The ACLU of Maryland is a non-partisan organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of civil liberties and civil rights. We advance civil liberties and civil rights through litigation, lobbying and education. In the legislature we lobby on free speech, privacy and technology, reproductive freedom, lgbt, religious freedom, drug policies, police practices, voting rights, women's rights, racial justice, equal protection, prisoner rights, death penalty, criminal justice, immigrant rights and national security issues.
Here is our report on the aclu priorities for the 2014 general assembly session:
Criminal justice reform
Marijuana policy reform - victory!
Decriminalization
This past summer the aclu of maryland helped to convene the marijuana policy coalition of maryland, a coalition of organizations including the maryland state conference of naacp branches, the league of women voters, the marijuana policy project, law enforcement against prohibition and others, to work on reforming maryland's laws on marijuana. In addition, the aclu issued a report in the fall showing that in every county in maryland, blacks are arrested for marijuana possession at rates disproportionate to whites, despite comparable rates of use. That coalition and that report were instrumental in supporting sb 364, a bill to decriminalize possession of 10g or less of marijuana.
Last year, SB 297, a bill to make possession of a minor amount of marijuana a civil offense rather than an arrestable offense, passed the senate but stalled in the house. This year, legislators and advocates pulled off an amazing 11th-hour victory to pass SB 364, despite the opposition by house judiciary Chairman Joseph Vallario (D-Prince George's). In so doing, Maryland joins the other 17 states and the District of Columbia, which have decriminalized possession of minor amounts of marijuana.
Read our testimony on SB 364.
Read the report, "the Maryland war on marijuana in black and white"
See the coalition website here: www.marijuanapolicyinmd.org
Taxation and regulation
The ACLU of Maryland and the coalition also supported HB 880/ sb 658 - the marijuana taxation and regulation act of 2014, which stalled in committee. These bills would have moved maryland to regulate marijuana like alcohol, similar to what colorado and washington state have done.
Read our testimony on sb 658.
Medical marijuana
The aclu of maryland also supported revisions to the medical marijuana law that passed the general assembly in 2013. Medical marijuana has shown to be effective in treating the effects of cancer treatment, such as nausea and loss of appetite; forms of epilepsy and seizures; and extreme pain, among other conditions.
Criminal record shielding and expungement
This legislative session we worked within a broad-based coalition to give persons with a criminal record a second chance at employment, education, and other opportunities for economic stability and re-entry into society. The maryland second chance act of 2014 (hb 1166/ sb 1056) would have shielded certain non-violent misdemeanor convictions three to five years after the defendant had completed mandatory supervision. This bill would have opened up a world of opportunities for convicted persons, disproportionately persons of color, seeking to re-enter society, find gainful employment, stable housing, and contribute meaningfully to our economy. Unfortunately, the bill did not pass this year, but we remain hopeful that the groundwork was laid for the passage of similar legislation in 2015.
The aclu also supported five similar bills introduced with the goal of reducing the collateral consequences of a criminal conviction through shielding or expungement.
Read our testimony on the maryland second chance act of 2014.
Pretrial reform
In 2012 and 2013, the Maryland court of appeals held that defendants were entitled to an attorney at the initial appearance before a court commissioner. The ACLU participated in a task force that gave recommendations to the general assembly regarding reforms to our pretrial justice system that would not only put the state in compliance with the court's decision, but would also strengthen the system. Despite a number of bills, including one that was supported by the governor's office of crime control and prevention, the office of the public defender, states attorneys, the ACLU and law enforcement, the general assembly adjourned without passing a bill.
Christopher's Law