By Tinashe Chingarande
Baltimore Sun
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Gov. Wes Moore on Tuesday signed over 270 bills, including legislation that reduces the number of offenses for which minors can be tried as adults in court.
The bill, known as the Youth Charging Reform Act, removes first-degree assault and several handgun offenses from the current list of 33 offenses that automatically lead to adult court for 16- and 17-year-olds. The violations removed from the automatic charging list could still be transferred to adult court if a judge permits it. The bill also prohibits minors from being detained in adult facilities after October 2029. The Youth Charging Reform Act takes effect on Oct. 1, except for the detention requirements that kick in in 2029.
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State’s attorneys have criticized the legislation, noting that it makes it hard to build cases against minors. Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates also pushed to delay reform enactment by three years so the Department of Juvenile Services can prepare to house more minors. Republicans also opposed the bill when it was debated in the General Assembly, with GOP leadership notably asking when victims would be prioritized in legislation.
“It’s something that we have to reflect upon that here in Maryland we charge more children as adults than in every other state, other than Alabama,” Senate Bill Ferguson said at the bill signing ceremony. “This bill will change that. It keeps cases in the right court from the start, which, actually, and by the data, makes us safer and is better for those young people.”
Advocates of the legislation also celebrated its milestone.
“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,” Sen. Will Smith, who sponsored the bill, said in a statement released by advocacy group Human Rights for Kids.
Moore also signed a ban on all law enforcement officers in Maryland from covering their faces while on the clock.
Officers, including federal agents, face fines of up to $1,500 for violating this legislation. The ban, however, has exceptions for officers performing undercover work or wearing protective gear or religious garments. Under this new guidance, the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission (MPTSC) will have to develop a uniform policy on face coverings for all law enforcement officers working in the state. The ban on face coverings takes effect on Oct. 1, when all other bills Moore signed into law are enacted.
In February, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown called the ban “not clearly unconstitutional,” but cast doubt on whether Maryland can enforce it on federal agents and still adhere to constitutional guidelines.
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Contact Tinashe Chingarande at tchingarande@baltsun.com or on Signal as Tnae.19
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