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HB 44

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Election Law - Circuit Court Judges - Nonpartisan Elections

Sponsor: Chao Wu (District 9A)Committee: JudiciarySubject: ElectionsStatus: Hearing 2/12 at 1:00 p.m. (Judiciary) (as of Dec 1, 2025)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring circuit court judges to be elected on a nonpartisan basis; prohibiting a candidate for circuit court judge from being nominated by a political party or by petition; and requiring candidates to be nominated at the primary election in each year that one or more circuit court judges are to be elected.

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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 (0)

MGA witness list
FAV 7FavorableUNF 5Unfavorable
PositionWitnessOrganizationTestimony
FAVDrayton, MorganlobbyistCommon Cause MDWritten (PDF)
FAVKohn, StuartHoward County Citizens AssociationWritten (PDF)
FAVCaroom, PhilipMaryland Alliance for Justice ReformPosition only
FAVPlante, CeciliaMaryland Legislative CoalitionWritten (PDF)
FAVKaplowitz, Richard KAPYearWritten (PDF)
FAVDelegate Wu, Delegate WulegislatorIndividualOral
FAVJasen, DebiIndividualWritten (PDF)
UNFBarber, ClaudiaClaudia Barber, Attorney at LawOral + Written (PDF)
UNFVormelker, WillMaryland JudiciaryWritten (PDF)
UNFSarkar, ShaolilobbyistMaryland State Bar AssociationWritten (PDF)
UNFJarashow, RonmyselfWritten (PDF)
UNFTibbals, TrudyIndividualPosition only

Organizations on record

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVDrayton, MorganCommon Cause MDRegistered for: Common Cause Maryland
UNFSarkar, ShaoliMaryland State Bar AssociationRegistered for: Maryland State Bar Association, Inc.