One chamber of the Maryland General Assembly spent hours on Saturday debating a bill that could enable incarcerated individuals convicted of violent crimes as young adults to secure early release from prison.

Chatter and small talk in a restless legislative chamber of state lawmakers hushed when House Speaker Adrienne Jones, a Baltimore County Democrat, announced that the Maryland Second Look Act was under consideration by the body.

“We are four hours in, and now comes the hard part,” House Minority Leader Jason Buckel, a Repubican from Allegany County, said. “I wish we did these things differently when we were all sitting here in January and early February.”

“I wish we were doing things when we had the time to do this in a very deliberative fashion that didn’t cause problems, but it is what it is,” Buckel continued.

The bill advanced on Friday through the House Judiciary Committee after significant amendments. The revised version presented to the House floor on Saturday restricts eligibility for early release to individuals convicted of a crime between the ages of 18 and 25, provided their sentence is not life without the possibility of parole and that they are not registered child sex offenders.

Before it reached the House floor, the bill encountered bipartisan opposition in the House Judiciary Committee. This trend continued during Saturday’s nearly two-hour debate, during which House Republicans proposed 11 amendments to restrict the early release of individuals charged with specific crimes.

Nearly a dozen Democrats left the floor during the bill’s debate and did not cast any votes for or against the measure.

“It’s not easy, but this is what you have to do, I believe, as a country of laws, and as a country that believes that people do, in fact, change,” House Judiciary Chairman Luke Clippinger, a Baltimore City Democrat, said. “They change from the time that they’re 18 to the time that they’re 25. We have plenty of evidence that demonstrates that people’s brains continue to mature.”

As one of the leading voices during the floor debate, Clippinger urged his colleagues to consider the humanity of those convicted of crimes who have reformed while in prison. Del. April Rose, a Republican of Carroll and Frederick counties, said she disagreed.

“[A] 21-year-old can vote; they are not a child, and when you make a decision to gun down a pregnant mother, that person should be held accountable because that is wrong,” Rose said. “[I]f we’re not going to hold those people accountable, something is wrong.”

Del. Cheryl Pasteur, a Democrat from Baltimore County and the lead sponsor of the Second Look Act, was visibly tearful during much of the bill’s debate yet strongly advocated for her legislation.

“If we are to believe that every child is a monster and everybody who does wrong is a monster, we’re in trouble,” Pasteur said. “Twenty years, we ask them to follow the rules.”

“This is not a ‘Get Out of Jail’ card, whatever that Monopoly thing, whatever, it’s not that. You don’t get out. This is no guarantee. The judge can say no,” Pasteur added.

Proposed floor amendments to the bill included adding early release restrictions for convicted murderers who have been charged with killing multiple victims, murdering a probation officer, or killing a police officer in the line of duty.

Efforts were also made to eliminate early release petition options for those convicted of murder in cases involving domestic violence, the killing of a pregnant individual or individuals with disabilities. Opponents of the legislation also attempted to impose an exemption for convicted murderers of children under 13 and those under 6.

Every proposed floor amendment failed.

Del. C.T. Wilson, a Charles County Democrat and chair of the House Economic Matters Committee, and Del. Vanessa Atterbeary, a Democrat from Howard County and chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, broke ranks with other Democratic leaders to vote in favor of several Republican-led amendments to narrow the bill’s scope. Nearly a dozen other Democrats joined them in supporting most of the amendments.

The bill was ultimately advanced in the House for a final vote, which is expected to occur in the coming days before moving to the Senate.

Spotlight on Maryland asked Gov. Wes Moore’s office on Saturday whether he would sign this bill if it reached his desk. The governor’s office responded to requests for comments but did not directly address the question.

“The governor looks forward to continuing to work with the state legislature, local leaders, and all partners involved to ensure that we are passing legislation that will make Maryland safer, more affordable, more competitive, and the state that serves,” Carter Elliott, Moore’s spokesperson, wrote.

Meanwhile, in an interview with Spotlight on Maryland, Buckel strongly criticized the results of Saturday’s debate and the legislative body’s decision to advance the Second Look Act one step closer to becoming law.

“It’s important that Marylanders start understanding we don’t focus on the victims here in Annapolis,” Buckel said. “We don’t even focus on public safety sometimes.”

“We are so focused on the one person who maybe is in jail, who maybe deserves that second chance, that we let out 99 other people who are dangerous,” Buckel added.

Spotlight on Maryland is a joint venture between FOX45 News and The Baltimore Sun.

Contact Gary Collins at gmcollins@sbgtv.com