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SB 141MARYLANDSession 2026State BillSigned into law

Enacted

Maryland prohibits election deepfakes and authorizes State Administrator of Elections to seek injunctions and issue subpoenas

Original title: Election Law - Election Misinformation, Election Disinformation, and Deepfakes

Last action · May 12, 2026: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 444Sponsors: Katie Hester and 5 others

Companion · HB 145same policy, House version

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

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Floor Vote

Passed

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What This Bill Does

Beginning June 1, 2026, Maryland prohibits individuals from knowingly or with reckless disregard creating, using, or disseminating deceptive s to influence voters or manipulate election information. The law empowers the State Administrator of Elections to issue corrective public information, seek online platform injunctions, and issue subpoenas, while allowing the State Board of Elections to sue entities that circulate and cause the State to incur correction costs.

Why it matters

Political campaigns, political action committees, and individuals face criminal misdemeanor penalties carrying up to five years imprisonment or a $5,000 fine for distributing deceptive AI-generated media intended to alter voter decisions, while news outlets, broadcasters, and internet service providers receive specific statutory exemptions.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

State Administrator of Elections

Must evaluate credible reports, distribute corrective information, and is authorized to seek court injunctions and issue subpoenas.

Directly affected

State Board of Elections

Must maintain an online reporting portal, conduct periodic reviews, and is authorized to initiate civil lawsuits to recover correction costs.

Directly affected

Political campaigns and political action committees

Subject to civil liability, damages, and court costs if they publish or disseminate election misinformation or deepfakes with reckless disregard.

Directly affected

Broadcasters and publishers

Receive explicit statutory exemptions from liability when broadcasting or publishing deepfakes under bona fide news, satire, or legally required candidate ads with clear disclaimers.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is considered a deepfake under this new Maryland law?

A is defined as an image, audio recording, or video recording intentionally created or manipulated using generative artificial intelligence or digital technology to create a realistic but false depiction of a person that an ordinary person would believe is an actual representation.

Are news organizations and broadcasters liable if they air a deepfake?

No. The law exempts radio and television broadcasters, cable operators, and regularly published newspapers or periodicals of general circulation that broadcast or publish deceptive media as part of bona fide news coverage, satire, parody, or when required by federal law, provided they include clear disclosures.

What penalties do individuals face for creating election deepfakes?

A person who violates the prohibitions is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction is subject to a fine of not more than $5,000, imprisonment for up to five years, or both.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

34 actions

May 12, 2026Governor of MarylandEnrolled
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 444
Apr 14, 2026SenateFloor
Passed Enrolled
Apr 13, 2026HouseFloor
Third Reading Passed (85-38)
Apr 13, 2026HouseFloor
Conference Committee Report { 173226/1 Adopted
Apr 13, 2026SenateFloor
Third Reading Passed (28-4)
Apr 13, 2026SenateFloor
Conference Committee Report { 173226/1 Adopted

Show 28 earlier actions

Apr 13, 2026Senate
House Conference Committee Appointed (Delegates Fair, Clippinger and Tomlinson)
Apr 13, 2026Senate
House Refuses Recede
Apr 13, 2026House
House Conference Committee Appointed (Delegates Fair, Clippinger and Tomlinson)
Apr 13, 2026House
House Refuses Recede
Apr 13, 2026House
Senate Conference Committee Appointed (Senators Hester, Watson and Gallion)
Apr 13, 2026House
Senate Requests House Recede
Apr 13, 2026HouseFloor
Senate Refuses Concur House Amendments
Apr 13, 2026Senate
Senate Conference Committee Appointed (Senators Hester, Watson and Gallion)
Apr 13, 2026Senate
Senate Requests House Recede
Apr 13, 2026SenateFloor
Senate Refuses Concur House Amendments
Apr 10, 2026HouseFloor
Third Reading Passed (95-35)
Apr 9, 2026HouseFloor
Second Reading Passed with Amendments
Apr 9, 2026HouseFloor
Motion Special Order until Next Session (Delegate Fair) Adopted
Apr 9, 2026House
Favorable with Amendments { 433522/1 Adopted
Apr 9, 2026HouseCommittee
Favorable with Amendments Report by Government, Labor, and Elections
Mar 24, 2026House
Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m.
Feb 13, 2026HouseCommittee
Referred Government, Labor, and Elections
Feb 12, 2026SenateFloor
Third Reading Passed (44-0)
Feb 10, 2026SenateFloor
Second Reading Passed with Amendments
Feb 10, 2026Senate
Floor Amendment { 253621/1 (Senator Hester) Adopted
Feb 5, 2026SenateFloor
Motion Special Order until 2/10 (Senator Hester) Adopted
Feb 5, 2026SenateFloor
Motion Returned Second Reading (Senator Hester) Adopted
Feb 3, 2026SenateFloor
Second Reading Passed with Amendments
Feb 3, 2026Senate
Favorable with Amendments { 103824/1 Adopted
Feb 2, 2026SenateCommittee
Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment
Jan 14, 2026Senate
Hearing 1/21 at 11:00 a.m.
Jan 14, 2026SenateIntroduced
First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment
Jul 16, 2025SenateIntroduced
Pre-filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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