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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0105*
SENATE BILL 105
E2 6lr1377
SB 735/25 – JPR (PRE–FILED)
By: Senators Folden and McKay
Requested: October 28, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Real Time for Violent Crime Act 2
(Geri’s Law) 3
FOR the purpose of prohibiting the earning of diminution credits to reduce the term of 4
confinement of an incarcerated individual who is serving a sentence for murder in 5
the first degree or murder in the second degree in a State or local correctional facility; 6
prohibiting a deduction of diminution credits of more than a certain percentage of an 7
incarcerated individual’s aggregate se ntence for crimes of violence for an 8
incarcerated individual who is serving a sentence for a crime of violence; prohibiting 9
a judicial officer from authorizing the pretrial release of a defendant who is charged 10
with a crime of violence if the defendant has a pending charge for a certain crime or 11
was previously convicted within a certain number of years of a certain crime; and 12
generally relating to crimes of violence, diminution credits, and pretrial release. 13
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 14
Article – Correctional Services 15
Section 3–702, 3–708, and 11–502 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2025 Replacement Volume) 18
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 19
Article – Correctional Services 20
Section 3–707(a) 21
Annotated Code of Maryland 22
(2025 Replacement Volume) 23
BY adding to 24
Article – Correctional Services 25
Section 11–507.1 26
Annotated Code of Maryland 27
2 SENATE BILL 105
(2025 Replacement Volume) 1
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 2
Article – Criminal Procedure 3
Section 5–202 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 – Correctional Services 9
3–702. 10
(a) Subject to subsections (b) [and], (c), AND (D) of this section, § 3 –711 of this 11
subtitle, and Title 7, Subtitle 5 of this article, an incarcerated individual committed to the 12
custody of the Commissioner is entitled to a diminution of the incarcerated individual ’s 13
term of confinement as provided under this subtitle. 14
(b) (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, an incarcerated individual 15
who is serving a sentence for a violation of § 3–303 or § 3–304 of the Criminal Law Article 16
involving a victim who is a child under the age of 16 years, or an incarcerated individual 17
who is serving a sentence for a violation of § 3–305 or § 3–306 of the Criminal Law Article, 18
as the sections existed before October 1, 2017, involving a victim who is a child under the 19
age of 16 years, is not entitled to a diminutio n of the incarcerated individual’s term of 20
confinement as provided under this subtitle. 21
(2) An incarcerated individual who is serving a sentence for a violation of 22
§ 3–303 of the Criminal Law Article that occurred on or after October 1, 2024, is not entitled 23
to diminution of the incarcerated individual’s term of confinement as provided under this 24
subtitle. 25
(c) An incarcerated individual who is serving a sentence for a violation of § 3–307 26
of the Criminal Law Article involving a victim who is a child un der the age of 16 years is 27
not entitled to a diminution of the incarcerated individual’s term of confinement as provided 28
under this subtitle, if the incarcerated individual was previously convicted of a violation of 29
§ 3–307 of the Criminal Law Article invo lving a victim who is a child under the age of 16 30
years. 31
(D) AN INCARCERATED INDIV IDUAL WHO IS SERVING A SENTENCE FOR A 32
VIOLATION OF § 2–201 OR § 2–204 OF THE CRIMINAL LAW ARTICLE IS NOT 33
ENTITLED TO A DIMINU TION OF THE INCARCER ATED INDIVIDUAL ’S TERM OF 34
CONFINEMENT AS PROVIDED UNDER THIS SUBTITLE. 35
3–707. 36
SENATE BILL 105 3
(a) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, in addition to 1
any other deductions allowed under this subtitle, an incarcerated individual may be 2
allowed a deduction of up to 20 days from the incarcerated individual’s term of confinement 3
for each calendar month during which the incarcerated individual manifests satisfactory 4
progress in those special selected work projects or other special pr ograms, including 5
recidivism reduction programming, designated by the Commissioner and approved by the 6
Secretary. 7
(2) The deduction described in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be 8
calculated at the rate of up to 10 days for each calendar month, i f an incarcerated 9
individual’s term of confinement includes a consecutive or concurrent sentence for: 10
(i) a crime of violence, as defined in § 14 –101 of the Criminal Law 11
Article; 12
(ii) a sexual offense for which registration is required under Title 11, 13
Subtitle 7 of the Criminal Procedure Article; or 14
(iii) a crime of manufacturing, distributing, dispensing, or possessing 15
a controlled dangerous substance in violation of § 5 –612 or § 5 –613 of the Criminal Law 16
Article. 17
3–708. 18
(A) Except as provid ed in § 3 –706.1 of this subtitle, and notwithstanding any 19
other provision of this subtitle, an incarcerated individual may not be allowed a deduction 20
under this subtitle of more than: 21
(1) 20 days for a calendar month for an incarcerated individual desc ribed 22
in [§ 3–707(a)(2)] § 3–707(A)(2)(II) AND (III) of this subtitle; and 23
(2) 30 days for a calendar month for all other incarcerated individuals. 24
(B) AN INCARCERATED INDIV IDUAL WHO IS SERVING A SENTENCE FOR A 25
CRIME OF VIOLENCE, AS DEFINED IN § 14–101 OF THE CRIMINAL LAW ARTICLE, MAY 26
NOT BE ALLOWED A DED UCTION UNDER THIS SU BTITLE THAT AMOUNTS TO A 27
NUMBER OF DAYS THAT IS GREATER THAN 10% OF THE INCARCERATED 28
INDIVIDUAL’S AGGREGATE SENTENCE FOR CRIMES OF VIOLENCE. 29
11–502. 30
(a) Except as provided in su bsections (b) [and], (c), AND (D) of this section, an 31
incarcerated individual who has been sentenced to a term of imprisonment shall be allowed 32
deductions from the incarcerated individual’s term of confinement as provided under this 33
subtitle for any period of presentence or postsentence confinement in a local correctional 34
facility. 35
4 SENATE BILL 105
(b) (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, an incarcerated individual 1
who is serving a sentence for a violation of § 3–303 or § 3–304 of the Criminal Law Article 2
involving a victim who is a child under the age of 16 years, or an incarcerated individual 3
who is serving a sentence for a violation of § 3–305 or § 3–306 of the Criminal Law Article, 4
as the sections existed before October 1, 2017, involving a victim who is a child under the 5
age of 16 years, may not be allowed deductions from the incarcerated ind ividual’s term of 6
confinement as provided under this subtitle for any period of presentence or postsentence 7
confinement in a local correctional facility. 8
(2) An incarcerated individual who is serving a sentence for a violation of 9
§ 3–303 of the Criminal Law Article that occurred on or after October 1, 2024, may not be 10
allowed deductions from the incarcerated individual’s term of confinement as provided 11
under this subtitle for any period of presentence or postsentence confinement in a local 12
correctional facility. 13
(3) This subsection may not be construed to require an incarcerated 14
individual to serve a longer sentence of confinement than is authorized by the statute under 15
which the incarcerated individual was convicted. 16
(c) (1) An incarcerated individual who is serving a sentence for a violation of 17
§ 3–307 of the Criminal Law Article involving a victim who is a child under the age of 16 18
years, who has previously been convicted of violating § 3 –307 of the Criminal Law Article 19
involving a victim who is a child under the age of 16 years, may not be allowed deductions 20
from the incarcerated individual’s term of confinement as provided under this subtitle for 21
any period of presentence or postsentence confinement in a local correctional facility. 22
(2) This s ubsection may not be construed to require an incarcerated 23
individual to serve a longer sentence of confinement than is authorized by the statute under 24
which the incarcerated individual was convicted. 25
(D) (1) AN INCARCERATED INDIV IDUAL WHO IS SERVING A SE NTENCE 26
FOR A VIOLATION OF § 2–201 OR § 2–204 OF THE CRIMINAL LAW ARTICLE MAY NOT 27
BE ALLOWED DEDUCTION S FROM THE INCARCERA TED INDIVIDUAL ’S TERM OF 28
CONFINEMENT AS PROVI DED UNDER THIS SUBTI TLE FOR ANY PERIOD O F 29
PRESENTENCE OR POSTS ENTENCE CONFINEMENT IN A LOC AL CORRECTIONAL 30
FACILITY. 31
(2) THIS SUBSECTION MAY N OT BE CONSTRUED TO R EQUIRE AN 32
INCARCERATED INDIVID UAL TO SERVE A LONGE R SENTENCE OF CONFIN EMENT 33
THAN IS AUTHORIZED B Y THE STATUTE UNDER WHICH THE INCARCERAT ED 34
INDIVIDUAL WAS CONVICTED. 35
11–507.1. 36
AN INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL WHO IS SERVING A SENTENCE FOR A CRIME 37
SENATE BILL 105 5
OF VIOLENCE, AS DEFINED IN § 14–101 OF THE CRIMINAL LAW ARTICLE, MAY NOT 1
BE ALLOWED A DEDUCTION UNDER THIS SUBTITLE THAT AMOUNTS TO A NUMBER OF 2
DAYS THAT IS GREATER THAN 10% OF THE INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL’S 3
AGGREGATE SENTENCE FOR CRIMES OF VIOLENCE. 4
Article – Criminal Procedure 5
5–202. 6
(a) A District Court commissioner may not authorize pretrial release for a 7
defendant charged with escaping from a correctional facility or any other place of 8
confinement in the State. 9
(b) (1) A District Court commissioner may not authorize the pretrial release of 10
a defendant charged as a drug kingpin under § 5–613 of the Criminal Law Article. 11
(2) [A] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (H) OF THIS SECTION, A 12
judge may authorize the pretrial release of a defendant charged as a drug kingpin on 13
suitable bail and on any other conditions that will reasonably ensure that the defendant 14
will not flee or pose a danger to another person or the community. 15
(3) There is a rebuttable presumption that, if released, a defendant charged 16
as a drug kingpin will flee and pose a danger to another person or the community. 17
(c) (1) A District Court commissioner may not authorize the pretrial release of 18
a defendant charged with a crime of violence if the defendant has been previously convicted: 19
(i) in this State of a crime of violence; 20
(ii) in any other jurisdiction of a crime that would be a crime of 21
violence if committed in this State; or 22
(iii) of an offense listed in subsection (f)(1) of this section. 23
(2) (i) [A] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (H) OF THIS 24
SECTION, A judge may authorize the pretrial release of a defendant described in paragraph 25
(1) of this subsection on: 26
1. suitable bail; 27
2. any other conditions that will reasonably ensure that the 28
defendant will not flee or pose a danger to another person or the community; or 29
3. both bail and other conditions described under item 2 of 30
this subparagraph. 31
6 SENATE BILL 105
(ii) When a defendant described in paragr aph (1) of this subsection 1
is presented to the court under Maryland Rule 4–216(f), the judge shall order the continued 2
detention of the defendant IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBSECTION (H) OF THIS SECTION 3
OR if the judge determines that neither suitable bail nor an y condition or combination of 4
conditions will reasonably ensure that the defendant will not flee or pose a danger to 5
another person or the community before the trial. 6
(3) There is a rebuttable presumption that a defendant described in 7
paragraph (1) of t his subsection will flee and pose a danger to another person or the 8
community. 9
(d) (1) A District Court commissioner may not authorize the pretrial release of 10
a defendant charged with committing one of the following crimes while the defendant was 11
released on bail or personal recognizance for a pending prior charge of committing one of 12
the following crimes: 13
(i) aiding, counseling, or procuring arson in the first degree under § 14
6–102 of the Criminal Law Article; 15
(ii) arson in the second degree or attempting, aiding, counseling, or 16
procuring arson in the second degree under § 6–103 of the Criminal Law Article; 17
(iii) burglary in the first degree under § 6 –202 of the Criminal Law 18
Article; 19
(iv) burglary in the second degree under § 6–203 of the Criminal Law 20
Article; 21
(v) burglary in the third degree under § 6 –204 of the Criminal Law 22
Article; 23
(vi) causing abuse to a child under § 3–601 or § 3–602 of the Criminal 24
Law Article; 25
(vii) a crime that relates to a destructive device under § 4 –503 of the 26
Criminal Law Article; 27
(viii) a crime that relates to a controlled dangerous substance under 28
§§ 5–602 through 5–609 or § 5–612 or § 5–613 of the Criminal Law Article; 29
(ix) manslaughter by vehicle or vessel under § 2–209 of the Criminal 30
Law Article; and 31
(x) a crime of violence. 32
(2) A defendant under this subsection remains ineligible to give bail or be 33
released on recognizance on the subsequent charge until all prior charges have finally been 34
SENATE BILL 105 7
determined by the courts. 1
(3) [A] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (H) OF THIS SECTION, A 2
judge may authorize the pretrial release of a defendant described in paragraph (1) of this 3
subsection on suitable bail and on any other conditions that will reasonably ensure that the 4
defendant will not flee or pose a danger to another person or the community. 5
(4) There is a rebuttable presumption that a defendant described in 6
paragraph (1) of this subsection will flee and pose a danger to another person or the 7
community if released before final determination of the prior charge. 8
(e) (1) A District Court commissioner may not authorize the pretrial release of 9
a defendant charged with violating: 10
(i) the provisions of a temporary protective order described in § 11
4–505(a)(2)(i) of the Family Law Article or the provisions of a protective order described in 12
§ 4–506(d)(1) of the Family Law Article that order the defendant to refrain from abusing or 13
threatening to abuse a person eligible for relief; or 14
(ii) the provisions of an order for protectio n, as defined in § 4–508.1 15
of the Family Law Article, issued by a court of another state or of a Native American tribe 16
that order the defendant to refrain from abusing or threatening to abuse a person eligible 17
for relief, if the order is enforceable under § 4–508.1 of the Family Law Article. 18
(2) [A] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (H) OF THIS SECTION, A 19
judge may allow the pretrial release of a defendant described in paragraph (1) of this 20
subsection on: 21
(i) suitable bail; 22
(ii) any other conditio ns that will reasonably ensure that the 23
defendant will not flee or pose a danger to another person or the community; or 24
(iii) both bail and other conditions described under item (ii) of this 25
paragraph. 26
(3) When a defendant described in paragraph (1) of this subsection is 27
presented to the court under Maryland Rule 4 –216(f), the judge shall order the continued 28
detention of the defendant IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBSECTION (H) OF THIS SECTION 29
OR if the judge determines that neither suitable bail nor any condi tion or combination of 30
conditions will reasonably ensure that the defendant will not flee or pose a danger to 31
another person or the community before the trial. 32
(f) (1) A District Court commissioner may not authorize the pretrial release of 33
a defendant charged with one of the following crimes if the defendant has previously been 34
convicted of a crime of violence or one of the following crimes: 35
8 SENATE BILL 105
(i) wearing, carrying, or transporting a handgun under § 4 –203 of 1
the Criminal Law Article; 2
(ii) use of a handgun or an antique firearm in commission of a crime 3
under § 4–204 of the Criminal Law Article; 4
(iii) violating prohibitions relating to assault weapons under § 4–303 5
of the Criminal Law Article; 6
(iv) use of a machine gun in a crime of violence under § 4–404 of the 7
Criminal Law Article; 8
(v) use of a machine gun for an aggressive purpose under § 4–405 of 9
the Criminal Law Article; 10
(vi) use of a weapon as a separate crime under § 5 –621 of the 11
Criminal Law Article; 12
(vii) possession of a regulated firearm under § 5 –133 of the Public 13
Safety Article; 14
(viii) transporting a regulated firearm for unlawful sale or trafficking 15
under § 5–140 of the Public Safety Article; or 16
(ix) possession of a rifle or shotgun by a person with a mental 17
disorder under § 5–205 of the Public Safety Article. 18
(2) (i) [A] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (H) OF THIS 19
SECTION, A judge may authorize the pretrial release of a defendant described in paragraph 20
(1) of this subsection on: 21
1. suitable bail; 22
2. any other conditions that will reasonably ensure that the 23
defendant will not flee or pose a danger to another person or the community; or 24
3. both bail and other conditions described under item 2 of 25
this subparagraph. 26
(ii) When a defendant descr ibed in paragraph (1) of this subsection 27
is presented to the court under Maryland Rule 4–216(f), the judge shall order the continued 28
detention of the defendant IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBSECTION (H) OF THIS SECTION 29
OR if the judge determines that neither suitab le bail nor any condition or combination of 30
conditions will reasonably ensure that the defendant will not flee or pose a danger to 31
another person or the community before the trial. 32
(3) There is a rebuttable presumption that a defendant described in 33
SENATE BILL 105 9
paragraph (1) of this subsection will flee and pose a danger to another person or the 1
community. 2
(g) (1) A District Court commissioner may not authorize the pretrial release of 3
a defendant who: 4
(i) is registered, or the commissioner knows is required to register, 5
under Title 11, Subtitle 7 of this article; or 6
(ii) is a sex offender who is required to register by another 7
jurisdiction, a federal, military, or tribal court, or a foreign government. 8
(2) (i) [A] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (H) OF T HIS 9
SECTION, A judge may authorize the pretrial release of a defendant described in paragraph 10
(1) of this subsection on: 11
1. suitable bail; 12
2. any other conditions that will reasonably ensure that the 13
defendant will not flee or pose a danger to another person or the community; or 14
3. both bail and other conditions described under item 2 of 15
this subparagraph. 16
(ii) When a defendant described in paragraph (1) of this subsection 17
is presented to the court under Maryland Rule 4–216(f), the judge shall order the continued 18
detention of the defendant IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBSECTION (H) OF THIS SECTION 19
OR if the judge determines that neither suitable bail nor any condition or combination of 20
conditions will reasonably ensure that the defendant will not flee or pose a danger to 21
another person or the community before the trial. 22
(3) There is a rebuttable presumption that a defendant described in 23
paragraph (1) of this subsection will flee and pose a danger to another person or the 24
community. 25
(H) A JUDICIAL OFFICER MAY NOT AUTHORIZE THE PRETRIAL RELEASE OF 26
A DEFENDANT WHO IS CHARGED WITH A CRIME OF VIOLENCE IF THE DEFENDANT: 27
(1) HAS A PENDING CHARGE FOR: 28
(I) A CRIME OF VIOLENCE IN THE STATE; OR 29
(II) A CRIME IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION THAT WO ULD BE A 30
CRIME OF VIOLENCE IF COMMITTED IN THE STATE; OR 31
(2) WAS CONVICTED WITHIN THE PREVIOUS 10 YEARS: 32
10 SENATE BILL 105
(I) IN THE STATE OF A CRIME OF VIOLENCE; OR 1
(II) IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION OF A CRIME THA T WOULD BE 2
A CRIME OF VIOLENCE IF COMMITTED IN THE STATE. 3
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall be construed to 4
apply only prospectively and may not be applied or interpreted to have any effect on or 5
application to any offense committed before the effective date of this Act. 6
SECTION 3 . AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 7
October 1, 2026. 8