By Tashi McQueen
AFRO Staff Writer
tmcqueen@afro.com
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) held his second bill signing of 2025 on April 22, adding his signature to major legislation that would reform the expungement process in the state and give people who have been incarcerated for a certain amount of time a second chance at life.
Moore signed these bills at an opportune time–Second Chance Month. It’s a time where people nationwide highlight the value of second chances and helping returning citizens successfully reintegrate into society.
Maryland made significant steps to do just that on April 22.
“Marylanders should have the opportunity to go before a judge and petition for an appeal on their sentence,” said Moore during the bill signing in Annapolis, Md. “We’ve got to confront this myth that every sentence needs to be a life sentence.”
Moore signed the Expungement Reform Act of 2025, which alters numerous provisions concerning waiting periods for expunging a conviction, increases the number of misdemeanor convictions that qualify for expungement and adds to the factors a court must consider when it comes to expungement.
“We know that for far too many Marylanders, their criminal record is an albatross,” said Moore. “They cannot get a home, they cannot get hired and oftentimes it’s because of an offense that they committed years–if not decades–ago.”
Moore said the expungement bill’s main purpose is to empower people who violated their parole or probation to petition to have their records wiped clean.
“These Marylanders have served their time, and they’ve paid their debts to society,” said Moore about the expungement bill. “They often have no more than a simple technical violation of their parole. All we’re asking for is a simple second chance.”
People who have committed credit card fraud and driving without a license will be able to be considered for expungement. When considering who is eligible for expungement, the courts will now have to take into account a person’s success at probation, parole or mandatory supervision, and whether the individual has paid monetary restitution as ordered by the court in the original proceeding or if they do not have the ability to pay it.
The main portion of the expungement bill goes into effect on Oct. 1.
The expungement bill also restricts the Maryland Judiciary Case Search from “referring in any way to electronic records for a charge marked ‘stet’ on the docket at least three years previously and charges of possession of cannabis (in a case with electronic records) if the charge resulted in a conviction that was later pardoned by the governor.”
The aspects of the law related to the Maryland Judiciary Case Search will take effect on Jan. 31, 2026.
Moore also signed the Maryland Second Look Act, which provides incarcerated persons who have been imprisoned for at least 20 years, the opportunity to have their sentence reduced.
“If we want to truly unleash Maryland’s potential, we need to make sure that our young men and boys are not falling behind,” said Moore. “Over 95 percent of Maryland’s incarcerated population is male, and many of those men deserve a second chance.”
While Black people in Maryland only make up around 30 percent of the state’s population, 71 percent of individuals incarcerated in Maryland’s correctional facilities are Black, according to the Maryland Equitable Justice Collaborative.
The Maryland Second Look Act goes into effect on Oct. 1.
Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland Del. Jhenealle Wilkins (D-Md.-20) applauded Moore’s decision to sign the bills.
“Today, Governor Wes Moore signed into law two transformative bills that represent critical steps toward a more just and equitable criminal justice system in Maryland,” said Wilkins in a statement. “These legislative victories—the Second Look Act and parole reform for elderly and seriously ill individuals—were top priorities for the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland this session.”
Wilkins acknowledged that while progress has been made, there is still much more work to be done.