New Maryland laws include expungement reform, increased support for federal workers

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed several bills into law Tuesday, including the Expungement Reform Act, which will expand the types of convictions that can be removed from a person's criminal record.

This legislation would allow certain convictions to be expunged once a person has completed their sentence, including probation. 

If the expungement request is accepted, the conviction would then be removed from any public police or court records. 

The governor signed several additional bills during a ceremony Tuesday afternoon.

Crimes eligible for removal under the Expungement Reform Act

The bill expands the types of crimes that can be expunged from a person's record. 

Under the bill, minor traffic crimes, some misdemeanors like alcohol or cannabis offenses, and some domestic-related offenses can be expunged from a person's record. 

Some felonies, like the distribution of cannabis, could also be expunged under certain circumstances. 

In most instances, a person will be able to request that a conviction be expunged five years after they complete their sentence or pay restitution. 

However, for domestic-related crimes, a person would have to wait 15 years to file an expungement request. For felonies, a person would need to wait seven years after they complete their sentence. 

The state's attorney or a victim can object to the expungement, in which case a court would have to hold a hearing before accepting or rejecting the request. 

A conviction would not be eligible for expungement if the person is awaiting a trial or conviction for another crime. 

Gov. Moore to sign Protect Our Federal Workers Act

Gov. Moore also signed the Protect Our Federal Workers Act, which allocates funding to assist federal workers impacted by mass layoffs. 

The bill renames the Federal Government Shutdown Employee Assistance Loan Fund to the Federal Government Employee Assistance Loan Fund. 

Under the bill, funds in the state's Catastrophic Event Account can be used to support out-of-work federal employees. 

The Trump administration's federal workforce cuts have prompted several Maryland and local leaders to take action. Gov. Moore has announced several resources for workers, including partnerships that aim to increase job opportunities. 

According to the governor's office, Maryland has about 160,000 federal civilian employees who represent about 6% of jobs in the state. 

More than 90 bills signed into law 

In early April, Gov. Moore signed more than 90 bills into law, including a package of legislation that addresses rising energy prices. 

Another bill, the Maryland Second Chance Act, allows people convicted of a crime between 18 and 25 to request a reduced sentence after serving at least 20 years in prison. 

The governor also signed a bill that created a commission to study potential reparations for slavery and racial discrimination.