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SB 141

EnactedCrossfile HB 145
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Election Law - Election Misinformation, Election Disinformation, and Deepfakes

Sponsor: Katie Fry Hester (District 9)Committee: Education, Energy, and the EnvironmentSubject: ElectionsStatus: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 444 (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

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.

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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 (32)

MGA witness list
FAV 21FavorableFWA 6Favorable with amendmentsUNF 5Unfavorable
PositionWitnessOrganizationTestimony
FAVCost, PearsonBrooks Pierce LLP / Maryland-DC-Delaware Broadcasters AssociationWritten (PDF)
FAVUgo-Akwada, IhemanmaCommon CauseWritten (PDF)
FAVDrayton, MorganlobbyistCommon Cause MDWritten (PDF)
FAVBall, CalvinHoward County Office Of County ExecutiveWritten (PDF)
FAVLemyze, ChristineIndivisible Howard CountyWritten (PDF)
FAVWhite, VirginiaMaryland Association of CountiesWritten (PDF)
FAVKinnally, KevinMaryland Association of Counties (MACo)Written (PDF)
FAVPlante, CeciliaMaryland Legislative CoalitionWritten (PDF)
FAVPlante, CeciliaMaryland Legislative CoalitionWritten (PDF)
FAVFry Hester, KatieMaryland SenateOral + Written (PDF)
FAVDavid, SarahOffice of the State ProsecutorOral + Written (PDF)
FAVBranch, JoshuaPublic CitizenWritten (PDF)
FAVDeMarinis, JaredState Board of ElectionsOral
FAVKaplowitz, Richard KAPYearWritten (PDF)
FAVHamilton, RebeccaIndividualWritten (PDF)
FAVKoul, MichelleIndividualPosition only
FAVLang, AlanIndividualPosition only
FAVRosa, RichardIndividualPosition only
FAVSenator Hester, Senator HesterlegislatorIndividualOral
FAVSenator Hester, Senator HesterlegislatorIndividualOral
FAVYelin, BenIndividualWritten (PDF)
UNFPrice, SuzanneConcerned CitizenWritten (PDF)
UNFCARRICK, SHARONIndividualWritten (PDF)
UNFMauer, WilliamIndividualPosition only
UNFMeyerovich, MarkIndividualWritten (PDF)
UNFTibbals, TrudyIndividualPosition only
FWANelson, TimothyBrooks Pierce LLP / Maryland-DC-Delaware Broadcasters AssociationOral + Written (PDF)
FWAJanuary, BriannalobbyistChamber of ProgressWritten (PDF)
FWAWiggins, GrasonlobbyistMaryland Chamber of CommerceWritten (PDF)
FWAColbert, RenataMotion Picture AssociationWritten (PDF)
FWASnyder, RebeccalobbyistIndividualOral + Written (PDF)
FWAdurkin, margaretlobbyistIndividualWritten (PDF)

Organizations on record

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVDrayton, MorganCommon Cause MDRegistered for: Common Cause Maryland
FWAJanuary, BriannaChamber of ProgressRegistered for: Chamber of Progress
FWAWiggins, GrasonMaryland Chamber of CommerceRegistered for: Maryland Chamber of Commerce; United Way of Central Maryland, Inc.; Madison Marquette Property Investments LLC; Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund; Family Tree, The; OVG Facilities
FWASnyder, RebeccaRegistered for: MD/DC Press Association
FWAdurkin, margaretRegistered for: TechNet