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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1605*
HOUSE BILL 1605
E2, P2 6lr3614
By: Delegate Griffith
Introduced and read first time: February 17, 2026
Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Compensation for Individuals Erroneously Convicted – County Cost–Sharing – 2
Repeal 3
FOR the purpose of repealing a requirement that county governments are required to pay 4
a certain percentage of the amount of compensation to individuals erroneously 5
convicted of a crime the individual did not commit; and generally relating to 6
compensation for individuals who have been erroneously convicted. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – State Finance and Procurement 9
Section 10–501(a) 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – State Finance and Procurement 15
10–501. 16
(a) (1) On receipt of an order by an administrative law judge granting a 17
petition under subsection (b) of this section, [subject to paragraph (5) of this subsection, ] 18
the Board of Public Works shall compensate an individual erron eously convicted, 19
sentenced, and confined under State law for a crime the individual did not commit in an 20
amount equal to the product of the total number of days that the individual was wrongfully 21
confined after the erroneous conviction multiplied by a daily rate of the State’s most recent 22
annual median household income as published in the American Community Survey of the 23
U.S. Census Bureau in the year the order of eligibility is issued under subsection (b) of this 24
section and divided by 365 days to the nearest whole cent. 25
2 HOUSE BILL 1605
(2) In addition to the compensation awarded under paragraph (1) of this 1
subsection, the administrative law judge issuing an order under subsection (b) of this 2
section may direct the appropriate State agency or service provider to provid e to the 3
individual free of charge any of the following benefits: 4
(i) a State identification card and any other document necessary for 5
the individual’s health or welfare on the individual’s release from confinement; 6
(ii) housing accommodations for a period not exceeding 5 years after 7
the date the order of eligibility is issued under subsection (b) of this section; 8
(iii) education and training relevant to life skills, job and vocational 9
training, or financial literacy for a period of time until t he individual elects to no longer 10
receive the education and training; 11
(iv) health care and dental care for at least 5 years after the date the 12
order of eligibility is issued under subsection (b) of this section; 13
(v) access to enrollment at and paym ent of tuition and fees for 14
attending a public senior higher education institution, a regional higher education center, 15
or the Baltimore City Community College for a period of enrollment not exceeding 8 years; 16
and 17
(vi) reimbursement for court fines, fees, and restitution paid by the 18
individual for the crime for which the individual was erroneously convicted, sentenced, and 19
confined. 20
(3) (i) If an individual previously received a monetary award from a 21
civil suit or entered into a settlement agreement with the State or a political subdivision of 22
the State for an erroneous conviction, sentence, or confinement, the amount owed to the 23
individual under this subsection shall be reduced by the amount of the monetary award or 24
settlement that was paid to the individual less any amount paid for attorney’s fees and 25
costs for litigating the award or settlement. 26
(ii) 1. If, after receiving compensation under this subsection, an 27
individual receives a monetary award from a civil suit or enters into a settlement 28
agreement with the State or a political subdivision of the State for an erroneous conviction, 29
sentence, or confinement, the individual shall reimburse the State the amount of money 30
paid under this section less any amount paid for attorney’s fees and costs for litigating the 31
award or settlement. 32
2. Reimbursement required under subsubparagraph 1 of this 33
subparagraph may not exceed the amount of the monetary award the individual received 34
in the civil suit or settlement agreement. 35
HOUSE BILL 1605 3
3. The State may obt ain a lien against the monetary award 1
from a civil suit or settlement agreement to satisfy an obligation under subsubparagraph 1 2
of this subparagraph. 3
(4) If an individual eligible for compensation and benefits under this 4
subsection is deceased, the ind ividual’s estate has standing to be compensated under this 5
subsection. 6
[(5) (i) Beginning in fiscal year 2026, the county government in the 7
county in which the conviction of an individual occurred shall pay to the State 50% of the 8
amount of compensation awarded to the individual under paragraph (1) of this subsection. 9
(ii) The payment shall be remitted annually to the Comptroller by 10
June 30 equal to 100% of the county’s share of costs for that fiscal year. 11
(iii) On October 1, December 1, March 1, and June 1 of each fiscal 12
year, the Board of Public Works shall notify the Comptroller and each county of the county’s 13
share of each erroneous conviction award during the fiscal year. 14
(iv) The Comptroller may withhold a portion of a local income tax 15
distribution of a county that fails to make timely payment in accordance with this section.] 16
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 17
October 1, 2026. 18