---
type: "Bill"
title: "Criminal Procedure - Postconviction - DNA Testing and Petition for Writ of Actual Innocence"
description: "Criminal Procedure - Postconviction - DNA Testing and Petition for Writ of Actual Innocence"
jurisdiction: "us/states/md"
legislature: "Maryland General Assembly"
session: "2018"
identifier: "SB 423"
citation: "Maryland SB 423 (2018)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Criminal Law - Procedure", "Appeals", "Chemical Tests", "Courts", "Evidence", "Genetics", "Notices", "Petitions", "Prisoners", "Records", "Trials"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Zirkin"]
version_count: 1
action_count: 18
vote_count: 4
first_action: "2018-01-25"
last_action: "2018-05-15"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/15190a6b-3d3b-4114-9d77-d6b834536939"
source_url: "http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?id=SB423&stab=01&pid=billpage&tab=subject3&ys=2018rs"
source_hash: "d7b080261ce151e66bbe96bdbf0a6a9fef6271cc5900cc67a65aef1d4ca95d55"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-md"]
---

# Maryland SB 423 (2018) — Criminal Procedure - Postconviction - DNA Testing and Petition for Writ of Actual Innocence

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Bill Text** (committee substitute) — [source](http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2018RS/bills/sb/sb0423f.pdf)

## Votes

- ON THIRD READING (Rules Suspended) — **134–1** (pass) · lower
- On third reading — **43–0** (pass) · upper
- On Third Reading — **47–0** (pass) · upper
- Favorable with amendments adp - ON 2ND RDG — **132–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Zirkin — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2018-01-25** First Reading Judicial Proceedings `referral-committee`
- **2018-01-31** Hearing 2/14 at 1:00 p.m.
- **2018-03-23** Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2018-03-23** Favorable with Amendments {218176/1 Report Adopted `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2018-03-23** Second Reading Passed with Amendments
- **2018-03-26** Third Reading Passed (47-0) `passage`
- **2018-03-27** First Reading House Rules and Executive Nominations `referral-committee`
- **2018-04-04** Rereferred to Judiciary
- **2018-04-05** Hearing 4/06 at 1:00 p.m.
- **2018-04-09** Favorable with Amendments Report by Judiciary `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2018-04-09** Favorable with Amendments {222515/1 Report Adopted `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2018-04-09** Second Reading Passed with Amendments
- **2018-04-09** Motion Rules Suspended two readings same day (Delegate Dumais) Adopted (132-0)
- **2018-04-09** Third Reading Passed with Amendments (134-1) `passage`
- **2018-04-09** Senate Concur - House Amendments
- **2018-04-09** Third Reading Passed (43-0) `passage`
- **2018-04-09** Passed Enrolled
- **2018-05-15** Approved by the Governor - Chapter 602 `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/15190a6b-3d3b-4114-9d77-d6b834536939`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Maryland legislature records).