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HB0636 • 2026

Public Ethics - Members of the General Assembly - State and Local Government Employment Exemption

Public Ethics - Members of the General Assembly - State and Local Government Employment Exemption

Elections
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Delegates Harrison , Alston , Ivey , Lehman , Simmons , and Toles
Last action
2026-02-06
Official status
In the House - Hearing 2/24 at 1:00 p.m.
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.

Public Ethics - Members of the General Assembly - State and Local Government Employment Exemption

Exempting a member of the General Assembly, a filed candidate for election to the General Assembly, or a member-elect of the General Assembly from the prohibition against receiving earned income from an executive unit or political subdivision of the State under certain circumstances.

What This Bill Does

  • Exempting a member of the General Assembly, a filed candidate for election to the General Assembly, or a member-elect of the General Assembly from the prohibition against receiving earned income from an executive unit or political subdivision of the State under certain circumstances.

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

  1. 2026-02-06 House

    Hearing 2/24 at 1:00 p.m.

  2. 2026-01-30 House

    First Reading Government, Labor, and Elections

  3. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - First - Public Ethics - Members of the General Assembly - State and Local Government Employment Exemption

Official Summary Text

Exempting a member of the General Assembly, a filed candidate for election to the General Assembly, or a member-elect of the General Assembly from the prohibition against receiving earned income from an executive unit or political subdivision of the State under certain circumstances.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0636*

HOUSE BILL 636
G2 6lr3212
CF 6lr3209
By: Delegates Harrison, Alston, Ivey, Lehman, Simmons, and Toles
Introduced and read first time: January 30, 2026
Assigned to: Government, Labor, and Elections

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Public Ethics – Members of the General Assembly – State and Local Government 2
Employment Exemption 3

FOR the purpose of exempting a member of the General Assembly, a filed candidate for 4
election to the General Assembly, or a member –elect of the General Assembly from 5
the prohibition against receiving earned income from an executive unit or political 6
subdivision of the State under certain circumstances; and generally rel ating to 7
earned income by members of the General Assembly, filed candidates for election to 8
the General Assembly, and members–elect of the General Assembly. 9

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10
Article – General Provisions 11
Section 5–514(a) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2019 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 – General Provisions 17

5–514. 18

(a) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) or (3) of this subsection, a member 19
of the General Assembly, a filed candidate for election to the General Assembly, or a 20
member–elect of the General Assembly may not receive earned income from: 21

(i) an executive unit; or 22

(ii) a political subdivision of the State. 23

2 HOUSE BILL 636

(2) The Joint Ethics Committee may exempt an individual from the 1
provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection if the earned income is for: 2

(i) educational instruction provided by the member, candidate, or 3
member–elect; 4

(ii) a position that is subject to a merit system hiring process; 5

(iii) a human services position; or 6

(iv) a career promotion, change, or progression that is a logical 7
transition from a pre –existing relationship as described in paragraph (3)(ii) of this 8
subsection. 9

(3) This subsection does not apply to compensation to a member, candidate, 10
or member–elect derived from: 11

(i) employment as a nonelected law enforcement officer or a fire or 12
rescue squad worker; [or] 13

(ii) a transaction or relationship that existed before the individual: 14

1. filed a certificate of candidacy for election to the General 15
Assembly while the individual was not an incumbent member of the General Assembly; or 16

2. was appointed to fill a vacancy; OR 17

(III) A TRANSACTION OR RELATIONSHIP: 18

1. THAT THE INDIVIDUAL ENTERED INTO AFTER HAVING 19
SERVED AT LEAST ONE FULL ELECTED TERM IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY; AND 20

2. FOR WHICH THE INDIVI DUAL HAS OBJECTIVELY 21
SATISFIED THE MINIMU M EDUCATION , LICENSURE, AND EXPERIENCE 22
REQUIREMENTS. 23

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 24
October 1, 2026. 25