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*hb0584*
HOUSE BILL 584
G1 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 6lr2299
By: Delegate Stewart
Introduced and read first time: January 28, 2026
Assigned to: Government, Labor, and Elections
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Clean Maryland Democracy Amendment 2
FOR the purpose of guaranteeing equal voting rights for all eligible voters; establishing 3
that the people of Maryland have the right to elections that are free fro m improper 4
foreign influence, undisclosed funding, and undue domination by large corporate 5
interests; prohibiting the State, counties, and municipal corporations from denying, 6
diluting, or abridging the right to vote based on certain protected classes; requiring 7
the General Assembly to provide by law for a Maryland Voting Rights Act to protect 8
the right to vote; prohibiting certain political spending in elections in the State by a 9
foreign government, a foreign national, or a foreign –influenced corporation ; 10
requiring the General Assembly to provide by law a requirement of the disclosure of 11
the ultimate sources of significant funds used for political spending; and establishing 12
a Maryland Fair Elections Program to provide public campaign financing for 13
candidates for the General Assembly. 14
BY proposing an addition to the Maryland Constitution 15
Declaration of Rights 16
Article 49 and 50 17
BY proposing an addition to the Maryland Constitution 18
Article I – Elective Franchise 19
Section 7A 20
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 21
(Three–fifths of all the members elected to each of the two Houses concurring), That it be 22
proposed that the Maryland Constitution read as follows: 23
Declaration of Rights 24
ARTICLE 49. 25
2 HOUSE BILL 584
EQUAL VOTING RIGHTS ARE GUARANTEED TO ALL ELIGIBLE VOTERS. 1
ARTICLE 50. 2
THE PEOPLE OF MARYLAND HAVE THE RIGHT TO ELECTIONS THAT ARE FREE 3
FROM IMPROPER FOREIG N INFLUENCE , UNDISCLOSED FUNDING , AND UNDUE 4
DOMINATION BY LARGE CORPORATE INTERESTS. 5
Article I – Elective Franchise 6
7A. 7
(A) (1) THE STATE, A COUNTY, OR A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION MAY NOT 8
ENACT OR EMPLOY A LA W, POLICY, OR PRACTICE THAT DENIES , DILUTES, OR 9
ABRIDGES THE RIGHT TO VOTE ON ACCOUNT OF RACE, COLOR, LANGUAGE MINORITY 10
STATUS, OR DISABILITY. 11
(2) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL PROVIDE BY LAW FOR A 12
MARYLAND VOTING RIGHTS ACT TO PROTECT THE RIGHT TO VOTE THAT INCLUDES: 13
(I) PROTECTIONS AGAINST VOTE DILUTION; 14
(II) PROVISIONS FOR ACCESS TO VOTING FOR DISABL ED 15
INDIVIDUALS; 16
(III) PROVISIONS FOR PROVIDING LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE; 17
(IV) SAFEGUARDS AGAINST VO TER INTIMIDATION AND 18
DECEPTION; AND 19
(V) APPROPRIATE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS, INCLUDING A 20
PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION. 21
(3) THE LEGISLATION REQUI RED UNDER PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS 22
SUBSECTION SHALL TAKE EFFECT ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2028. 23
(B) (1) A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT , FOREIGN NATIONAL , OR 24
FOREIGN–INFLUENCED CORPORATION MAY NOT, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, MAKE 25
A CONTRIBUTION , A DONATION, AN INDEPENDENT EXPENDIT URE, OR ANY 26
ELECTIONEERING COMMU NICATION IN CONNECTION WITH AN ELECTION , 27
INCLUDING STATE, COUNTY, MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, AND BALLOT ISSUE 28
ELECTIONS. 29
HOUSE BILL 584 3
(2) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL PROVIDE BY LAW: 1
(I) A DEFINITION OF A FOREIGN–INFLUENCED CORPORATION 2
FOR PURPOSES OF PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION; 3
(II) A REQUIREMENT OF THE DISCLOSURE OF THE TR UE, 4
ULTIMATE SOURCES OF SIGNIFICANT FUNDS USED FOR POLITICAL S PENDING, 5
CONSISTENT WITH THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES; AND 6
(III) APPROPRIATE PROVISIONS FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF 7
THIS SUBSECTION. 8
(3) THE LEGISLATION REQUIRED UNDER PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS 9
SUBSECTION SHALL TAKE EFFECT ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2027. 10
(C) (1) IN THIS SUBSECTION, “PROGRAM” MEANS THE MARYLAND FAIR 11
ELECTIONS PROGRAM. 12
(2) THERE IS A MARYLAND FAIR ELECTIONS PROGRAM. 13
(3) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE PUBLIC 14
CAMPAIGN FINANCING FOR CANDIDATES FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 15
(4) PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM SHALL BE VOLU NTARY FOR 16
CANDIDATES FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 17
(5) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL PROVIDE BY LAW FOR THE 18
GOVERNANCE OF THE PROGRAM, INCLUDING: 19
(I) CRITERIA FOR CANDIDATES FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 20
TO DEMONSTRATE SMALL DO NOR SUPPORT TO QUALIFY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 21
PROGRAM; 22
(II) LIMITS ON PRIVATE FUNDRAISI NG FOR CANDIDATES FOR 23
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM; 24
(III) A MARYLAND FAIR ELECTIONS FUND TO PROVIDE PUBLIC 25
CAMPAIGN FINANCING UNDER THE PROGRAM; AND 26
(IV) A STABLE AND SUSTAINABLE SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR THE 27
MARYLAND FAIR ELECTIONS FUND. 28
4 HOUSE BILL 584
(6) THE LEGISLATION REQUIRED UNDER PARAG RAPH (5) OF THIS 1
SUBSECTION SHALL BE IN EFFECT BEGINNING WITH THE ELECTIONS FOR TH E 2
GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT ARE HELD IN 2030. 3
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the General Assembly 4
determines that the amendment to the Maryland Constitution proposed by Section 1 of this 5
Act affects multiple jurisdictions and that the provisions of Article XIV, § 1 of the Maryland 6
Constitution concerning local approval of constitutional amendments do not apply. 7
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 8
(a) The amendment to the Maryland Constitution proposed by Section 1 of this 9
Act shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the State at the next general election to be 10
held in November 202 6 for adoption or rejection in accordance with Article XIV of the 11
Maryland Constitution. 12
(b) (1) At that general election, the vote on the proposed amendment to the 13
Constitution shall be by ballot, and on each ballot there shall be printed the words “For the 14
Constitutional Amendment” and “Against the Constitutional Amendment”, as now 15
provided by law. 16
(2) At that general election, a question substantially similar to the 17
following shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the State: 18
“Question ___ – Constitutional Amendment 19
Do you favor amending the Maryland Constitution to: 20
(1) require a Maryland Voting Rights Act that protects voters from 21
discrimination and makes sure eligible voters can cast a ballot; 22
(2) ban foreign governments, foreign nationals, and foreign –influenced 23
corporations from spending money in Maryland elections and require public disclosure of 24
major political donors; and 25
(3) set up a voluntary “Fair Elections” program that gives public matching 26
funds to candidates for the Maryland General Assembly who rely on small dona tions from 27
Maryland residents?”. 28
(c) Immediately after the election, all returns shall be made to the Governor of 29
the vote for and against the proposed amendment, as directed by Article XIV of the 30
Maryland Constitution, and further proceedings held in accordance with Article XIV. 31