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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.
*hb0855*
HOUSE BILL 855
N1 EMERGENCY BILL 6lr2462
CF SB 758
By: Delegates Holmes and Healey
Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2026
Assigned to: Government, Labor, and Elections
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 22, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Common Ownership Communities – Candidate or Proposition Signs – Display 2
Period 3
FOR the purpose of altering, under certain circumstances, the time period during which a 4
common ownership community may restrict the display of candidate or proposition 5
signs; and generally relating to limitations on the display of candidate and 6
proposition signs in common ownership communities. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Corporations and Associations 9
Section 5–6B–23 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2025 Replacement Volume) 12
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 13
Article – Real Property 14
Section 11–111.2 and 11B–111.2 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 17
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19
Article – Corporations and Associations 20
2 HOUSE BILL 855
5–6B–23. 1
(a) In this section, “candidate sign” means a sign on behalf of a candidate for 2
public office or a slate of candidates for public office. 3
(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, a recorded covenant or 4
restriction, a provision in a declaration, or a provision in the bylaws or rules of a cooperative 5
housing corporation may not prohibit or restrict the display of: 6
(1) A candidate sign; or 7
(2) A sign that advertises the support or defeat of any question submitted 8
to the voters in accordance with the Election Law Article. 9
(c) A recorded covenant or restriction, a provision in a declaration, or a provision 10
in the bylaws or rules of a cooperative housing corporation may restrict the display of a 11
candidate sign or a sign that advertises the support or defeat of any proposition: 12
(1) In any areas constituting those portions of a cooperative project 13
possessed in common by the members; 14
(2) In accordance with provisions of federal, State, and local law; or 15
(3) If a limitation to the time period during which signs may be displayed 16
is not specified by a law governing the jurisdiction in which the cooperative housing 17
corporation is located, to a time period not less than: 18
(i) 1. [30] 45 DAYS BEFORE THE STAR T OF EARLY VOTING 19
FOR A PRIMARY ELECTION, GENERAL ELECTION, OR VOTE ON THE PROPOSITION; OR 20
2. IF THERE IS NO EARLY VOTING, 45 days before the 21
primary election, general election, or vote on the proposition; and 22
(ii) 7 days after the primary election, general election, or vote on the 23
proposition. 24
Article – Real Property 25
11–111.2. 26
(a) In this section, “candidate sign” means a sign on behalf of a candidate for 27
public office or a slate of candidates for public office. 28
(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, a recorded covenant or 29
restriction, a provision in a declaration, or a provision in the bylaws or rules of a 30
condominium may not restrict or prohibit the display of: 31
HOUSE BILL 855 3
(1) A candidate sign; or 1
(2) A sign that advertises the support or defeat of any question submitted 2
to voters in accordance with the Election Law Article. 3
(c) A recorded covenant or restriction, a provision in a declaration, or a provision 4
in the bylaws or rules of a condominium may restrict the display of a candidate sign or a 5
sign that advertises the support or defeat of any proposition: 6
(1) In the common elements; 7
(2) In accordance with provisions of federal, State, and local law; or 8
(3) If a limitation to the time period during which signs may be displayed 9
is not specified by a law of the jurisdiction in which the condominium is located, to a time 10
period not less than: 11
(i) 1. [30] 45 DAYS BEFORE THE STAR T OF EARLY VOTING 12
FOR A PRIMARY ELECTION, GENERAL ELECTION, OR VOTE ON THE PROPOSITION; OR 13
2. IF THERE IS NO EARLY VOTING, 45 days before the 14
primary election, general election, or vote on the proposition; and 15
(ii) 7 days after the primary election, general election, or vote on the 16
proposition. 17
11B–111.2. 18
(a) In this section, “candidate sign” means a sign on behalf of a candidate for 19
public office or a slate of candidates for public office. 20
(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, a recorded covenant or 21
restriction, a provision in a declarat ion, or a provision in the bylaws or rules of a 22
homeowners association may not restrict or prohibit the display of: 23
(1) A candidate sign; or 24
(2) A sign that advertises the support or defeat of any question submitted 25
to the voters in accordance with the Election Law Article. 26
(c) A recorded covenant or restriction, a provision in a declaration, or a provision 27
in the bylaws or rules of a homeowners association may restrict the display of a candidate 28
sign or a sign that advertises the support or defeat of any proposition: 29
(1) In the common areas; 30
(2) In accordance with provisions of federal, State, and local law; or 31
4 HOUSE BILL 855
(3) If a limitation to the time period during which signs may be displayed 1
is not specified by a law of the jurisdiction in which the homeowners association is located, 2
to a time period not less than: 3
(i) 1. [30] 45 DAYS BEFORE THE STAR T OF EARLY VOTING 4
FOR A PRIMARY ELECTION, GENERAL ELECTION, OR VOTE ON THE PROPOSITION; OR 5
2. IF THERE IS NO EARLY VOTING, 45 days before the 6
primary election, general election, or vote on the proposition; and 7
(ii) 7 days after the primary election, general election, or vote on the 8
proposition. 9
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act is an emergency 10
measure, is necessary for th e immediate preservation of the public health or safety, has 11
been passed by a yea and nay vote supported by three –fifths of all the members elected to 12
each of the two Houses of the General Assembly, and shall take effect from the date it is 13
enacted. 14
15
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.