Read the full stored bill text
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
Italics indicate opposite chamber/conference committee amendments.
*hb0260*
HOUSE BILL 260
G1 (6lr0086)
ENROLLED BILL
— Government, Labor, and Elections/Education, Energy, and the Environment —
Introduced by Chair, Government, Labor, and Elections Committee (By Request –
Departmental – State Board of Elections)
Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
Sealed with the Gre at Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this
_______ day of _______________ at ________________________ o’clock, ________M.
______________________________________________
Speaker.
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Financing Act – Campaign Financing – Campaign Finance Reporting 2
Deadline and Fair Campaign Financing Fund – Distributions Distributions 3
FOR the purpose of altering the day that a certain campaign finance report is due to be filed 4
with the State Board of Elections; requiring that a certain campaign finance report 5
cover a certain period of time; altering the earliest date on which the State Board of 6
Elections may begin making distributions from the Fair Campaign Financing Fund; 7
and generally relating to distributions from the Fair Campaign Financing Fund 8
campaign finance. 9
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 10
Article – Election Law 11
Section 13–309(a) and 15–102(a) and (f) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
2 HOUSE BILL 260
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 1
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 2
Article – Election Law 3
Section 13–309(b)(2) and (c), 13–312, and 15–107(a) 4
Annotated Code of Maryland 5
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 6
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 7
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 8
Article – Election Law 9
13–309. 10
(a) Subject to other provisions of this subtitle and except as provided in subsection 11
(d) of this section, a campaign finance entity shall file campaign finance reports as follows: 12
(1) in the gubernatorial election year only, except for a ballot issue 13
committee, on or before the third Tuesday in April, if the campaign finance entity did not 14
file the annual campaign finance report specified under subsection (b)(2) of t his section on 15
the immediately preceding third Wednesday in January; 16
(2) except for a ballot issue committee, on or before the fifth Tuesday 17
immediately preceding each primary election; 18
(3) except for a ballot issue committee, on or before the second Friday 19
immediately preceding a primary election; 20
(4) on or before the last Tuesday in August immediately preceding a general 21
election; 22
(5) for a ballot issue committee only, on or before the fourth Friday 23
immediately preceding a general election; 24
(6) on or before the second Friday immediately preceding a general election; 25
and 26
(7) on or before the second Tuesday after a general election. 27
(b) (2) In addition to the campaign finance reports required under subsection 28
(a) of this section, but subject to paragraph (4) of this subsection, a campaign finance entity 29
shall file a campaign finance report on the [third] FOURTH Wednesday in January. 30
(c) In addition to the campaign finance reports required under subsection (a) of 31
this section, a continuin g political committee shall file a campaign finance report on the 32
[third] FOURTH Wednesday in January of each year the committee is in existence. 33
HOUSE BILL 260 3
13–312. 1
(a) Campaign finance reports filed under § 13 –304 of this subtitle shall cover the 2
following reporting periods: 3
(1) the first campaign finance report shall cover the period from the date of 4
organization of the campaign finance entity through the day specified in item (3) of this 5
subsection; 6
(2) each subsequent campaign finance report shall cover the period from the 7
closing date of the previous campaign finance report through the day specified in item (3) of 8
this subsection; 9
(3) (i) except as provided in item (ii) of this item, each campaign finance 10
report shall cover the period that includ es the seventh day before the day the campaign 11
finance report is due; but 12
(ii) 1. the campaign finance report that is required on or before 13
the second Friday immediately preceding an election shall cover the period through and 14
including the preceding Sunday; and 15
2. THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORT THAT IS REQUI RED 16
ON OR BEFORE THE FOU RTH WEDNESDAY IN JANUARY SHALL COVER T HE PERIOD 17
THROUGH AND INCLUDING THE 14TH DAY BEFORE THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORT 18
IS DUE; AND 19
(4) if no contribution is received and no expenditure is made during the 20
period covered by a campaign finance report, the campaign finance entity shall file a 21
campaign finance report or an affidavit under § 13–305 of this subtitle to that effect. 22
(b) A campaign finance report preceded by an affidavit filed in accordance with 23
this subtitle shall cover the period from the closing date of the previous campaign finance 24
report or date of organization of the campaign finance entity through the day specified in 25
subsection (a)(3) of this section. 26
15–102. 27
(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. 28
(f) “Fund” means the Fair Campaign Financing Fund. 29
15–107. 30
(a) (1) In accordance with subsection (c) of this section and regulations 31
adopted by the State Board, the State Board shall authorize distribution of money in the 32
4 HOUSE BILL 260
Fund on a continuing basis on certification that the qualifications under § 15 –104 of this 1
title have been met. 2
(2) Distributions shall begin not earlier than [January] JULY 1 of the year 3
[of] BEFORE the election. 4
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 5
1, 2026. 6
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.