The Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee heard testimony yesterday, and the House Judiciary Committee will hear testimony on Tuesday, March 5th on legislation allowing survivors of human trafficking to vacate certain convictions. The Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA) urges you to contact members of the committees and voice your support for SB 691 and HB 782: Criminal Procedure - Motion to Vacate Judgment - Human Trafficking (True Freedom Act of 2019).
Current law permits a survivor of human trafficking to vacate a conviction for prostitution when the underlying activity was caused by trafficking. This fails to include many other crimes that are related to trafficking, such as loitering, indecent exposure, and drug possession. This important piece of legislation, sponsored by Senator Susan Lee and Delegate Vanessa Atterbeary, expands the types of crimes that a human trafficking survivor can seek to vacate.
Entitled the True Freedom Act of 2019, this law would allow survivors the opportunity for a real chance to rebuild their lives, free from convictions for crimes that were directly related to the sexual violence they experienced as victims of human trafficking. As long as convictions for minor crimes related to human trafficking remain on these survivors' records, they will never truly be free and have the chance to heal from this horrific crime.
MCASA asks that you contact the members of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee and House Judiciary Committee and urge them to vote favorably on SB 691 and HB 782, the True Freedom Act of 2019, to give survivors of human trafficking the opportunity to heal.
A list of the members of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee and House Judiciary Committee along with phone and email contact information is below.
Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee
Senator Bobby Zirkin, Chair
District 11, Baltimore County
410-841-3131 | 301-858-3131
[email protected]
Senator William C. Smith, Jr., Vice-Chair
District 20, Montgomery County
410-841-3634 | 301-858-3634
[email protected]
Senator Jill P. Carter
District 41, Baltimore City
410-841-3697 | 301-858-3697
[email protected]
Senator Bob Cassilly
District 34, Harford County
410-841-3158 | 301-858-3158
[email protected]
Senator Katie Hester
District 9, Carroll and Howard Counties
410-841-3671 | 301-858-3671
[email protected]
Senator Michael J. Hough
District 4, Fredrick and Carroll Counties
410-841-3704 | 301-858-3704
[email protected]
Senator Susan C. Lee
District 16, Montgomery County
410-841-3124 | 301-858-3124
[email protected]
Senator Justin Ready
District 5, Carroll County
410-841-3683 | 301-858-3683
[email protected]
Senator Jeff Waldstreicher
District 18, Montgomery County
410-841-3137 | 301-858-3137
[email protected]
Senator Mary L. Washington
District 43, Baltimore City
410-841-3145 | 301-858-3145
[email protected]
Senator Chris West
District 42, Baltimore County
410-841-3648 | 301-858-3648
[email protected]
House Judiciary Committee
Delegate Luke Clippinger; Chair
District 46, Baltimore City
410-841-3488 | 301-858-3488
[email protected]
Delegate Vanessa E. Atterbeary; Vice Chair
District 13, Howard County
410-841-3471 | 301-858-3471
[email protected]
Delegate Curt Anderson
District 43, Baltimore City
410-841-3291 | 301-858-3291
[email protected]
Delegate Lauren Arikan
District 7, Baltimore and Harford Counties
410-841-3334 | 301-858-3334
[email protected]
Delegate J. Sandy Bartlett
District 32, Anne Arundel County
410-841-3370 | 301-858-3370
[email protected]
Delegate Jon Cardin
District 11, Baltimore County
410-841-3054 | 301-858-3054
[email protected]
Delegate Frank Conaway, Jr.
District 40, Baltimore City
410-841-3189 | 301-858-3189
[email protected]
Delegate Daniel Cox
District 4, Frederick and Carroll Counties
410-841-3288 | 301-858-3288
[email protected]
Delegate Charlotte Crutchfield
District 19, Montgomery County
410-841-3485 | 301-858-3485
[email protected]
Delegate Debra Davis
District 28, Charles County
410-841-3337 | 301-858-3337
[email protected]
Delegate Wanika Fisher
District 47B, Prince George’s County
410-841-3340 | 301-858-3340
[email protected]
Delegate Robin L. Grammer, Jr.
District 6, Baltimore County
410-841-3298 | 301-858-3298
[email protected]
Delegate Wayne A. Hartman
District 38C, Wicomico and Worcester Counties
410-841-3356 | 301-858-3356
[email protected]
Delegate Jazz Lewis
District 24, Prince George’s County
410-841-3691 | 301-858-3691
[email protected]
Delegate Lesley Lopez
District 39, Montgomery County
410-841-3021 | 301-858-3021
[email protected]
Delegate Michael E. Malone
District 33, Anne Arundel County
410-841-3510 | 301-858-3510
[email protected]
Delegate Susan K. McComas
District 34B, Harford County
410-841-3272 | 301-858-3272
[email protected]
Delegate David Moon
District 20, Montgomery County
410-841-3474 | 301-858-3474
[email protected]
Delegate Jesse T. Pippy
District 4, Frederick and Carroll Counties
410-841-3118 | 301-858-3118
[email protected]
Delegate Emily Shetty
District 18, Montgomery County
410-841-3181 | 301-858-3181
[email protected]
Delegate Charles E. Sydnor, III
District 44B, Baltimore County
410-841-3802 | 301-858-3802
[email protected]
Delegate Ron Watson
District 23B, Prince George’s County
410-841-3448 | 301-858-3448
[email protected]
