HB0509 • 2026

Campaign Finance - Contributions by Gas and Electric Utility Companies - Prohibition

Energy

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Delegates Vogel , Behler , and Boafo
Last action: 2026-02-06
Official status: In the House - Hearing 2/11 at 2:00 p.m.
Effective date: 2026-06-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Campaign Finance - Contributions by Gas and Electric Utility Companies - Prohibition

Prohibiting gas and electric utility companies doing business in the State from making campaign contributions to the campaign finance entity of a candidate for a nonfederal public office in the State or any other campaign finance entity organized in support of a candidate for a nonfederal public office in the State.

What This Bill Does

Prohibiting gas and electric utility companies doing business in the State from making campaign contributions to the campaign finance entity of a candidate for a nonfederal public office in the State or any other campaign finance entity organized in support of a candidate for a nonfederal public office in the State.

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.

Bill History

2026-02-06 House
Hearing canceled
2026-02-06 House
Hearing 2/11 at 2:00 p.m.
2026-01-28 House
Hearing 2/11 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-01-27 House
First Reading Government, Labor, and Elections
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Campaign Finance - Contributions by Gas and Electric Utility Companies - Prohibition

Official Summary Text

Prohibiting gas and electric utility companies doing business in the State from making campaign contributions to the campaign finance entity of a candidate for a nonfederal public office in the State or any other campaign finance entity organized in support of a candidate for a nonfederal public office in the State.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0509*

HOUSE BILL 509
G1 6lr1687

By: Delegates Vogel, Behler, and Boafo
Introduced and read first time: January 27, 2026
Assigned to: Government, Labor, and Elections

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Campaign Finance – Contributions by Gas and Electric Utility Companies – 2
Prohibition 3

FOR the purpose of prohibiting gas and electric utility companies doing business in the 4
State from making certain campaign contributions; and generally relating to 5
campaign contributions from gas and electric utility companies. 6

BY adding to 7
Article – Election Law 8
Section 13–237.1 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13

Article – Election Law 14

13–237.1. 15

(A) IN THIS SECTION, “UTILITY COMPANY” MEANS: 16

(1) AN ELECTRIC COMPANY, AS DEFINED IN § 1–101 OF THE PUBLIC 17
UTILITIES ARTICLE; OR 18

(2) A GAS COMPANY , AS DEFINED IN § 1–101 OF THE PUBLIC 19
UTILITIES ARTICLE. 20

(B) THIS SECTION APPLIES ONLY TO A UTILITY COMPANY DOING BUSINESS 21
IN THE STATE. 22
2 HOUSE BILL 509

(C) A UTILITY COMPANY MAY NOT , DIRECTLY OR INDIRECT LY, MAKE A 1
CONTRIBUTION TO: 2

(1) THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE ENTITY OF A CANDIDAT E FOR A 3
NONFEDERAL PUBLIC OFFICE IN THE STATE; OR 4

(2) ANY OTHER CAMPAIGN FINANCE ENTITY ORGANIZED IN SUPPORT 5
OF A CANDIDATE FOR A NONFEDERAL PUBLIC OFFICE IN THE STATE. 6

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 7
1, 2026. 8