights enforcement work at a time when federal fair housing protections are under direct threat.
“Maryland has waited years, and in some cases generations, for these reforms. We reformed how we charge young people in our courts. We opened an official investigation into the deaths of hundreds of Black boys at Cheltenham. We gave sexual assault survivors stronger protections. And we secured new authority to fight voting discrimination at the local level, because every Marylander deserves a vote that counts equally,” said Attorney General Brown. “The work is far from over, but this session moved us forward in ways that will matter for generations.”
Bills Enacted During the 2026 Legislative Session Supported by the Office of the Attorney General
SB 323 – Juvenile Court – Jurisdiction, Detention, and Confinement (Youth Charging Reform Act)
Maryland has long been one of the most regressive states in the country when it comes to charging young people as adults with Black youth bearing the heaviest burden of a system that has prioritized punishment over rehabilitation. This bill, a priority for the Office of the Attorney General , and consistent with the Maryland Equitable Justice Collaborative’s (MEJC) recommendations to address systemic inequities in juvenile justice, significantly narrows the offenses for which children are automatically charged as adults, reserving adult court jurisdiction for the most serious of crimes. It also prohibits children, including those subject to adult criminal prosecution, from being housed or confined in any setting where they have contact with incarcerated adults, bringing Maryland in line with national best practices and federal law.
SB 776 / HB 552 – Commission on the House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children – Establishment
The Office of the Attorney General will lead the commission established by this legislation, which received near-unanimous support in both chambers, to investigate the deaths of hundreds of Black boys buried in unmarked graves at the former House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children in Cheltenham, Prince George's County. The commission will conduct forensic, genealogical, and archival work to identify those who died, reach their descendants, and recommend policy reforms. The OAG has already begun preliminary work to stand up the commission and expects to hold an organizational meeting this fall, with substantive investigation underway before the end of 2026.
SB 255 – Voting Rights Act of 2026 – Counties and Municipal Corporations
This legislation gives the Office of the Attorney General new authority to protect Maryland voters. At a time when federal voting rights protections are being dismantled, Maryland acted to protect its own. The Voting Rights Act of 2026 prohibits election practices that dilute the voting power of protected classes in county and municipal elections and gives the Attorney General and private individuals the ability to challenge those practices in court. Every Marylander deserves a vote that counts equally.
SB 531 / HB 491 – Criminal Procedure – Victims of Sexually Assaultive Behavior – Request for Verbal Acknowledgement (Verbal Waiver Transparency Act)
The OAG’s Sexual Assault Evidence Kit (SAEK) Committee championed this legislation, which gives survivors of sexual assault the power to make decisions about their own cases free from pressure or coercion. Passed unanimously in both chambers, it ensures that law enforcement cannot use any form of waiver to discourage survivors from pursuing a criminal investigation. The decision rests where it belongs: with the survivor.
HB 573 – Fair Housing and Housing Discrimination – Regulations, Intent, and Discriminatory Effect
The OAG's Civil Rights Division strongly supported this legislation, which protects one of its most essential fair housing enforcement tools. Housing discrimination and segregation remain serious problems in Maryland. While explicit policies that ban members of protected classes have grown rare, facially neutral policies, such as occupancy limits, felony record screens, and eviction triggers, producing the same discriminatory outcomes. Persons color, low-income families, people with disabilities, and others protected by Maryland law face fewer housing choices, greater housing instability, and risk homelessness. Disparate impact liability is the legal mechanism that holds housing providers with discriminatory policies accountable. As the federal administration moved to eliminate disparate impact protections, Maryland acted to ensure there is no ambiguity in state law, preserving the tools needed to fight housing discrimination and protect Marylanders’ civil rights.
The Attorney General extends his deep appreciation to Governor Wes Moore, the members of the Maryland General Assembly, and the dedicated professionals of the Office of the Attorney General for their commitment and partnership throughout this legislative session.
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