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STATE BILLMD SB 141PASSED
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Election Law - Election Misinformation, Election Disinformation, and Deepfakes

State of Maryland

Requiring and authorizing the State Administrator of Elections to take certain actions if the State Administrator receives a credible report that election misinformation or election disinformation, including a deepfake, has been or is being communicated, disseminated, or distributed; requiring the Administrator to publicly communicate correct information; prohibiting a person from knowingly or with reckless disregard creating, using, or disseminating a deepfake to produce materially false information; etc.

Status
Passed
Signed or otherwise enacted
Status date
May 12, 2026
184 days ago
Current chamber
Senate
Session
2026 Regular Session
MD SB 141 · PassedMay 12

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Bill details

Last action
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 444 · May 12, 2026

Sponsors

KHKatie HesterSenator · Democrat · SD-009Primary sponsor
BBBenjamin BrooksSenator · Democrat · SD-010
BFBrian FeldmanSenator · Democrat · SD-015
KHKevin HarrisSenator · Democrat · SD-027
CKCheryl KaganSenator · Democrat · SD-017
MWMary WashingtonSenator · Democrat · SD-043

Bill history

Newest first.

May 12, 2026Approved by the Governor - Chapter 444Senate
Apr 14, 2026Passed EnrolledSenate
Apr 13, 2026Third Reading Passed (85-38)House
Apr 13, 2026Conference Committee Report {173226/1 AdoptedHouse
Apr 13, 2026Third Reading Passed (28-4)Senate
Apr 13, 2026Conference Committee Report {173226/1 AdoptedSenate
Apr 13, 2026House Conference Committee Appointed (Delegates Fair, Clippinger and Tomlinson)Senate
Apr 13, 2026House Refuses RecedeSenate
Show 26 earlier actions
Apr 13, 2026House Conference Committee Appointed (Delegates Fair, Clippinger and Tomlinson)House
Apr 13, 2026House Refuses RecedeHouse
Apr 13, 2026Senate Conference Committee Appointed (Senators Hester, Watson and Gallion)House
Apr 13, 2026Senate Requests House RecedeHouse
Apr 13, 2026Senate Refuses Concur House AmendmentsHouse
Apr 13, 2026Senate Conference Committee Appointed (Senators Hester, Watson and Gallion)Senate
Apr 13, 2026Senate Requests House RecedeSenate
Apr 13, 2026Senate Refuses Concur House AmendmentsSenate
Apr 10, 2026Third Reading Passed (95-35)House
Apr 9, 2026Second Reading Passed with AmendmentsHouse
Apr 9, 2026Motion Special Order until Next Session (Delegate Fair) AdoptedHouse
Apr 9, 2026Favorable with Amendments {433522/1 AdoptedHouse
Apr 9, 2026Favorable with Amendments Report by Government, Labor, and ElectionsHouse
Mar 24, 2026Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m.House
Feb 13, 2026Referred Government, Labor, and ElectionsHouse
Feb 12, 2026Third Reading Passed (44-0)Senate
Feb 10, 2026Second Reading Passed with AmendmentsSenate
Feb 10, 2026Floor Amendment {253621/1 (Senator Hester) AdoptedSenate
Feb 5, 2026Motion Special Order until 2/10 (Senator Hester) AdoptedSenate
Feb 5, 2026Motion Returned Second Reading (Senator Hester) AdoptedSenate
Feb 3, 2026Second Reading Passed with AmendmentsSenate
Feb 3, 2026Favorable with Amendments {103824/1 AdoptedSenate
Feb 2, 2026Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the EnvironmentSenate
Jan 14, 2026Hearing 1/21 at 11:00 a.m.Senate
Jan 14, 2026First Reading Education, Energy, and the EnvironmentSenate
Jul 16, 2025Pre-filedSenate

Recorded votes

Third Reading PassedFeb 12, 2026 · Senate · 44 yea · 0 nayPassed
Third Reading PassedApr 10, 2026 · House · 95 yea · 35 nayPassed
Third Reading PassedApr 13, 2026 · House · 85 yea · 38 nayPassed
Third Reading PassedApr 13, 2026 · Senate · 28 yea · 4 nayPassed

Subjects

  • Elections
  • Advertising
  • Civil Actions
  • Communications
  • Damages
  • Deepfakes
  • Elections, State Board of
  • Federal Government
  • Fines
  • Fraud
  • internet
  • News Media
  • Penalties and Sentences
  • Political Candidates
  • Radio
  • Records
  • Reports
  • Subpoenas
  • Television
  • Voting

Read the bill at the source

This page follows the bill as the legislature records it. For the bill's full text and the official record, use the legislature's own site.

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Bill data from LegiScan, licensed under CC BY 4.0.

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