Maryland § 23-112 - IN EFFECT

§ 23-112. IN EFFECT

    IN EFFECT

    // EFFECTIVE UNTIL DECEMBER 31, 2028 PER CHAPTERS 367 AND 368 OF 2025 //

    (a)    (1)    In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

        (2)    “Child” means a biological or adopted child, a stepchild, a grandchild, or a legal ward of an incarcerated individual.

        (3)    “Program” means the Family Literacy Pilot Program.

    (b)    There is a Family Literacy Pilot Program.

    (c)    The purpose of the Program is to foster family literacy and strengthen parent–child relationships by providing children’s books in State correctional facilities to incarcerated individuals and a means for an incarcerated individual to read aloud to the incarcerated individual’s child.

    (d)    The Program shall be administered by the State Library Agency.

    (e)    The State Library Agency, in consultation with the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and the Correctional Education Council, shall select four State correctional facility libraries or prerelease centers to participate in the Program that shall:

        (1)    Represent each of the western, central, and eastern regions of the State;

        (2)    Consist of at least one correctional facility serving female incarcerated individuals; and

        (3)    Consist of at least one correctional facility serving male incarcerated individuals.

    (f)    The State Library Agency shall select the children’s books for use in the Program including children’s books in languages other than English.

    (g)    The State Library Agency, in consultation with the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and the Correctional Education Council, shall:

        (1)    Establish a process to secure written permission to participate in the Program from the custodial parent or guardian of an incarcerated individual’s child;

        (2)    Establish a process to assist an incarcerated individual in selecting an age–appropriate children’s book, preparing a recording of the incarcerated individual reading the book aloud, and distributing a copy of the book and the recording to the incarcerated individual’s child; and

        (3)    Ensure participation in the Program is free of charge for the incarcerated individual, the child, and the custodial parent or guardian.

    (h)    The State Library Agency may adopt regulations necessary to carry out the requirements of this section.