Report on New Maryland Legislation and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

I. Traffic Enforcement and Road Safety

Legislative Changes Effective October 1

1. The Sergeant Patrick Kepp Act (HB 744/SB 590):
   • Redefines reckless driving to include speeds of 30 mph or more over the posted limit.
   • Establishes penalties including potential jail time, fines up to $1,000, and six points on the driver’s record.
   • Increases the maximum fine for negligent driving to $750.
   • Reduces the threshold for aggressive driving from three to two specified traffic violations.
2. Commercial Driving Regulations (HB 189/SB 187):
   • Mandates a one-year disqualification from driving commercial vehicles for any commercial learner’s permit holder found operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher.
3. Eric’s ID Law (SB 618):
   • Permits individuals to request a notation of a nonapparent disability (e.g., autism, PTSD) on their driver’s license or state identification card.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: These measures directly support Target 3.6, which aims to halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents. By enforcing stricter penalties for dangerous driving, the legislation seeks to improve public health outcomes.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The laws contribute to Target 11.2 by promoting safer transport systems for all. Enhanced road safety is a critical component of creating sustainable and secure urban and rural environments.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The implementation of these laws demonstrates the state’s commitment to building effective and accountable institutions that ensure public safety. Eric’s ID Law specifically promotes inclusivity by accommodating the needs of individuals with disabilities in institutional processes.

II. Cannabis and Controlled Substance Regulation

Legislative Changes Effective October 1

1. Personal Use and Distribution (HB 413/SB 925):
   • Authorizes adults 21 and older to manufacture small, personal-use amounts of cannabis products.
   • Raises felony thresholds for other controlled substances while increasing penalties for large-scale distribution.
   • Modifies penalties related to firearms offenses.
   • Allows for sentence modification petitions for individuals previously convicted under “volume dealing” or “drug kingpin” statutes.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: This legislation reflects an evolution in the justice system, aiming to create more proportionate and fair legal frameworks. By decriminalizing personal use while targeting large-scale trafficking and allowing for sentence reviews, the law supports the development of a more just and effective legal system.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The regulation of cannabis manufacturing and use is an integral part of public health policy, aiming to control substance availability and mitigate potential health risks through a structured legal framework.

III. Criminal Justice Reform

Legislative Changes Effective October 1

1. Expungement Reform Act (SB 432):
   • Reduces waiting periods for the expungement of criminal records.
   • Expands the categories of offenses eligible for expungement.
   • Removes pardoned cannabis possession convictions from public case search databases.
2. Maryland Second Look Act & Parole Reform (HB 1123):
   • Allows individuals convicted between the ages of 18 and 25 who have served at least 20 years to petition for a sentence reduction.
   • Reforms parole procedures by requiring age to be a consideration, restructuring medical parole, and removing the governor’s veto on medical parole.
3. The Organized Retail Theft Act of 2025:
   • Establishes a new felony offense for coordinated, multi-jurisdictional retail theft.
   • Permits the aggregation of theft values from multiple incidents into a single case.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: These reforms are central to promoting a more just, rehabilitative, and inclusive justice system. They aim to reduce recidivism and ensure that legal institutions are fair and effective for all.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The Expungement Reform Act directly supports this goal by removing significant barriers to employment for individuals with past convictions, thereby promoting their reintegration into the workforce and fostering economic growth.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: By providing pathways for sentence reduction and record expungement, these reforms can help mitigate systemic inequalities within the criminal justice system that disproportionately affect marginalized communities.

IV. Health and Social Services

Legislative Changes Effective October 1

1. Prescription Drug Repository Program (HB 1310):
   • Establishes and updates a statewide program for the donation and redistribution of unused prescription drugs to patients in need.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: This program directly advances Target 3.8, which focuses on achieving universal health coverage, including access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable essential medicines.
• SDG 1: No Poverty: By providing necessary medications at no cost, the program reduces the financial burden of healthcare on low-income individuals and families, contributing to poverty reduction efforts.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The initiative promotes sustainable practices by creating a system to safely reuse valuable medical resources, thereby reducing waste and ensuring that unused pharmaceuticals are utilized effectively.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  This goal is connected through several new laws. The “Sergeant Patrick Kepp Act” and other driving laws aim to reduce traffic accidents and resulting injuries and deaths by imposing stricter penalties for reckless and aggressive driving. Additionally, the law disqualifying commercial drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher contributes to road safety. The establishment of a prescription drug repository program (HB 1310) directly addresses health by improving access to necessary medications for those in need.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  This goal is addressed by “Eric’s ID Law,” which allows for a notation of a nonapparent disability on official identification. This measure aims to promote the inclusion and safety of individuals with disabilities, such as autism or PTSD, by preventing misunderstandings during interactions with law enforcement and other officials, thereby reducing the potential for unequal treatment.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  This goal is central to the article’s discussion of criminal justice reform. The “Expungement Reform Act,” the “Maryland Second Look Act,” and changes to parole procedures (HB 1123) are all aimed at creating a more just, fair, and rehabilitative legal system. These laws promote access to justice by allowing for sentence modifications and the clearing of criminal records, and they aim to make institutions like the parole board more accountable and transparent through new requirements.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Under SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  • Target 3.6: By 2030, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents. The new driving laws, such as the “Sergeant Patrick Kepp Act” which classifies driving 30 mph over the limit as reckless, and increased penalties for negligent and aggressive driving, are policy measures designed to deter dangerous behavior and directly contribute to improving road safety and reducing traffic-related casualties.
  • Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including… access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines… for all. The prescription drug repository program (HB 1310) directly supports this target by creating a system to redistribute unused prescription drugs to patients who might otherwise be unable to afford them.

• Under SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of… disability… or other status. “Eric’s ID Law” contributes to this target by formally recognizing nonapparent disabilities on official documents, which can facilitate better communication and understanding, promoting the social inclusion and safety of individuals with these conditions.

• Under SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  • Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all. The “Expungement Reform Act,” which shortens waiting periods and expands eligibility for expungement, and the “Maryland Second Look Act,” which allows certain individuals to petition for sentence reduction, are direct actions to provide more equitable access to justice and remedy past sentencing disparities.
  • Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels. The bill (HB 1123) that reforms the parole process by requiring age to be considered, restructuring medical parole, and adding risk-assessment and hearing requirements makes the parole system a more accountable and transparent institution.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being)

  • Implied Indicator for Target 3.6: A reduction in the number of traffic accidents, injuries, and fatalities. The article details new penalties for reckless, negligent, and aggressive driving. Progress could be measured by tracking statistics on traffic violations, accidents, and related deaths following the implementation of these laws.
  • Implied Indicator for Target 3.8: The quantity and value of prescription drugs redistributed through the new repository program. The article mentions the program allows unused drugs to be “donated and redistributed to patients in need,” implying that the volume of these redistributed medicines would be a direct measure of the program’s success.

• For SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

  • Implied Indicator for Target 10.2: The number of individuals who request and receive the nonapparent disability notation on their driver’s license or ID card. The article states that “Eric’s ID Law” allows drivers to request this notation, so tracking the uptake of this option would indicate its implementation and reach.

• For SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

  • Implied Indicator for Target 16.3: The number of expungement petitions filed and granted under the new, shorter waiting periods. The “Expungement Reform Act” is designed to make this process more accessible, so an increase in successful petitions would be a key indicator of progress. Similarly, the number of sentence reduction petitions filed under the “Maryland Second Look Act” would measure its impact.
  • Implied Indicator for Target 16.6: The proportion of parole decisions that incorporate the new mandatory requirements. The article specifies that the new law adds “risk-assessment and hearing requirements,” so measuring the consistent application of these procedures would serve as an indicator of increased institutional accountability and transparency.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: cbsnews.com