PRIA Logo™
MarylandSB 04262026 Regular SessionSenate

Public Information Act - Divorce Records

Sponsored By: Charles E. Sydnor (Democratic)

Became Law

State Government - Regulations and ProceduresFamily LawApplicants and ApplicationsAttorneysCourt OrdersDivorce -see also- Annulment; Family LawPublic InformationRecords -see also- Land Records; Vital Records

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Stronger privacy for divorce records

Beginning October 1, 2026, the law blocks public access to most divorce records. This includes the divorce application, financial filings, settlement records, and custody orders. The final divorce decree remains public. Records are released only to a person in interest, that person’s lawyer, or someone named in a court order. The law defines a person in interest as the subject or a designee; if the person has a legal disability, their parent or legal representative; and for correcting a death certificate, the spouse, adult child, parent, adult sibling, grandparent, or guardian.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Charles E. Sydnor

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 356 • No: 0

House vote • 8/4/2026

Overridden

Yes: 134 • No: 0 • Other: 4

Senate vote • 8/3/2026

Overridden

Yes: 44 • No: 0 • Other: 1

House vote • 4/13/2026

Third Reading Passed

Yes: 134 • No: 0 • Other: 6

Senate vote • 2/26/2026

Third Reading Passed

Yes: 44 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Gubernatorial Veto Override (Legislative date: 8/4/2026) - Chapter 880

    8/4/2026

  2. Overridden (134-0)

    8/4/2026House

  3. Overridden (44-0)

    8/3/2026Senate

  4. Vetoed by the Governor (Policy)

    5/22/2026

  5. Returned Passed

    4/13/2026Senate

  6. Third Reading Passed (134-0)

    4/13/2026House

  7. Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed

    4/11/2026House

  8. Favorable Report by Government, Labor, and Elections

    4/11/2026House

  9. Hearing 4/07 at 1:00 p.m.

    3/26/2026House

  10. Referred Government, Labor, and Elections

    2/27/2026House

  11. Third Reading Passed (44-0)

    2/26/2026Senate

  12. Second Reading Passed

    2/24/2026Senate

  13. Favorable Adopted

    2/24/2026Senate

  14. Favorable Report by Judicial Proceedings

    2/23/2026Senate

  15. Hearing 2/10 at 1:00 p.m.

    2/2/2026Senate

  16. First Reading Judicial Proceedings

    1/30/2026Senate

Bill Text

  • Enacted

    8/4/2026

    PDF

  • Third Reading

    2/24/2026

    PDF

  • First Reading

    1/30/2026

    PDF

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation