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2025 Policy Agenda

 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. 1. adjusting support calculations to account for all children supported by either parent
  2. 2. eliminating mandatory child support orders for foster care cases and allowing DHS to halt existing orders
  3. 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.

 

CRIMINAL RECORD EXPUNGEMENTS

 

SB0432/ HB0499Criminal 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.