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*hb0108*
HOUSE BILL 108
E5 6lr1418
(PRE–FILED) CF SB 61
By: Delegate Pasteur Delegates Pasteur, Crutchfield, Fair, Lehman, Ruth,
Sample–Hughes, Schindler, Schmidt, Solomon, Terrasa, Wells, and Wu
Requested: October 29, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Government, Labor, and Elections
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 3, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Division of Correction – Release Preparation Volunteer Services Program 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the Release Preparation Volunteer Services Program in 3
the Division of Correction for the purpose of providing access to volunteers, including 4
formerly incarcerated individuals and organizations led by formerly incarcerated 5
individuals, to State correctional facilities to assist incarcerated indivi duals with 6
release preparation; altering the purposes of the Cannabis Regulation and 7
Enforcement Fund to include providing funds to cover the costs of supporting the 8
Release Preparation Program; and generally relating to the Release Preparation 9
Volunteer Services Program. 10
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 11
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 12
Section 36–206 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 15
BY adding to 16
Article – Correctional Services 17
Section 9–619 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2025 Replacement Volume) 20
2 HOUSE BILL 108
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 3
36–206. 4
(a) In this section, “Fund” means the Cannabis Regulation and Enforcement 5
Fund. 6
(b) There is a Cannabis Regulation and Enforcement Fund. 7
(c) The purpose of the Fund is to provide funds to cover the costs of: 8
(1) the operation of the Administration; 9
(2) administering and enforcing this title; [and] 10
(3) supporting the Social Equity Partnership Grant Program established 11
under § 1–323 of this article; AND 12
(4) SUPPORTING THE RELEASE PREPARATION PROGRAM 13
ESTABLISHED UNDER § 9–619 OF THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES ARTICLE. 14
(d) The Administration shall administer the Fund. 15
(e) (1) The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7–302 of 16
the State Finance and Procurement Article. 17
(2) The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately, and the 18
Comptroller shall account for the Fund. 19
(f) The Fund consists of: 20
(1) fees distributed to the Fund under § 36–205 of this subtitle; 21
(2) revenue distributed to the Fund under § 2–1302.2 of the Tax – General 22
Article; 23
(3) interest earnings of the Fund; and 24
(4) any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the 25
Fund, in accordance with any conditions adopted by the Commission for the acceptance of 26
donations or gifts to the Fund. 27
(g) The Fund may be used for: 28
HOUSE BILL 108 3
(1) carrying out this title [and]; 1
(2) supporting the Social Equity Partnership Grant Program established 2
under § 1–323 of this article; AND 3
(3) SUPPORTING THE RELEASE PREPARATION PROGRAM 4
ESTABLISHED UNDER § 9–619 OF THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES ARTICLE. 5
(h) (1) The State Treasurer shall invest the money of the Fund in the same 6
manner as other State money may be invested. 7
(2) Any interest earnings of the Fund shall be credited to the Fund. 8
(i) The Fund is subject to audit by the Office of Legislative Audits as provided for 9
in § 2–1220 of the State Government Article. 10
(j) (1) On or before March 15 each year, the Administration shall publish on 11
its website a detailed report on revenue distributed to and expenditures from the Fund. 12
(2) The report shall also be submitted to the General Assembly in 13
accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article. 14
Article – Correctional Services 15
9–619. 16
(A) IN THIS SECTION , “PROGRAM” MEANS THE RELEASE PREPARATION 17
VOLUNTEER SERVICES PROGRAM. 18
(B) THERE IS A RELEASE PREPARATION VOLUNTEER SERVICES PROGRAM 19
IN THE DIVISION OF CORRECTION. 20
(C) (1) THE DIVISION OF CORRECTION SHALL ESTA BLISH A PROTOCOL 21
FOR REGISTERING VOLUNTEERS, INCLUDING FORMERLY INCARCERATE D 22
INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS LE D BY FORMERLY INCARC ERATED 23
INDIVIDUALS, IN THE PROGRAM TO HAVE ACCESS T O STATE CORRECTIONAL 24
FACILITIES FOR THE P URPOSE OF ASSISTING INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS WITH 25
RELEASE PREPARATION. 26
(2) THE DIVISION OF CORRECTION SHALL SUBM IT THE PROTOCOL 27
ESTABLISHED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION TO THE OFFICE OF THE 28
ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR APPROVAL. 29
4 HOUSE BILL 108
(D) THE PROTOCOL ESTABLIS HED UNDER SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS 1
SECTION SHALL REQUIRE: 2
(1) THE DIVISION OF CORRECTION TO MAINTAI N A RECORD OF 3
VOLUNTEERS REGISTERED IN THE PROGRAM; 4
(2) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTIO N (E) OF THIS SECTION , THE 5
REGISTRATION OF FORMERLY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS VOLUNTEERS IN THE 6
PROGRAM TO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC; AND 7
(2) (3) A FORMERLY INCARCERATE D INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEER IN 8
THE PROGRAM TO PROVIDE TO THE DIVISION OF CORRECTION A WRITTEN 9
SCHEDULE DESCRIBING WHEN THE INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEER INTENDS TO ACCESS A 10
STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. 11
(E) A VOLUNTEER IN THE PROGRAM: 12
(1) HAS THE RIGHT TO ELE CT WHETHER THE VOLUNTEER’S NAME IS 13
MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC; AND 14
(2) MUST CONSENT IN WRITING IF THE VOLUN TEER ELECTS THE 15
DISCLOSURE OF THE VOLUNTEER’S NAME TO THE PUBLIC. 16
(E) (F) THE DIVISION OF CORRECTION MAY NOT DE NY A SCHEDULE 17
PROVIDED UNDER SUBSE CTION (D)(2) (D)(3) OF THIS SECTION UNLE SS THE 18
SCHEDULE INTERFERES WITH THE NORMAL FUNC TION OF THE STATE 19
CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. 20
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 21
October 1, 2026. 22
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.