SB0436 • 2026

Minors Convicted as Adults - Sentencing - Transfer to Juvenile Court

Children Crime

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Senator Folden
Last action: 2026-02-23
Official status: In the Senate - Withdrawn by Sponsor
Effective date: 2026-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Minors Convicted as Adults - Sentencing - Transfer to Juvenile Court

Establishing a presumption that the sentencing of a minor convicted as an adult should be transferred to the juvenile court, under certain circumstances, and authorizing the court to do so; and requiring the juvenile court to make a juvenile determination under certain circumstances.

What This Bill Does

Establishing a presumption that the sentencing of a minor convicted as an adult should be transferred to the juvenile court, under certain circumstances, and authorizing the court to do so; and requiring the juvenile court to make a juvenile determination under certain circumstances.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-02-23 Senate
Withdrawn by Sponsor
2026-02-10 Senate
Hearing canceled
2026-02-02 Senate
Hearing 2/12 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-01-30 Senate
First Reading Judicial Proceedings
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Minors Convicted as Adults - Sentencing - Transfer to Juvenile Court
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - Senate - Committee - Judicial Proceedings

Official Summary Text

Establishing a presumption that the sentencing of a minor convicted as an adult should be transferred to the juvenile court, under certain circumstances, and authorizing the court to do so; and requiring the juvenile court to make a juvenile determination under certain circumstances.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0436*

SENATE BILL 436
E3, E2 6lr3059
SB 389/25 – JPR
By: Senator Folden
Introduced and read first time: January 30, 2026
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Minors Convicted as Adults – Sentencing – Transfer to Juvenile Court 2

FOR the purpose of establishing a presumption that the sentencing of a minor convicted as 3
an adult should be transferred to the juvenile court, under certain circumstances, 4
and authorizing the court to do so; requiring the juvenile court to make a juvenile 5
determination under certain circumstances; and generally relating to the sentencing 6
of minors convicted as adults. 7

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Criminal Procedure 9
Section 6–235 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2025 Replacement Volume) 12

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14

Article – Criminal Procedure 15

6–235. 16

(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, when sentencing a minor 17
convicted as an adult, a court: 18

(1) may impose a sentence less than the minimum term required under 19
law; and 20

(2) may not impose a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility 21
of parole or release. 22

2 SENATE BILL 436

(B) (1) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY O THER PROVISION OF LA W, IF THE 1
COURT DETERMINES BY CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE THAT THE INDIVIDUAL 2
AGAINST WHOM THE MIN OR IS CONVICTED OF C OMMITTING THE OFFENS E 3
PREVIOUSLY COMMITTED A SEX CRIME UNDER TITLE 3, SUBTITLE 3 OF THE 4
CRIMINAL LAW ARTICLE OR HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNDER TITLE 3, SUBTITLE 11 OF 5
THE CRIMINAL LAW ARTICLE AGAINST THE MINOR WITHIN 3 MONTHS BEFORE THE 6
OFFENSE FOR WHICH THE MINOR WAS CONVICTED, THE COURT MAY TRANSFER THE 7
MINOR TO THE JUVENILE COURT FOR SENTENCING. 8

(2) IF A MINOR IS TRANSFE RRED TO THE JURISDIC TION OF THE 9
JUVENILE COURT UNDER THIS SUBSECTION, THE JUVENILE COURT S HALL MAKE A 10
JUVENILE DISPOSITION. 11

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 12
October 1, 2026. 13