SB141Maryland2026 sessionPassed / Enacted
Election Law - Election Misinformation, Election Disinformation, and Deepfakes
Plain-language summary
Directs Maryland's State Administrator of Elections to respond to credible reports of election misinformation, disinformation, or deepfakes by publicly communicating correct information. Bars any person from knowingly or recklessly creating, using, or disseminating a deepfake to produce materially false election information.
Summary generated by AI from the official bill text — may contain errors.
History
Jul 16, 2025
SPre-filed
Jan 14, 2026
SFirst Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment
Jan 14, 2026
SHearing 1/21 at 11:00 a.m.
Feb 2, 2026
SFavorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment
Feb 3, 2026
SFavorable with Amendments {103824/1 Adopted
Feb 3, 2026
SSecond Reading Passed with Amendments
Feb 5, 2026
SMotion Returned Second Reading (Senator Hester) Adopted
Feb 5, 2026
SMotion Special Order until 2/10 (Senator Hester) Adopted
Feb 10, 2026
SFloor Amendment {253621/1 (Senator Hester) Adopted
Feb 10, 2026
SSecond Reading Passed with Amendments
Feb 12, 2026
SThird Reading Passed (44-0)
Feb 13, 2026
HReferred Government, Labor, and Elections
Mar 24, 2026
HHearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m.
Apr 9, 2026
HFavorable with Amendments Report by Government, Labor, and Elections
Apr 9, 2026
HFavorable with Amendments {433522/1 Adopted
Apr 9, 2026
HMotion Special Order until Next Session (Delegate Fair) Adopted
Apr 9, 2026
HSecond Reading Passed with Amendments
Apr 10, 2026
HThird Reading Passed (95-35)
Apr 13, 2026
SSenate Refuses Concur House Amendments
Apr 13, 2026
SSenate Requests House Recede
Apr 13, 2026
SSenate Conference Committee Appointed (Senators Hester, Watson and Gallion)
Apr 13, 2026
HSenate Refuses Concur House Amendments
Apr 13, 2026
HSenate Requests House Recede
Apr 13, 2026
HSenate Conference Committee Appointed (Senators Hester, Watson and Gallion)
Apr 13, 2026
HHouse Refuses Recede
Apr 13, 2026
HHouse Conference Committee Appointed (Delegates Fair, Clippinger and Tomlinson)
Apr 13, 2026
SHouse Refuses Recede
Apr 13, 2026
SHouse Conference Committee Appointed (Delegates Fair, Clippinger and Tomlinson)
Apr 13, 2026
SConference Committee Report {173226/1 Adopted
Apr 13, 2026
SThird Reading Passed (28-4)
Apr 13, 2026
HConference Committee Report {173226/1 Adopted
Apr 13, 2026
HThird Reading Passed (85-38)
Apr 14, 2026
SPassed Enrolled
May 12, 2026
SApproved by the Governor - Chapter 444
Progress
Introduced
Engrossed
Enrolled
Passed
Signed into lawMay 12, 2026
Sponsors
KH
Sen. Katie Hester (D)Prime sponsor
BB
Sen. Benjamin Brooks (D)
BF
Sen. Brian Feldman (D)
KH
Sen. Kevin Harris (D)
CK
Sen. Cheryl Kagan (D)
MW
Sen. Mary Washington (D)
Sources
Always verify against the official source. Summaries are AI-generated and may contain errors.