Shield Bill Passes General Assembly, Offers Second Chances

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- Thousands of Maryland residents with criminal histories may get a second chance.

On Monday the General Assembly approved a bill that allows shielding certain non-violent offenses from the public eye.

The measure that made it past the General Assembly would allow a person to request a shield for offenses in one jurisdiction, but it would not cross county lines if the person wants to hide additional convictions elsewhere.

The final version is less sweeping in scope than the original bill, which would have allowed applying for a shield across county lines.

Under the rules, people can apply for shields if they have served their sentences, including probation and parole, and have maintained clean records for three years.