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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1265*
HOUSE BILL 1265
G1 6lr3425
HB 1120/23 – W&M
By: Delegates McComas, Baker, Beauchamp, Ciliberti, Hutchinson, and Miller
Introduced and read first time: February 12, 2026
Assigned to: Government, Labor, and Elections
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Election Law – Candidate Truthfulness – Oath 2
FOR the purpose of requiring a candidate to submit a certain oath or statement with the 3
candidate’s certificate of candidacy relating to the candidate’s truthfulness regarding 4
certain information while campaigning for office; subjecting a candidate who attests 5
to the oath to certain sanctions for a violation of the oath; and generally relating to 6
oaths of candidate truthfulness. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Election Law 9
Section 5–304(d) 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12
BY adding to 13
Article – Election Law 14
Section 5–306 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2022 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 – Election Law 20
5–304. 21
(d) The certificate of candidacy shall be accompanied by: 22
(1) a filing fee satisfying the requirements of § 5–401 of this title; 23
2 HOUSE BILL 1265
(2) a separate form, unless such a form has previously been filed, 1
establishing a campaign finance entity under Title 13 of this article; 2
(3) evidence that the individual has filed: 3
(i) a financial disclosure statement with the State Ethics 4
Commission in accordance with the requirements of Title 5, Subtitle 6 of the General 5
Provisions Article; or 6
(ii) any other financial disclosure report required by law; [and] 7
(4) THE SIGNED OATH OR S TATEMENT REQUIRED UNDER § 5–306 OF 8
THIS SUBTITLE; AND 9
[(4)] (5) any additional information required by the State Board. 10
5–306. 11
A CANDIDATE SHALL SUBM IT WITH THE CANDIDAT E’S CERTIFICATE OF 12
CANDIDACY: 13
(1) THE FOLLOWING OATH, SIGNED BY THE CANDIDATE: 14
“1. I, __________, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM, AS A CONDITION OF FI LING 15
TO BE A CANDIDATE FOR AN ELECTED OFFICE IN MARYLAND, THAT ALL MATERIAL, 16
ORAL OR WRITTEN, I PROVIDE TO THE PUBLI C WILL BE FACTUALLY TRUTHFUL TO 17
THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE AND BELIEF; 18
2. THAT I MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHARGES OF PERJURY, DISQUALIFICATION OF MY 19
CANDIDACY, OR REMOVAL FROM OFFI CE IF I KNOWINGLY DISSEMINAT E 20
DELIBERATELY FALSE INFORMATION, INCLUDING INFORMATION REGARDING: 21
(1) PAST OR PRESENT EMPLOYMENT; 22
(2) CRIMINAL OR CIVIL LEGAL HISTORY; AND 23
(3) FORMAL MEMBERSHIP OR AFFILIATION WITH A N ONPROFIT OR 24
FOR–PROFIT ORGANIZATION OR A RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION. 25
3. THAT, AS A CANDIDATE FOR PUBLIC OFFICE, I WILL PROMISE TO FAITHFULLY 26
AND IMPARTIALLY PERF ORM ALL DUTIES INCUMBENT O N ME IN THE OFFICE I AM 27
SEEKING, UNDER THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND THIS 28
STATE. 29
HOUSE BILL 1265 3
4. THIS OATH DOES NOT PROHIBIT A CANDIDATE FROM, IN THE NORMAL COURSE 1
OF CAMPAIGNING, EMBELLISHING OR EDITORIALIZING NONFACTUAL OPINIONS OR 2
INFORMATION, INCLUDING PERSONAL INFORMATION. 3
5. THE INFORMATION INCLU DED IN OR ACCOMPANYI NG MY CERTIFICATE OF 4
CANDIDACY, INCLUDING THIS DOCUMENT, IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION. 5
_______________________ __________ 6
(SIGNATURE) (DATE)”; OR 7
(2) IF THE CANDIDATE DEC LINES TO SIGN THE OA TH DESCRIBED 8
UNDER ITEM (1) OF THIS SECTION , THE FOLLOWING OATH, SIGNED BY THE 9
CANDIDATE: 10
“1. I, __________, CHOOSE NOT TO SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT I WILL BE TRUTHFUL 11
IN MY FACTUAL DISCLO SURES TO THE PUBLIC IN THE COURSE OF MY CANDIDA CY 12
FOR THE OFFICE I AM SEEKING. 13
2. THE INFORMATION INCLU DED IN OR ACCOMPANYI NG MY CERTIFICATE OF 14
CANDIDACY, INCLUDING THIS DOCUMENT, IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION. 15
_______________________ __________ 16
(SIGNATURE) (DATE)”. 17
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, if any provision of this Act or 18
the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid for any reason in a 19
court of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or any oth er 20
application of this Act that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, 21
and for this purpose the provisions of this Act are declared severable. 22
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 23
1, 2026. 24