Senate OKs bill to reduce number of crimes, ages of youth who can be charged as adults

The Maryland Senate, without debate Friday, voted mostly along party lines to trim the number of offenses that automatically land a juvenile in adult court, a change that has been a decade in the making.

By: William J. Ford

Outlets: Maryland Matters

Published: March 7, 2026

Words: 802

Last Updated: 3 days, 8 hours ago

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The Maryland Senate, without debate Friday, voted to trim the number of offenses that automatically land a juvenile in adult court.

The vote followed nearly an hour of debate Wednesday, during which Republicans tried unsuccessfully to add amendments they said would restore “accountability” for teen offenders, particularly repeat offenders.

Friday’s 34-12 vote on Senate Bill 323 fell mostly along party lines, with co-sponsor Sen. Chris West (R-Baltimore and Carroll) as the only Republican to …

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