430 New Maryland Laws Take Effect Oct. 1
Get ready for hundreds of new laws to start in Maryland! Next week (Oct.1) 430 new laws will go into effect in Maryland. From higher fines with speed cameras to easier expungements, there will be big changes happening in the state. Easier expungements is just one of the many laws that will go into effect. This law allows people to pursue the expungement of certain criminal records faster than before, and adds driving without a license and using a bad check or stolen credit card to the list of misdemeanor convictions that can be expunged.
Yahoo reports,
Sponsored on behalf of Gov. Wes Moore, the Expungement Reform Act of 2025 intends to increase the ability for people to have their criminal records expunged upon completion of their sentence and rehabilitation requirements for certain crimes, including probation violations.
This law builds on a separate effort Moore undertook in 2024, when he issued an executive clemency order that pardoned 175,000 convictions related to cannabis possession.
Giving second chances
The Second Look Act, which will provide the right to petition for a sentence reconsideration hearing before a judge if a person has been imprisoned for at least 20 years and were between 18 and 24 years old at the time they committed their offense.
People convicted of sex offenses, the death of a first responder and those sentenced to life without parole are ineligible to petition for sentence reconsideration under this law.
Lowered penalties for paraphernalia
Beginning Oct. 1, the penalties for the use, possession, delivery or sale of drug paraphernalia will be reduced from up to two years imprisonment and a $2,000 fine to one year of imprisonment and a $1,000 fine.
Safe needles in the city
At the start of October, the HIV Prevention Syringe Services Program in Baltimore will be required to distribute clean syringes and dispose of used hypodermic needles given to them by people who use drugs. The program must allow users to exchange needles at mobile syringe services sites and must inform them of the risk of transmitting HIV or hepatitis B via unclean needles and unsafe sex.
Unhidden disabilities
In October, Eric’s ID Law will allow people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to have a colorful butterfly symbol voluntarily added to their IDs and driver’s licenses at the Motor Vehicle Administration. This will signify to police and other emergency personnel that they have a condition they may not be able to publicly disclose.
