Last week both houses of the Maryland legislature overrode Governor Hogan’s veto and passed the Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2001.
The Act will improve the criminal justice system in Maryland a number of ways:
- Set stricter standards for use of force by police;
- Limit the use of “no knock” warrants;
- It will require all police officers to wear and activate body cams before interacting with members of the public;
- It provides for the exclusion of evidence where the officer fails to record the interaction;
- It repeals the Law Enforcement Officer’s Bill of Rights.
The legislature also overrode Governor Hogan’s veto of the Juvenile Restoration Act. The JRA “allows people convicted as children in adult court to seek reductions in their sentences after serving 20 years in prison and waives mandatory minimum sentences for juveniles convicted in adult courts.” https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-pol-saturday-session-20210410-eyfrbxrlevhrvohrm43lbntvyq-story.html