Maryland General Assembly sets 2029 deadline for prohibition on housing juveniles in adult detention facilities, including local county detention centers, bringing significant relief from operations and liability challenges for local governments.
After a number of attempts, the Maryland General Assembly has moved forward with provisions that effectively bar the long term holding or housing of juveniles in adult detention centers. The provisions passed during the 2026 legislative session on SB 323, which was initially a juvenile charging bill, that did not address juvenile detention. The juvenile housing requirements were initially contained in SB 296/HB 389 but were amended onto SB 323 before it left the Senate and crossed over to the house. While very supportive of the housing changes, MACo took no position on the juvenile charging components of SB 323.
The housing changes, that have been a long time coming, are in large part due to the persistence and diligent work of Chair Sandra Bartlett of the House Judiciary Committee, Senator Sara Love, and Chair Will Smith of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. This effects the housing of what can be anywhere from 30 – 60 juveniles statewide in local detention centers.
As previously covered on Conduit Street, there are a number of perils of youth being housed in adult facilities including:
- operational and liability challenges for local detention centers
- compromised federal funds due to violations of sight and sound separation mandates
- diminished outcomes for juvenile rehabilitation
These new juvenile housing changes go into effect in 2029 giving the Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) time to assess the spacing needs and make the necessary intake changes. This start date is delayed by one year from what was originally proposed in SB 296/HB 389.
Check out public safety legislation from the 2026 Legislative Session.
