MD HB853

Expands eligibility for sentence reduction motions to include individuals aged 18-24 at the time of offense who have served at least 20 years, were not sentenced to life without parole, are not sex offenders, and were not convicted of murdering a first responder killed in the line of duty

Victims and their representatives may submit victim impact statements to the court regarding the crime's impact and proposed sentence reduction, and victims may not be cross-examined when presenting these statements

Courts must order released individuals to stay away from and refrain from contact with victims and victims' families unless the victim requests otherwise, and may impose additional conditions to promote victim safety

If a motion is denied or partially granted, individuals must wait at least 3 years before filing subsequent motions, with a maximum of three motions permitted per sentence

Effective October 1, 2025, and applies retroactively to individuals currently serving sentences as well as those sentenced after the effective date