Maryland Passes SB 323, Sending Long-Sought Youth Charging Reform to Governor’s Desk

Landmark bill would move more children out of adult court and into systems designed for rehabilitation, support, and public safety

ANNAPOLIS, MD, UNITED STATES, April 7, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Maryland lawmakers have passed Senate Bill 323 and sent it to the Governor’s desk, bringing the state to the brink of a major shift in how it treats children accused of serious offenses. The bill marks a significant step toward dismantling Maryland’s long-criticized youth autocharging system, which has funneled children into adult court and exposed them to harsher penalties and worse outcomes.

If signed into law, SB 323 would help ensure that more young people are handled in the juvenile system rather than automatically routed into adult court, giving them greater access to age-appropriate services, rehabilitation, and support. The bill will also prohibit the housing of children in adult jails and prisons - a practice which led to the loss of millions of dollars in federal funding earlier this year. Advocates say the change reflects years of work to replace a punitive approach with one more aligned with child development, fairness, and public safety.

“Maryland lawmakers have taken an important step away from a failed approach that has stripped humanity away from our children and toward one grounded in fairness, accountability, and child development,” said James Dold, Executive Director of Human Rights for Kids. “First and foremost SB 323 will end the occurrence of child rape and abuse in our adult jails and prisons which happens far more often than people realize. It will also ensure that more young people are given the opportunity to access the rehabilitative services they need, rather than being pushed into the adult system where the outcomes are often more harmful for both children and public safety.”

“After fourteen arduous and challenging years, we have achieved a major victory in the fight to protect Maryland’s youth in custody. With passage of SB 323, Maryland has taken a pivotal step toward reducing the number of children charged as adults and ending the shared confinement of children with adults. While there is still work to do, this bill reflects the dedication of public servants and advocates across the state. Our youth will be better served in a system focused on their needs, rehabilitation, and better outcomes.” Said Chair Sandy Bartlett.

For more than a decade, advocates, families, directly impacted people, and lawmakers have pushed to change a system that too often sends children into adult court based on charge type, rather than their age, circumstances, or capacity for change. Supporters of the bill argue that children prosecuted as adults face greater harm and fewer opportunities for rehabilitation, while communities are better served by responses that promote accountability without abandoning youth development.

“This week, Senate Bill 323 successfully advanced out of the House, marking a historic milestone in our efforts to reform Maryland’s youth autocharging system that has been 15 years in the making. This progress brings us closer to ensuring that hundreds of young people in Maryland are met with support and services in the juvenile system, rather than being routed into a process that leads to worse outcomes for both youth and public safety,” said Senator William Smith.

The final passage of SB 323 reflects growing momentum in Maryland to align youth justice policy with what research and lived experience have made clear: children are fundamentally different from adults, more capable of change, and better served by systems rooted in rehabilitation rather than punishment.
Human Rights for Kids applauds Senator Smith, Senator Love, Chair Bartlett, legislative champions, coalition partners, directly impacted advocates, and families who have worked for years to move this reform forward. Their leadership has helped bring Maryland closer to a youth justice system that recognizes the dignity, developmental needs, and human rights of children.

With SB 323 now headed to the Governor’s desk, Human Rights for Kids urges swift signature of this landmark legislation and continued action to ensure Maryland’s laws reflect both sound public policy and the basic principle that children should be treated like children.

About Human Rights for Kids
Human Rights for Kids is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and protection of the human rights of children. Through research, public education, coalition building, grassroots mobilization, policy advocacy, and strategic litigation, Human Rights for Kids works to protect children from harm and advance laws and policies that uphold their dignity, safety, and rights.

Johanna Olivas
Human Rights for Kids
jolivas@humanrightsforkids.org
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