Prince George's County Public Safety, Health and Human Services Committee Budget Work Session

The Public Safety, Health and Human Services Committee of the Prince George's County Council met on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. in Committee Room 2027 of the Wayne K. Curry Administration Building in Largo, Maryland, for a budget work session on BU 2026-42, the FY 2027 Proposed Budget for the Office of the State's Attorney. The meeting was called to order at 11:35 a.m. with three members present: Chair Wanika Fisher, Council Member Danielle Hunter, and Council Member Krystal Oriadha. Vice Chair Wala Blegay and Council Member Edward Burroughs were absent. Chair Fisher recused herself from chairing the work session on the advice of the Office of Ethics and Accountability because she is a filed candidate for office; Council Member Oriadha chaired the session. No vote was taken on the budget item.

Discussion Items

• Committee Staff Presentation: David Williams of the Budget and Policy Analysis Division presented the FY 2027 proposed budget for the State's Attorney's Office. The proposed budget is approximately $34 million, a 9.9% increase over the previous fiscal year. The office's grant allocation is proposed at $3.5 million, a 28.8% increase. Committee staff reported 15 full-time vacancies, unchanged full-time and part-time staffing allocations, and an increase of two limited-term positions. Additional concerns identified by staff included workload, infrastructure, and the need for more office space in the county administration building.
• State's Attorney Tara H. Jackson presented the office's priorities, including holding violent and repeat gun offenders accountable, preventing financial crimes and scams, holding youth accountable, engaging with businesses, and increasing internal accountability and transparency through the office's first crime data dashboard.
• Jackson highlighted accomplishments since taking office in June 2025, including 44 new hires, 12 vacancies expected as of May 2026, partnerships with the county's 23 municipal police departments, the largest Back on Track program graduation with 16 graduates none known to have recidivated, the RISE truancy initiative funded by a nearly $1 million federal grant, a formalized conviction integrity referral process with the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project, an inaugural Academy of Law and Public Policy Youth Council, and homicide convictions in every case tried by the Special Victims Unit since June 18, 2025.
• Council Member Hunter asked about diversion programs. Jackson described the Back on Track program as an 18-month diversion for low-level offenders with accountability and expungement upon completion, and the RISE truancy initiative, which partners with nonprofits and uses two in-house case managers. Jackson acknowledged the office had not maintained data on Back on Track outcomes but is working to improve data collection before publishing it.
• Council Member Hunter asked about the youth council's structure. Jackson stated that the goal is to include youth who have been involved in the juvenile system, not only well-connected youth, while ensuring the setting is comfortable for all participants.
• On discovery and evidence management, Jackson and deputies stated that the State's Attorney's Office needs the Axon discovery management system, not merely licenses to access the police department's system. The current system is antiquated, and the office regularly crashes the county I-drive when transmitting large discovery files. The FY 2027 budget as submitted does not include the approximately $400,000 per year for the office's own Axon system; it was submitted as an enhancement request. The office is seeking a countywide solution and has been in discussions with the police chief and OIT.
• Council Member Fisher asked about the conviction integrity unit and the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project MOU. The unit still exists under new leadership. The formalized referral process allows the Innocence Project to investigate actual innocence claims and return findings; the State's Attorney's Office would agree or disagree and could file a writ of actual innocence or other motion if warranted.
• On vacancies, Jackson said there are currently 17 vacancies with five accepted offers, leaving 12 vacancies as of May; an OHRM report from March 9 listed 23 vacancies, and the difference reflects the fluid nature of hiring. Exit interviews show departures are largely due to federal government recruitment, higher-paying county positions, and the transition that occurred when the former State's Attorney became County Executive.
• Council Member Fisher raised the salary scale passed by the council for assistant state's attorneys. The HR director said most new hires and promotions are being placed on the scale, with the next wave expected to be completed by May, and OMB will receive the final calculation to determine the additional FY 2027 funding needed for the remaining staff.
• Fisher also asked about dismissal rates. The office reported 7,300 outright dismissals in district court and estimated, conservatively, that about 25% were due to discovery-related issues. Jackson stated the office is improving data collection and will provide reliable data on requests rather than relying on previously insufficient records.
• On victim witness coordinators, the office has 15 coordinators with two vacancies, down from about eight when Jackson took office; the two vacancies are expected to be filled in May, making the unit fully staffed.
• Jackson noted that new state juvenile jurisdiction legislation effective October 1 will send more gun and first-degree assault cases directly to juvenile court, which has a 30-day trial clock. She said the office is requesting more resources to handle the increased workload and expedited discovery needs.

Key Outcomes

• No motion or vote was taken on BU 2026-42 during the work session.
• Council Member Fisher requested follow-up data on dismissals, pleas, and the reasons for dismissals; the State's Attorney's Office agreed to provide reliable data and to continue discussions on the Axon discovery management system.
• The committee adjourned by a 3-0 vote on a motion by Council Member Hunter, seconded by Council Member Oriadha, with Fisher, Hunter, and Oriadha voting in favor.