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*hb0265*
HOUSE BILL 265
G1, P1 6lr0230
(PRE–FILED) CF SB 91
By: Chair, Government, Labor, and Elections Committee (By Request –
Departmental – Secretary of State)
Requested: September 22, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Government, Labor, and Elections
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 26, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
State Board of Elections – Address Confidentiality Program – Designation of 2
Contact Person 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the State Board of Elections to designate a contact person for 4
the Address Confidentiality Program; and generally relating to the Sta te Board of 5
Elections and the Address Confidentiality Program. 6
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 7
Article – State Government 8
Section 7–303 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
Article – State Government 13
Section 7–309 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 16
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18
Article – State Government 19
2 HOUSE BILL 265
7–303. 1
The Secretary of State shall establish and administer an Address Confidentiality 2
Program for survivors of threatened, attempted, or actual domestic violence, sexual assault, 3
stalking, harassment, or human trafficking. 4
7–309. 5
(a) (1) Each local board of elections shall use a Program participant’s actual 6
address for all election–related purposes, INCLUDING ABSENTEE BALLOTS. 7
(2) A Program participant may not use the substitute address designated 8
by the Secretary of State as the Program participant’s address for voter registration 9
purposes. 10
(b) A local board of elections may not make a Program participant’s address 11
contained in voter registration records available for public inspection or copying except: 12
(1) on request by a law enforcement agency for law enforcement purposes; 13
and 14
(2) as directed by a court order to disclose the address. 15
(C) (1) THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL DESIGNATE A CONTACT 16
PERSON FOR THE PROGRAM. 17
(2) THE CONTACT PERSON SH ALL ACT AS CONTACT FOR INQUIRIES 18
ABOUT THE PROGRAM FROM LOCAL BO ARDS OF ELECTIONS AN D PROGRAM 19
PARTICIPANTS ON MATTERS RELATED TO IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SECTION. 20
(D) THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS MAY ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY 21
OUT THIS SECTION. 22
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 23
1, 2026. 24