MD SB323

Expands juvenile court jurisdiction by removing automatic adult prosecution for children ages 14-15 charged with crimes punishable by life imprisonment, instead requiring these cases to begin in juvenile court with transfer to adult court available

Raises the age threshold for automatic adult prosecution from 14 to 16 years old for serious offenses including second degree murder, manslaughter, second degree rape, carjacking, and certain firearm violations

Requires intake officers to authorize detention for children at least 16 years old accused of crimes of violence or firearm violations under § 4-203 of the Criminal Law Article

Prohibits children under adult criminal court jurisdiction from being detained in facilities where they have sight or sound contact with incarcerated adults, with limited exceptions for temporary processing (maximum 6 hours) effective October 1, 2029

Mandates annual reporting by October 1, 2027 on juvenile detention lengths of stay, jurisdiction waiver statistics, youth housed with adult offenders, and federal compliance violations