HB 585

Protecting Election Officials Act of 2024

Sponsor: SpeakerCommittee: JudiciarySubject: ElectionsStatus: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 21 (as of Nov 13, 2024)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Prohibiting a person from knowingly and willfully making a threat to harm an election official or an immediate family member of an election official because of the election official's role in administering the election process; and establishing that a person who violates the Act is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding $2,500 or both.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (26)

MGA witness list

FAV 19FavorableFWA 1Favorable with amendmentsUNF 5UnfavorableINFO 1Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Garreis, David	Anne Arundel County Board of Elections/Maryland Association of Election Officials	Oral
FAV	Wyatt, Lauren	Black Girls Vote, Inc.	Written (PDF)
FAV	Antoine, Joannelobbyist	Common Cause Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Monteiro, Paul	Department of Service and Civic Innovation	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Cooper, Charlie	Get Money Out -- Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Tyree, Nikki	LWVMD	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	January, Briannalobbyist	Maryland Association of Counties (MACo)	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Gudger, John Michael	Maryland Association of Election Officials	Written (PDF)
FAV	Haskins, Deborah	Maryland Council on Problem Gambling	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Tomasello, Beth	Montgomery County Women's Democratic Club	Written (PDF)
FAV	David, Sarah	Office of the State Prosecutor	Oral
FAV	Sweeney, Ruth	Office of the State Prosecutor	Written (PDF)
FAV	Nickerson, Sherrylobbyist	Old Line Government Affairs	Written (PDF)
FAV	Alsobrooks, Angela	Prince George's County Executive	Written (PDF)
FAV	Chaudry, Zainab	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	DeMarinis, Jared	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Sirkel, Robin	Individual	Position only
FAV	Speaker, Speaker	Individual	Oral
FAV	sirkel, jess	Individual	Position only
UNF	Price, Suzanne	Concerned Citizen	Position only
UNF	Lang, Alan	Individual	Position only
UNF	Meyerovich, Mark	Individual	Position only
UNF	Vernon, Michael	Individual	Position only
UNF	mcavoy, vince	Individual	Position only
FWA	Spangler, Adam	Office of Attorney General	Written (PDF)
INFO	Hovland, Ben	U.S. Election Assistance Commission	Oral + Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Anne Arundel County Board of Elections/Maryland Association of Election OfficialsFAV 1

Black Girls Vote, Inc.FAV 1

Common Cause MarylandFAV 1

Concerned CitizenUNF 1

Department of Service and Civic InnovationFAV 1

Get Money Out -- MarylandFAV 1

LWVMDFAV 1

Maryland Association of Counties (MACo)FAV 1

Maryland Association of Election OfficialsFAV 1

Maryland Council on Problem GamblingFAV 1

Montgomery County Women's Democratic ClubFAV 1

Office of Attorney GeneralFWA 1

Office of the State ProsecutorFAV 2

Old Line Government AffairsFAV 1

Prince George's County ExecutiveFAV 1

U.S. Election Assistance CommissionINFO 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVAntoine, JoanneCommon Cause MarylandRegistered for: Common Cause Maryland

FAVJanuary, BriannaMaryland Association of Counties (MACo)Registered for: Chamber of Progress

FAVNickerson, SherryOld Line Government AffairsRegistered for: Maryland Green Industry Council; Wireless Infrastructure Association; New Venture Fund; Maryland Association of Green Industries, Inc.; Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake; FEi Systems…