# Maryland SB 0008: Criminal Law - Identity Fraud - Artificial Intelligence and Deepfake Representations Maryland SB 0008, Criminal Law - Identity Fraud - Artificial Intelligence and Deepfake Representations, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Katie Fry Hester (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-12 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 445) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0008-2026RS - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maryland SB 0008 - State: Maryland - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Criminal Law - Identity Fraud - Artificial Intelligence and Deepfake Representations - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-08-26 - Last action: 2026-05-12, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 445 - Sponsor: Katie Fry Hester (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 12 - Subjects: Criminal Law - Substantive Crimes, Artificial Intelligence -see also- Biometrics, Civil Actions -see also- Small Claims, Courts -see also- AppCt; Circuit; District; Orphans'; etc., Crimes and Punishments -see also- Penalties and Sentnc; etc., Deepfakes, Digital Images, Fraud -see also- Forgery, Harassment -see also- Threats, Penalties and Sentences -see also- Death Penalty, Personal Identifying Information, Records -see also- Land Records; Vital Records, Threats, Victims -see also- Criminal Injuries Compensation - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (177 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Crackdown on AI deepfakes and scams: benefit, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, the law bans using AI or deepfakes to impersonate someone, make false records, or trick people to hand over personal data or money. A single‑victim violation is a felony with up to 5 years in prison or a $10,000 fine, or both. With two or more victims, penalties rise to u… - Stronger ban on identity misuse: benefit, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, the law makes it a crime to use someone’s personal information without consent to cause harm. Harm includes physical injury, serious emotional distress, or financial loss. The law also expands the crime of assuming another person’s identity to cover doing so to harm, hara… - Clear definitions for AI and deepfakes: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, the law defines “artificial intelligence” by state standard. It defines a “deepfake representation” as photo, video, audio, or computer images that look like a real, identifiable person, and excludes drawings, cartoons, sculptures, and paintings. “Indistinguishable” uses… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Katie Fry Hester (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Nick Charles (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: William G. Folden (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Shaneka Henson (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Shelly Hettleman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Mary-Dulany James (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Sara Love (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Mike McKay (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: C. Anthony Muse (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: William C. Smith (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Charles E. Sydnor (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Jeff Waldstreicher (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Chris West (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-10 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 132 | 0 | 2 | | 2026-03-19 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 45 | 0 | | ## Actions (14) - 2026-05-12: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 445 - 2026-04-10: Returned Passed (Senate) - 2026-04-10: Third Reading Passed (132-0) (House) - 2026-04-08: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House) - 2026-04-08: Favorable Report by Judiciary (House) - 2026-03-26: Hearing 3/31 at 1:00 p.m. (House) - 2026-03-20: Referred Judiciary (House) - 2026-03-19: Third Reading Passed (45-0) (Senate) - 2026-03-18: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate) - 2026-03-18: Favorable with Amendments {493123/1 Adopted (Senate) - 2026-03-16: Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings (Senate) - 2026-01-14: First Reading Judicial Proceedings (Senate) - 2026-01-13: Hearing 1/22 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate) - 2025-08-26: Pre-filed (Senate) ## Bill text - Enacted, 2026-05-12: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_445_sb0008t.pdf) - Third Reading, 2026-03-18: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0008t.pdf) - First Reading, 2026-01-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0008f.pdf) ## Related bills - SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - Authorization (became law) - SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishment (became law) - SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law) - SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-1 Specialists Act) (became law) - SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits (became law) - HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law) ## Sources - [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_445_sb0008t.pdf) - [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0008t.pdf) - [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0008f.pdf) ## Related - [SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - A…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0496-2026RS) - [SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishm…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0366-2026RS) - [SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0244-2026RS) - [SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0148-2026RS) - [SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0016-2026RS) - [HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0529-2026RS) - [Maryland bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland/bills) - [Maryland state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0008-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).