Jan 28, 2025 Story by: Editor
BALTIMORE — The Maryland Legislative Black Caucus is championing a series of bills centered on promoting equity and reforming juvenile justice laws while opposing Governor Wes Moore’s proposed education funding cuts.
“We’re saying ‘yes’ to our children,” stated House Judiciary Committee Vice Chair Sandy Bartlett, a Democrat representing Anne Arundel County, during a press conference held in Annapolis.
One of the central initiatives is the Youth Equity and Safety (YES) Act, sponsored by Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee Chair Will Smith of Montgomery County and Delegate Karen Toles of Prince George’s County, both Democrats. The bill seeks to eliminate the automatic charging of minors as adults for certain offenses and reduce the placement of children in restrictive housing within Department of Juvenile Services facilities.
Although the bill is yet to be introduced, a similar version sponsored in 2023 by former Senator Jill P. Carter, a Democrat from Baltimore, aimed to ensure juveniles entered the justice system through juvenile courts rather than adult criminal courts. Under the previous legislation, state attorneys would have had to petition for cases to be moved to adult court, reversing the current practice where minors charged as adults must request a transfer to juvenile court.
Delegate Cheryl Pasteur, a Democrat from Prince George’s County, highlighted the stark racial disparities in Maryland’s prison system, stating that Maryland leads the nation in incarcerating Black men. Black individuals make up 72% of the state’s prison population, despite only comprising 31% of the overall population. Bartlett emphasized that the YES Act could help address these disparities.
“The automatic charging process disproportionately affects Black and Brown children, exposing them to unsafe and traumatic experiences within the justice system,” said Robin Salter, Regional Director of Youth Defense for the Maryland Office of the Public Defender, in a statement. “To think, if prison is used as a punishment system for adults, then placing children — who are still developing mentally, physically, and emotionally — in the adult system is purely torturous.”
Senator Smith noted that the 2025 version of the bill will be a scaled-down version of Carter’s earlier proposal, excluding some violent offenses. “I deeply believe that we need to end the practice of auto-charging. I believe that, fundamentally,” Smith said.
He also pointed out the financial and societal benefits of the proposed changes. “In any other element of government, similar actions would be seen as fiscal responsibility and efficiency measures. You’re going to save money, you’re going to get better public safety outcomes,” he explained, adding that juvenile court offers better access to services for children compared to adult criminal court.
The caucus is also prioritizing legislation to repeal Maryland’s felony murder rule for juveniles.
Felony murder laws, which hold individuals accountable for murders committed during the commission of certain crimes regardless of intent, have drawn criticism for their severe penalties. Public Defender Natasha Dartigue noted that these laws have historically led to mandatory life sentences, even for individuals who were not directly involved in a killing.
Under current Maryland law, individuals can be convicted of first-degree murder if someone dies during a crime they participated in, even if they were unaware of the fatal outcome. For instance, if two people commit a robbery and one kills the clerk, both can face first-degree murder charges.
Proposed legislation to repeal this rule would require prosecutors to prove that an individual directly committed murder to secure a conviction. Earlier versions of this bill were introduced in past sessions by Delegate Charlotte Crutchfield, a Democrat from Montgomery County.
Howard County State’s Attorney Rich Gibson defended the existing felony murder law during a House Judiciary Committee briefing, calling it a critical tool for public safety. “Felony murder laws provide justice to victims’ families. They provide fairness because they create a potential outcome that captures the harm committed by the choice of the criminal act,” Gibson stated. “When criminals act in a group, they tend to enable and assist each other, and if they played a role in committing a crime where death resulted, they must face the appropriate consequences.”
In addition to juvenile justice reform, the Legislative Black Caucus is opposing Governor Wes Moore’s proposed education funding cuts.
Delegate Jheanelle Wilkins, a Montgomery County Democrat and chair of the caucus, emphasized the importance of community schools in addressing inequities in education. These schools, which serve areas with high numbers of students eligible for free and reduced meals, offer additional support such as extended learning hours, mental health services, and school-based healthcare.
Community schools receive funding through poverty grants under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, an education reform plan. However, Moore’s budget proposal freezes funding for community schools at fiscal year 2026 levels, potentially impacting hundreds of schools across the state.
Maryland Budget Secretary Helene Grady defended the proposed adjustments, which aim to save $2.5 billion over five years. “We see this as a significant step for clearing up the Blueprint funds while improving on its execution and focusing on the results for kids,” Grady explained.
The Legislative Black Caucus plans to fight the proposed cuts. “If we’re talking about halting, pausing, cutting funding, we’re talking about cutting those supports to those students and to those schools that are the most in need,” Wilkins said. Source: Yahoo News
