After years of tireless advocacy by families, formerly incarcerated people, and community leaders, the Maryland General Assembly has passed the Second Look Act (HB 853), providing a long-overdue pathway for sentence reconsideration grounded in rehabilitation, not retribution.
As amended, the bill allows individuals who were convicted of an offense that occurred when they were at least 18 and not yet 25 years old —and have served at least 20 years of their sentence—the opportunity to petition the court to modify or reduce their sentence based on their demonstrated rehabilitation.
“This bill is an important step in giving deserving incarcerated Marylanders a chance to demonstrate who they’ve become,” said ACLU of Maryland Policy Director Yanet Amanuel. “It recognizes that people can change, especially after decades behind the wall. But it also represents a vital step towards justice, especially for those who may have encountered bias in their interactions with law enforcement, the courts, or corrections by ensuring that decades later, sentences can be reviewed based on our current understanding of fairness and racial justice.”