# Maryland SB 0141: Election Law - Election Misinformation, Election Disinformation, and Deepfakes Maryland SB 0141, Election Law - Election Misinformation, Election Disinformation, and Deepfakes, 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 444); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-11). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0141-2026RS - As of: 2026-10-11 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maryland SB 0141 - State: Maryland - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Election Law - Election Misinformation, Election Disinformation, and Deepfakes - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-07-16 - Last action: 2026-05-12, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 444 - Sponsor: Katie Fry Hester (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 5 - Subjects: Elections, Advertising, Civil Actions -see also- Small Claims, Communications -see also- ElecComm; Intergov; etc., Damages, Deepfakes, Elections, State Board of, Federal Government, Fines -see also- Penalties and Sentences, Fraud -see also- Forgery, Internet -see also- Internet Access, News Media, Penalties and Sentences -see also- Death Penalty, Political Candidates, Radio, Records -see also- Land Records; Vital Records, Reports, Subpoenas, Television -see also- Cable Television, Voting -see also- Absentee and Mail-In Voting - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 4 (252 yes, 77 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Ban on harmful election deepfakes: mixed, medium. Beginning June 1, 2026, it is illegal to make or share election deepfakes that tell material lies to sway voting or petitions and that cause or are meant to cause harm. The law covers false depictions about registration, voting methods, results, election processes, or an election official’s duties.… - Civil suits over reckless election lies: mixed, low. Beginning June 1, 2026, the State Board of Elections can sue a person, campaign, PAC, or other group that made or recklessly spread false election information when the Board paid to correct it. The Board may seek damages, court costs, and attorney’s fees, but a court needs clear and convincing proo… - Report and fix false election info: mixed, low. Beginning June 1, 2026, the State Board of Elections runs a website portal for the public to report false election information. The Board reviews reports, posts corrections, or sends cases to the State Prosecutor. If the State Administrator gets a credible report, the Administrator must share corre… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Katie Fry Hester (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Benjamin Brooks (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Brian J. Feldman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Kevin M. Harris (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Cheryl C. Kagan (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Mary Washington (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-13 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 28 | 4 | 15 | | 2026-04-13 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 85 | 38 | 17 | | 2026-04-10 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 95 | 35 | 9 | | 2026-02-12 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 44 | 0 | 1 | ## Actions (34) - 2026-05-12: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 444 - 2026-04-14: Passed Enrolled (Senate) - 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (85-38) (House) - 2026-04-13: Conference Committee Report {173226/1 Adopted (House) - 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (28-4) (Senate) - 2026-04-13: Conference Committee Report {173226/1 Adopted (Senate) - 2026-04-13: House Conference Committee Appointed (Delegates Fair, Clippinger and Tomlinson) (Senate) - 2026-04-13: House Refuses Recede (Senate) - 2026-04-13: House Conference Committee Appointed (Delegates Fair, Clippinger and Tomlinson) (House) - 2026-04-13: House Refuses Recede (House) - 2026-04-13: Senate Conference Committee Appointed (Senators Hester, Watson and Gallion) (House) - 2026-04-13: Senate Requests House Recede (House) - 2026-04-13: Senate Refuses Concur House Amendments (House) - 2026-04-13: Senate Conference Committee Appointed (Senators Hester, Watson and Gallion) (Senate) - 2026-04-13: Senate Requests House Recede (Senate) - 2026-04-13: Senate Refuses Concur House Amendments (Senate) - 2026-04-10: Third Reading Passed (95-35) (House) - 2026-04-09: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House) - 2026-04-09: Motion Special Order until Next Session (Delegate Fair) Adopted (House) - 2026-04-09: Favorable with Amendments {433522/1 Adopted (House) - 2026-04-09: Favorable with Amendments Report by Government, Labor, and Elections (House) - 2026-03-24: Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m. (House) - 2026-02-13: Referred Government, Labor, and Elections (House) - 2026-02-12: Third Reading Passed (44-0) (Senate) - 2026-02-10: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate) - 2026-02-10: Floor Amendment {253621/1 (Senator Hester) Adopted (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Motion Special Order until 2/10 (Senator Hester) Adopted (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Motion Returned Second Reading (Senator Hester) Adopted (Senate) - 2026-02-03: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate) - 2026-02-03: Favorable with Amendments {103824/1 Adopted (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate) - 2026-01-14: Hearing 1/21 at 11:00 a.m. (Senate) - 2026-01-14: First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate) - 2025-07-16: Pre-filed (Senate) ## Bill text - Enacted, 2026-05-12: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_444_sb0141e.pdf) - Enrolled, 2026-04-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0141e.pdf) - Third Reading, 2026-02-10: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0141t.pdf) - First Reading, 2026-01-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0141f.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_444_sb0141e.pdf) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0141e.pdf) - [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0141t.pdf) - [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0141f.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-SB0141-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).