The Center for Urban Families (CFUF) advocates for legislative initiatives to strengthen urban communities by helping fathers and families achieve stability and economic success. During the 90-day legislative session in Annapolis, CFUF will advocate for the following legislation:
FAMILY STRENGTHENING REFORM
SB0195/ HB0218 Child Support Modernization (Department of Human Services)
The Department of Human Services is sponsoring an omnibus reform bill to modernize child support enforcement. CFUF has worked with DHS to amend the bill so that it will help poor children and both their parents advance out of poverty. CFUF favors the following provisions:
- 1. adjusting support calculations to account for all children supported by either parent
- 2. eliminating mandatory child support orders for foster care cases and allowing DHS to halt existing orders
- 3. capping W2 and 1099 wage garnishments at 25%, instead of the current rate of 65%, for obligors with incomes < 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines ($38,000 in 2024)
SB0056/ HB0401 – No Cost Jail Phone Calls (Sen. Waldstreicher/ Del. Roberson)
On average, a 15-minute call costs $5.74, with some prisons charging a dollar or more per minute. This does not include hidden fees that can increase overall costs by up to 40 percent, primarily paid by lower-income women and children. The proposed legislation will eliminate fees for jail phone calls and create an advisory committee to monitor the process.
SB0015/HB0681 Child Support Driver’s Licenses Suspensions Exceptions (Sen. Watson/Del. Toles)
40% of Marylanders travel outside of their county for employment, and only 8.5% of jobs in the Baltimore region can be reached within one hour, one-way by public transit. A vehicle and a valid driver’s license are thus necessary to obtain and sustain employment. When an individual misses two months of child support payments while incarcerated, their driver’s license will be suspended regardless of their ability to pay, jeopardizing access to employment upon release. The proposed legislation will eliminate driver’s license suspensions as a penalty for child support obligors making less than 250% of the federal poverty line (~$40,000).
SB0106/HB0110 Child Support – Due Process in License Suspensions (Sen. Muse/Del. Simpson)
Federal Code 42 U.S.C.A. § 666 (a16) states that license suspensions for child support obligors are only to be “used in appropriate cases” to “increase the effectiveness of the program.” However, the current automated suspension mechanism uses a randomized lottery system and targets obligors indiscriminately – some of whom are disabled, lack employment, or even have possession of the child. The proposed legislation ensures that a court provides due process and determines that the suspension is “appropriate” before a license is suspended.
SB1038/HB0275 Child Support – Multi-Family Adjustment (Sen. Charles/ Del. Crutchfield)
Maryland’s current child support system fails to account for America’s evolving family structures, where parents often have responsibility for children from different relationships. Despite U.S. Census Bureau data showing that more than 10% of adults had children with multiple partners in 2021, existing guidelines calculate support obligations without considering additional dependent children in either parent’s household. To address this gap, this legislation establishes an income deduction system that factors in all dependent children living with either the custodial or non-custodial parent, ensuring a more accurate reflection of each parent’s financial responsibilities and available resources.
SB0703/HB0881 Child Support – 100% Passthrough Rate (Sen. McCray/ Del. Shetty)
In Maryland, when a custodial parent receives TANF cash assistance, the non-custodial parent’s child support payments are not directed to the custodial parent but instead kept by the state for TANF cost recovery. There is a growing movement nationwide to direct all child support payments to families, not the state. Evidence shows that doing so positively impacts children’s school performance, non-custodial parental involvement, and co-parenting relationships.
CRIMINAL RECORD EXPUNGEMENTS
SB0432/ HB0499 – Criminal Records – Expungement and Maryland Judiciary Case Search (Gov. Moore)
In 2022, the Court of Special Appeals ruled that any probation violation means a conviction is indefinitely ineligible for expungement. The proposed legislation seeks to clarify that expungements are to be allowed when the time allotted for the sentence has expired, including mandatory supervision and the waiting period. It also adds select misdemeanors to the list of expungable convictions.
HB0055 – “Good Cause” Expungement – Convictions (Del. Ruff)
Current law states that courts may grant a petition for expungement on a showing of good cause if the charges resulted in a non-conviction, probation before judgment, stet, or the charge was vacated. The proposed legislation seeks to expand the court’s good cause expungement power to misdemeanors or felonies it deems worthy of expungement.
SB0398 / HB0545 – Automatic Sealing of Convictions (Sen. McKay/ Del. Moon)
Since the passage of the Justice Reinvestment Act in 2016, the Maryland General Assembly has made great strides in expanding the list of charges eligible for criminal record expungement. However, less than 10% of individuals who qualify for expungement petition to have the charges expunged, likely due to staff burdens on the courts or lack of knowledge. The proposed legislation automates the petition process and seeks to seal the majority of misdemeanor convictions.