House after Maryland lawmakers adjourned their annual session, Gov. Larry Hogan on Tuesday signed off on dozens of new laws, including measures that set standards for compensating the wrongly incarcerated and restructuring leadership of the Maryland Environmental Service.
Credit: Getty Images / Charles O Rear
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Thursday announced a pair of vetoes, one of which was on a bill that would prevent juveniles charged as adults from being sentenced to life without parole.
In his veto message, Hogan said the bill would impact cases involving grave offenses including first-degree murder and first-degree rape. These are serious crimes that require the most serious of consequences, which is why a judge or jury sentences the individual to a lengthy determinate sentence, life imprisonment, or life imprisonment without parole, Hogan wrote.
The governor stressed work his administration has done on the legislative front and through clemency grants for juvenile offenders. He said the current framework already offers incarcerated individuals the chance to seek parole or a modified sentence.
Gov Hogan vetoes bill that would outlaw life without parole for juvenile offenders wbal.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wbal.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Ambitious and wide-ranging changes to law enforcement are the remaining priority for House of Delegates Speaker Adrienne A. Jones and state Senate President Bill Ferguson.
Here we are, the final week of the 2021 legislative session. Today is day 55 and lawmakers are prepared to power through until the gavel comes down at midnight