SB0061 • 2026

Division of Correction - Volunteer Services Program

Crime Elections

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Senator Sydnor
Last action: 2026-05-12
Official status: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 518
Effective date: 2026-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify that funds are added from the Cannabis Regulation and Enforcement Fund for supporting the Release Preparation Program, only that it is one of the purposes of the fund.

Volunteer Services Program for Release Preparation in Maryland Prisons

This law establishes a Volunteer Services Program within the Division of Correction to assist incarcerated individuals with release preparation by providing access to volunteers, including those who have been formerly incarcerated.

What This Bill Does

Establishes the Release Preparation Volunteer Services Program inside the Division of Correction.
Allows volunteers, including formerly incarcerated people and organizations they lead, to enter state correctional facilities to assist with release preparation.
Requires the Division of Correction to set up a protocol for registering these volunteers and maintaining a list of them.

Who It Names or Affects

Incarcerated individuals who will receive assistance with release preparation.
Volunteers, including those who have been formerly incarcerated, who can now register to help inside state correctional facilities.
The Division of Correction which must establish and manage the volunteer registration process.

Terms To Know

Release Preparation Volunteer Services Program: A program that allows volunteers to assist incarcerated individuals with preparing for their release from prison.
Cannabis Regulation and Enforcement Fund: A fund used to cover costs related to cannabis regulation, enforcement, and now also supporting the Release Preparation Program.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how many volunteers will be allowed or what kind of assistance they can provide.
It is unclear if all incarcerated individuals will have equal access to volunteer services under this program.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

173926/1

None

Favorable with Amendments { 173926/1 Adopted

Plain English: AMENDMENTS TO SENATE BILL 61 (First Reading File Bill) AMENDMENT NO.

AMENDMENTS TO SENATE BILL 61 (First Reading File Bill) AMENDMENT NO.
1 On page 1, in line 2, strike “ Release Preparation” and substitute “Volunteer Services”; in line 3, strike “Release Preparation” and substitute “ Volunteer Services”; in line 4, after “to” insert “ volunteers, including”; in the same line, after “individuals” insert “and organizations led by formerly incarcerated individuals, ”; strike beginning with “altering” in line 6 down through the semicolon in line 8; in line 8, strike “Release Preparation” and substitute “ Volunteer Services”; and strike in their entirety lines 9 through 13, inclusive.
AMENDMENT NO.
2 On pages 1 through 3, strike in their entirety the lines beginning with line 21 on page 1 through line 9 on page 3, inclusive.

273520/1

None

Favorable with Amendments { 273520/1 Adopted

Plain English: AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 61 (Third Reading File Bill) On page 4, strike beginning with “THE” in line 3 down through “BY” in line 5; in line 5, after “ CORRECTION” insert “ TO MAINTAIN A RECORD OF VOLUNTEERS REGISTERED IN THE PROGRAM”; strike beginning with “ A” in line 6 down through “INDIVIDUAL” in line 13 and substitute “ SUBJECT TO SUBSECTIO N (E) OF THIS SECTION, THE REGISTRATION OF VOLUNTEERS IN THE PROGRAM”; in line 17, after “(E)” insert “A VOLUNTEER IN THE PROGRAM: (1) HAS THE RIGHT TO ELECT WHETHER THE VOLUNTEER’S NAME IS MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC; AND (2) MUST CONSENT IN WRIT ING IF THE VOLUNTEER ELE CTS THE DISCLOSURE OF THE VOLUNTEER’S NAME TO THE PUBLIC.

AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 61 (Third Reading File Bill) On page 4, strike beginning with “THE” in line 3 down through “BY” in line 5; in line 5, after “ CORRECTION” insert “ TO MAINTAIN A RECORD OF VOLUNTEERS REGISTERED IN THE PROGRAM”; strike beginning with “ A” in line 6 down through “INDIVIDUAL” in line 13 and substitute “ SUBJECT TO SUBSECTIO N (E) OF THIS SECTION, THE REGISTRATION OF VOLUNTEERS IN THE PROGRAM”; in line 17, after “(E)” insert “A VOLUNTEER IN THE PROGRAM: (1) HAS THE RIGHT TO ELECT WHETHER THE VOLUNTEER’S NAME IS MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC; AND (2) MUST CONSENT IN WRIT ING IF THE VOLUNTEER ELE CTS THE DISCLOSURE OF THE VOLUNTEER’S NAME TO THE PUBLIC.
(F)”; and strike in their entirety lines 21 through 29, inclusive.
SB0061/273520/1 BY: Government, Labor, and Elections Committee

Bill History

2026-05-12 Post Passage
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 518
2026-04-08 House
Favorable with Amendments Report by Government, Labor, and Elections
2026-03-26 House
Hearing 4/02 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-03-22 House
Third Reading Passed (133-0)
2026-03-22 Senate
Senate Concurs House Amendments
2026-03-22 Senate
Third Reading Passed (42-0)
2026-03-22 Senate
Passed Enrolled
2026-03-21 House
Favorable with Amendments { 273520/1 Adopted
2026-03-21 House
Second Reading Passed with Amendments
2026-03-18 Senate
Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings
2026-03-07 House
Referred Government, Labor, and Elections
2026-03-03 Senate
Third Reading Passed (44-0)
2026-03-02 Senate
Favorable with Amendments { 173926/1 Adopted
2026-03-02 Senate
Second Reading Passed with Amendments
2026-01-14 Senate
First Reading Judicial Proceedings and Finance
2026-01-13 Senate
Hearing 1/28 at 11:00 a.m. (Judicial Proceedings)
2025-10-29 Senate
Pre-filed
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Division of Correction - Release Preparation Program
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - Senate - Committee - Judicial Proceedings
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - Senate - Committee - Finance
Maryland General Assembly
Text - Third - Division of Correction - Volunteer Services Program
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - House - Committee - Government, Labor, and Elections
Maryland General Assembly
Text - Enrolled - Division of Correction - Volunteer Services Program
Maryland General Assembly
Text - Chapter - Division of Correction - Volunteer Services Program

Official Summary Text

Establishing the Volunteer Services Program in the Division of Correction for the purpose of providing access to volunteers, including formerly incarcerated individuals and organizations led by formerly incarcerated individuals, to State correctional facilities to assist incarcerated individuals with release preparation; and requiring the Division of Correction to establish a protocol for registering volunteers in the Program to have access to State correctional facilities and to maintain a list of the volunteers.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
Italics indicate opposite chamber/conference committee amendments.
*sb0061*

SENATE BILL 61
E5 (6lr1421)
ENROLLED BILL
— Judicial Proceedings and Finance/Government, Labor, and Elections —
Introduced by Senator Sydnor

Read and Examined by Proofreaders:

_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.

Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this

_______ day of _______________ at _ _______________________ o’clock, ________M.

______________________________________________
President.

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 fa cilities to assist incarcerated individuals 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
2 SENATE BILL 61

(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 1

BY adding to 2
Article – Correctional Services 3
Section 9–619 4
Annotated Code of Maryland 5
(2025 Replacement Volume) 6

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 7
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 8

Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 9

36–206. 10

(a) In this section, “Fund” means the Cannabis Regulation and Enforcement 11
Fund. 12

(b) There is a Cannabis Regulation and Enforcement Fund. 13

(c) The purpose of the Fund is to provide funds to cover the costs of: 14

(1) the operation of the Administration; 15

(2) administering and enforcing this title; [and] 16

(3) supporting the Social Equity Partnership Grant Program established 17
under § 1–323 of this article; AND 18

(4) SUPPORTING THE RELEASE PREPARATION PROGRAM 19
ESTABLISHED UNDER § 9–619 OF THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES ARTICLE. 20

(d) The Administration shall administer the Fund. 21

(e) (1) The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7–302 of 22
the State Finance and Procurement Article. 23

(2) The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately, and the 24
Comptroller shall account for the Fund. 25

(f) The Fund consists of: 26

(1) fees distributed to the Fund under § 36–205 of this subtitle; 27

(2) revenue distributed to the Fund under § 2–1302.2 of the Tax – General 28
Article; 29
SENATE BILL 61 3

(3) interest earnings of the Fund; and 1

(4) any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the 2
Fund, in accordance with any conditions adopted by the Commission for the acceptance of 3
donations or gifts to the Fund. 4

(g) The Fund may be used for: 5

(1) carrying out this title [and]; 6

(2) supporting the Social Equity Partnership Grant Program established 7
under § 1–323 of this article; AND 8

(3) SUPPORTING THE RELEASE PREPARATION PROGRAM 9
ESTABLISHED UNDER § 9–619 OF THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES ARTICLE. 10

(h) (1) The State Treasurer shall invest the money of the Fund in the same 11
manner as other State money may be invested. 12

(2) Any interest earnings of the Fund shall be credited to the Fund. 13

(i) The Fund is subject to audit by the Office of Legislative Audits as provided for 14
in § 2–1220 of the State Government Article. 15

(j) (1) On or before March 15 each year, the Administration shall publish on 16
its website a detailed report on revenue distributed to and expenditures from the Fund. 17

(2) The report shall also be submitted to the General Assembly in 18
accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article. 19

Article – Correctional Services 20

9–619. 21

(A) IN THIS SECTION , “PROGRAM” MEANS THE RELEASE PREPARATION 22
VOLUNTEER SERVICES PROGRAM. 23

(B) THERE IS A RELEASE PREPARATION VOLUNTEER SERVICES PROGRAM 24
IN THE DIVISION OF CORRECTION. 25

(C) (1) THE DIVISION OF CORRECTION SHALL ESTA BLISH A PROTOCOL 26
FOR REGISTERING VOLUNTEERS, INCLUDING FORMERLY INCARCERATE D 27
INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIO NS LED BY FORMERLY I NCARCERATED 28
INDIVIDUALS, IN THE PROGRAM TO HAVE ACCES S TO STATE CORRECTIONAL 29
4 SENATE BILL 61

FACILITIES FOR THE P URPOSE OF ASSISTING INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS WITH 1
RELEASE PREPARATION. 2

(2) THE DIVISION OF CORRECTION SHALL SUBM IT THE PROTOCOL 3
ESTABLISHED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION TO THE OFFICE OF THE 4
ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR APPROVAL. 5

(D) THE PROTOCOL ESTABLIS HED UNDER SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS 6
SECTION SHALL REQUIRE: 7

(1) THE REGISTRATION OF FORMERLY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS 8
VOLUNTEERS IN THE PROGRAM TO BE MADE AV AILABLE TO THE PUBLI C 9
MAINTAINED BY THE DIVISION OF CORRECTION TO MAINTAIN A RECORD OF 10
VOLUNTEERS REGISTERED IN THE PROGRAM; AND 11

(2) A FORMERLY INCARCERA TED INDIVIDUAL IN TH E PROGRAM TO 12
DECIDE WHETHER: 13

(I) THE INDIVIDUAL ’S NAME IS MADE AVAIL ABLE TO THE 14
PUBLIC; OR 15

(II) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTIO N (F) OF THIS SECTION , ANOTHER 16
VOLUNTEER OR AN ORGA NIZATION WILL PROVID E THAT VOLUNTEER ’S NAME OR 17
THE NAME OF THE ORGA NIZATION ON BEHALF O F THE FORMERLY INCAR CERATED 18
INDIVIDUAL SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION, THE REGISTRATION OF 19
VOLUNTEERS IN THE PROGRAM TO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC; AND 20

(3) A VOLUNTEER IN THE PROGRAM TO PROVIDE TO THE DIVISION OF 21
CORRECTION A WRITTEN SCHEDULE DESCRIBING WHEN THE INDIVIDUAL 22
VOLUNTEER INTENDS TO ACCESS A STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. 23

(E) A VOLUNTEER IN THE PROGRAM: 24

(1) HAS THE RIGHT TO ELE CT WHETHER THE VOLUN TEER’S NAME IS 25
MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC; AND 26

(2) MUST CONSENT IN WRIT ING IF THE VOLUNTEER ELECTS THE 27
DISCLOSURE OF THE VOLUNTEER’S NAME TO THE PUBLIC. 28

(F) THE DIVISION OF CORRECTION MAY NOT DENY A SCHEDULE PROVIDED 29
UNDER SUBSECTION (D)(2) (D)(3) OF THIS SECTION UNLE SS THE SCHEDULE 30
INTERFERES WITH THE NORMAL FUNCTION OF T HE STATE CORRECTIONAL 31
FACILITY. 32

SENATE BILL 61 5

(F) (1) IF A FORMERLY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL DOES NOT WANT THE 1
FORMERLY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL’S NAME MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, 2
ANOTHER VOLUNTEER OR AN ORGANIZATION MAY PROVIDE THAT VOLUNTE ER’S 3
NAME OR THE NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION ON BEHALF OF THE FORMER LY 4
INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL. 5

(2) THE DIVISION OF CORRECTION SHALL MAIN TAIN A RECORD OF 6
THE NAMES OF FORMERL Y INCARCERATED INDIV IDUALS WHO HAVE ANOT HER 7
VOLUNTEER OR AN ORGA NIZATION PROVIDE THE IR NAME FOR PURPOSES OF 8
SUBSECTION (D)(2)(II) OF THIS SECTION. 9

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 10
October 1, 2026. 11

Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.