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HB 610

Dissolve existing academic distress commissions and repeal law

136th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Munira Abdullahi and 6 co-sponsors

HB 610 allows expungement under § 10‑110 for charges resolved as “no finding” or “terminated without finding,” reducing collateral consequences for those nonconviction cases.

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Bill Summary · HB 610

Summary — HB 610: Criminal Procedure — Expungement — No Finding and Case Terminated Without Finding

Status: Referred to Judiciary (House)
Introduced: (filed Nov. 12, 2024 / Maryland version introduced Jan. 23, 2025)
Primary sponsors: Delegates Taylor et al.
Effective date (as introduced): October 1, 2025

Purpose / Intent

HB 610 expands eligibility for expungement under § 10‑110 of the Maryland Criminal Procedure Article by allowing certain charges that were not resolved by an unequivocal conviction to be expunged when the court disposed of the charge with a “no finding” designation or designated the case as “terminated without finding.” The change is intended to broaden opportunities to clear criminal records in situations where there was no final conviction.

Key provisions

  • Adds subsection 10‑110(j) to the Criminal Procedure Article to explicitly permit a petition for expungement under § 10‑110 when:
    1. a charge was disposed of by the court with a “no finding” designation; or
    2. the charge was included in a case designated by the court as “terminated without finding.”
  • Does not amend the substantive list of offenses eligible under § 10‑110 nor directly change the statutory waiting periods that apply under § 10‑110 (e.g., typical 5‑ to 15‑year waiting periods depending on the offense).
  • Leaves existing procedural requirements for filing expungement petitions (notice, 30‑day objection period by State’s Attorney or victim, hearings if objected to, etc.) intact.

Who or what would be affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: individuals with charges that were resolved without an unequivocal conviction but labeled by a court as “no finding” or “terminated without finding” — who would newly be able to seek expungement under § 10‑110.
  • Criminal justice system: courts and the Judiciary may experience operational impacts as petitioners use the new route; however, the Judiciary has indicated uncertainty about how many records this terminology covers because current case-management systems may not use those specific labels.
  • Broader societal impacts: successful expungements can reduce collateral consequences (barriers to employment, housing, education, licensing) for affected individuals.

Fiscal and operational effects

  • Department of Legislative Services fiscal note: one‑time general fund cost to the Judiciary of $11,700 in FY 2026 to revise expungement brochures, forms, and instructional videos. No other material State or local fiscal impact anticipated, though there could be an operational workload effect on the Judiciary depending on uptake and on how existing case‑management terminology maps to the bill’s terms.

Racial equity / distributional considerations

  • A Racial Equity Impact Statement notes that expanding expungement eligibility could disproportionately benefit Black Marylanders, who are overrepresented in the criminal legal system and therefore more likely to be harmed by collateral consequences of records. The Judiciary could not quantify the number of potentially affected records due to unfamiliar terminology in case management systems.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • The bill amends § 10‑110(a) (repealing and reenacting without substantive change) and adds subsection (j).
  • In the Maryland legislative sequence the bill was assigned to Judiciary; committee reports indicate favorable action. As introduced, the bill’s effective date is October 1, 2025.

Practical takeaway

HB 610 creates a statutory pathway for individuals whose cases were resolved without an unequivocal conviction but described by the court as “no finding” or “terminated without finding” to seek expungement under § 10‑110. The change aims to reduce long‑term collateral consequences for such individuals while imposing only minimal one‑time costs for the Judiciary to update materials.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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