In the Senate - First Reading Judicial Proceedings
Effective date
2026-10-01
Plain English Breakdown
Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.
Courts - Former Judge - Temporary Assignment
Authorizing the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Maryland to recall to judicial office for a temporary assignment a former judge who had the judge's most recent service terminated by reason of defeat for election if the judge had previously won election to judicial office.
What This Bill Does
Authorizing the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Maryland to recall to judicial office for a temporary assignment a former judge who had the judge's most recent service terminated by reason of defeat for election if the judge had previously won election to judicial office.
Limits and Unknowns
This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.
Amendments
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
Plain English: AMENDMENTS TO HOUSE BILL 428
(First Reading File Bill)
AMENDMENT NO.
AMENDMENTS TO HOUSE BILL 428
(First Reading File Bill)
AMENDMENT NO.
1
On page 1, in line 7, strike “ and (b)”; and in line 12, strike “1 –302(c)” and
substitute “1–302(b) and (c)”.
AMENDMENT NO.
2
On page 2, in line 6, after “(3)” insert “ HAS PREVIOUSLY WON EL ECTION TO
JUDICIAL OFFICE;
(4)”;
in line 8, strike “(4)” and substitute “(5)”; and strike beginning with “reason” in line 13
down through “by” in line 15.
Motion Special Order until 3/11 (Delegate Pippy) Adopted
2026-01-29House
Hearing 2/18 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-01-22House
First Reading Judiciary
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Courts - Former Judge - Temporary Assignment
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - House - Committee - Judiciary
Maryland General Assembly
Text - Third - Courts - Former Judge - Temporary Assignment
Official Summary Text
Authorizing the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Maryland to recall to judicial office for a temporary assignment a former judge who had the judge's most recent service terminated by reason of defeat for election if the judge had previously won election to judicial office.
Current Bill Text
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.
*hb0428*
HOUSE BILL 428
D1 6lr2504
CF SB 542
By: Chair, Judiciary Committee (By Request – Maryland Judicial Conference)
Introduced and read first time: January 22, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 27, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Courts – Former Judge – Temporary Assignment 2
FOR the purpose of altering the eligibility for a former judge to be recalled for temporary 3
assignment; and generally relating to former judges and temporary assignments. 4
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 5
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 6
Section 1–302(a) and (b) 7
Annotated Code of Maryland 8
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 9
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 11
Section 1–302(c) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 17
1–302. 18
(a) In this section, “former judge” means a judge who previously served in a court. 19
2 HOUSE BILL 428
(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the Chief Justice of the 1
Supreme Court of Maryland may assign any former judge to sit temporarily in any court if 2
the temporary assignment is approved by the administ rative judge of the circuit in which 3
the former judge is to be assigned and if the former judge: 4
(1) Has served in the aggregate at least 2 years as a judge, except that in 5
Talbot County, the former judge shall have served in the aggregate at least 1 ye ar as a 6
judge; 7
(2) Has been approved for assignment by a majority of the justices of the 8
Supreme Court of Maryland; 9
(3) Meets the standards established by this section as well as any 10
additional standards established by rule of the Supreme Court of Maryland; and 11
(4) Has consented to the assignment. 12
(c) A former judge may not be recalled for temporary assignment if the judge: 13
(1) Was removed or involuntarily retired from judicial office pursuant to 14
the Constitution or laws of this State; 15
(2) Voluntarily retired by reason of disability; 16
(3) Had the most recent service as a judge terminated by reason of defeat 17
for election to judicial office , UNLESS THE JUDGE PRE VIOUSLY WON ELECTION TO 18
JUDICIAL OFFICE, or by rejection of confirmation by the Senate; 19
(4) Was censured by the Supreme Court of Maryland upon 20
recommendation of the Commission on Judicial Disabilities; or 21
(5) Is engaged in the practice of law. 22
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 23
October 1, 2026. 24