SB 251

Civil Actions - Maryland Uniform Public Expression Protection Act

Sponsor: Sara Love (District 16)Committee: Judicial ProceedingsSubject: Civil Actions and ProceduresStatus: Hearing 1/29 at 3:00 p.m. (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Repealing a certain provision relating to strategic lawsuits against public participation; authorizing a person served with a pleading asserting a certain cause of action based on the person's communication related to a governmental proceeding or exercise of certain constitutional rights to file a special motion for expedited relief to dismiss the cause of action; generally relating to civil actions and public expression; and applying the Act prospectively.

AI analysis is off. Set ANTHROPIC_API_KEY to enable summaries, pros and cons, and questions.

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 (23)

MGA witness list

FAV 21FavorableUNF 1UnfavorableINFO 1Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Nelson, Timothy	Brooks Pierce LLP / Maryland-DC-Delaware Broadcasters Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Russo, Peter	Institute for Free Speech	Written (PDF)
FAV	Jarashow, Ronald	Maryland Association for Justice	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Jordan, Lisae Clobbyist	Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Boyd, Linda	Maryland Episcopal Public Policy Network	Position only
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Love, Sara	Maryland State Senator	Written (PDF)
FAV	Colbert, Renata	Motion Picture Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Tutman, Frederick	Patuxent Riverkeeper)	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Mascagni, Evan	Public Participation Project	Written (PDF)
FAV	Carter, Alita-Geri	Qualequity Access	Position only
FAV	Woodard, Kennedy	Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press	Written (PDF)
FAV	Tamburro, Anne Marie	Society of Professional Journalists	Written (PDF)
FAV	Leitess, Steven	Uniform Law Commission	Oral
FAV	Wolff, Kaitlin	Uniform Law Commission	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Kaplowitz, Richard KAP	Year	Written (PDF)
FAV	Arndt, Dave	Individual	Position only
FAV	Flasch, Stephanie	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Mishkin, Maxwell	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Senator Love, Senator Lovelegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Snyder, Rebeccalobbyist	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Bogley, Laura	Maryland Right to Life	Oral + Written (PDF)
INFO	Vormelker, Will	Maryland Judiciary	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Brooks Pierce LLP / Maryland-DC-Delaware Broadcasters AssociationFAV 1

Institute for Free SpeechFAV 1

Maryland Association for JusticeFAV 1

Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)FAV 1

Maryland Episcopal Public Policy NetworkFAV 1

Maryland JudiciaryINFO 1

Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Maryland Right to LifeUNF 1

Maryland State SenatorFAV 1

Motion Picture AssociationFAV 1

Patuxent Riverkeeper)FAV 1

Public Participation ProjectFAV 1

Qualequity AccessFAV 1

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the PressFAV 1

Society of Professional JournalistsFAV 1

Uniform Law CommissionFAV 2

YearFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVJordan, Lisae CMaryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)Registered for: Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault

FAVSnyder, RebeccaRegistered for: MD/DC Press Association