In Annapolis, a hearing on Senate Bill 93 took place on Thursday.

The bill, known as the Youth Equity Act, would end juveniles being automatically charged as adults in serious crimes, like murder.

Senator Jill Carter is the sponsor of the bill.

“The very children under our current law that can be automatically tried as an adult, tried by a jury, are not even eligible to serve on a jury because they’re under the age of 18. So right there you’re talking about a major hypocrisy that you see in our system,” said Carter.

Senator Carter was behind the Juvenile Justice Reform Act, which passed last year. That act prevents anyone under the age of 13 from being charged with a crime unless it is serious.

Opponents of Senate Bill 93, like Kurt Wolfgang, say the bill, if passed, would be disastrous.

“It’s a terrible, terrible mistake,” said Wolfgang.