FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Office of the Attorney General: [email protected], 410-576-7900
Office of the Public Defender: [email protected], 443-963-9531
New Laws Adopt Recommendations of the Maryland Equitable Justice
Collaborative
BALTIMORE, MD – As the 2025 Maryland General Assembly session
concludes, Attorney General Anthony G. Brown and Public Defender Natasha M. Dartigue
applaud the passage of a set of bills based on Maryland Equitable Justice Collaborative
(MEJC) recommendations presented in their inaugural report.
“These new laws represent a critical step forward in addressing the deep injustices caused by
mass incarceration in Maryland,” said Attorney General Brown. “In just 18 months, we’ve
made meaningful progress—offering relief to those who have been incarcerated far too long,
particularly Black youth, and ensuring that individuals who are seriously ill or elderly have a
chance to leave prison and live out their lives with dignity. While these reforms bring muchneeded hope, our work is far from finished. These changes are just the beginning, and we will
continue to fight for broader reforms to ensure that all Marylanders have access to a truly
equitable and just criminal legal system.
“The new laws are not simply policy—they are about real people, real families, and real
communities finally seeing a path toward justice. Collectively these laws will transform the lives
of thousands of Marylanders, putting millions of dollars back into our state's coffers while
striking at the heart of the racial injustices that have fueled our broken system of mass
incarceration for far too long,” said Public Defender Dartigue. “While they represent only a
small fraction of what is needed to reduce the racial disparities in the criminal legal system, there
are important first steps. We stand firmly committed to ensuring these hard-won reforms are
implemented and will continue to raise our voices ever louder for the deeper, more profound
changes that our communities desperately need and rightfully demand."
In October 2023, Attorney General Brown and Maryland Public Defender Natasha Dartigue
entered a historic partnership to establish the Maryland Equitable Justice Collaborative (MEJC).
MEJC was formed to address the racial disparities of mass incarceration in Maryland. Its
membership includes more than 40 representatives from state agencies, academia, community
groups, subject matter experts, and directly impacted citizens. In March 2025, MEJC released its
first report detailing 18 specific recommendations targeting this crisis in our State.
MEJC supported the following pieces of legislation aligned with those recommendations
- Geriatric and Medical Parole Reform (HB1123 and SB0181) expands access to early
release for aging and seriously ill incarcerated individuals, a significant step forward in
humane justice reform. (Related to MEJC Recommendation No. 9)
- Second Look Act (HB853) enables courts to review long sentences after a period of
incarceration for people convicted of a crime occurring when they were between the ages
of 18 and 25, creating a vital pathway toward redemption and acknowledging individual
transformation. (Related to MEJC Recommendation No. 13)
- Restorative Practices in Public Schools (SB0068 / HB0197) creates a framework for
shifting from punitive responses to restorative approaches to address the criminalization
of school behavior. (Related to MEJC Recommendation No. 15)
Attorney General Brown and Public Defender Dartigue extend their appreciation to the MEJC
workgroup chairs, members, and partners for their commitment and involvement in advancing
these protections for the people of Maryland.
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