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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1454*
HOUSE BILL 1454
G1 6lr2136
By: Delegate Queen
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Government, Labor, and Elections
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Campaign Finance – Security Expenditures – Authorization 2
FOR the purpose of requiring a treasurer of a campaign finance entity to keep certain 3
records relating to a security expenditure; authorizing a campaign finance entity to 4
make certain security expenditures; requiring certain individuals to return certain 5
security–related items to the campaign finance entity that purchased the items or to 6
reimburse the campaign finance entity for the items; requiring campaign finance 7
reports to include certain information regarding a threat that necessitated a security 8
expenditure; and generally relating to security expenditures by campaign finance 9
entities. 10
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 11
Article – Election Law 12
Section 1–101(a) and 13–221(a)(1) 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 15
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 16
Article – Election Law 17
Section 1–101(aa), 13–221(a)(2), and 13–304(b) 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 20
BY adding to 21
Article – Election Law 22
Section 13–251 23
Annotated Code of Maryland 24
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 25
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 26
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 27
2 HOUSE BILL 1454
Article – Election Law 1
1–101. 2
(a) In this article the following words have the meanings indicated unless a 3
different meaning is clearly intended from the context. 4
(aa) (1) “Expenditure” means a gift, transfer, disbursement, or promise of 5
money or a thing of value by or on behalf of a campaign finance entity to: 6
[(1)] (I) promote or assist in the promotion of the success or defeat of a 7
candidate, political party, question, or prospective question at an election; 8
[(2)] (II) pay expenses associated with contesting an election under Title 9
12 of this article; or 10
[(3)] (III) pay for the publication expense of a legislative newsletter under 11
Title 13, Subtitle 4 of this article. 12
(2) “EXPENDITURE” INCLUDES A SECURITY EXPENDITURE UNDER § 13
13–251 OF THIS ARTICLE. 14
13–221. 15
(a) (1) The treasurer of a campaign finance entity shall keep a detailed and 16
accurate account book of all assets received, expenditures made, and obligations incurred 17
by or on behalf of the entity. 18
(2) Except as provided in § 13–240 of this subtitle, as to each asset received 19
or expenditure made, the account book shall state: 20
(i) its amount or value; 21
(ii) the date of the receipt or expenditure; 22
(iii) the name and address of the person from wh om the asset was 23
received or to whom the expenditure was made; [and] 24
(iv) a description of the asset received or the purpose for which the 25
expenditure was made; AND 26
(V) FOR A SECURITY EXPEN DITURE OR REIMBURSEMENT 27
UNDER § 13–251 OF THIS SUBTITLE, A DESCRIPTION OF THE EVIDENCE OF THE 28
THREAT THAT GAVE RISE TO THE SECURITY EXPENDITURE. 29
HOUSE BILL 1454 3
13–251. 1
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 2
INDICATED. 3
(2) “CONTINUING THREAT” MEANS A THREAT TO A PROTECTEE THAT: 4
(I) ARISES FROM THE PROTECTEE’S ACTIVITIES , DUTIES, OR 5
STATUS AS, OR ASSOCIATION WITH, A CANDIDATE OR ELECTED OFFICIAL; AND 6
(II) HAS BEEN REPORTED TO , AND VERIFIED BY , AN 7
APPROPRIATE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. 8
(3) “PAY” INCLUDES REIMBURS EMENT TO THE STATE FOR A 9
SECURITY EXPENSE ASSOCIATED WITH A PROTECTEE. 10
(4) (I) “PROTECTEE” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS BEING 11
PROTECTED. 12
(II) “PROTECTEE” INCLUDES: 13
1. A CANDIDATE; 14
2. AN ELECTED OFFICIAL; 15
3. A MEMBER OF THE IMME DIATE FAMILY OF A 16
CANDIDATE OR ELECTED OFFICIAL; AND 17
4. A MEMBER OF THE STAF F OF A CANDIDATE OR 18
ELECTED OFFICIAL. 19
(5) “SECURITY EXPENDITURE ” INCLUDES PAYMENT FOR THE 20
REASONABLE COST OF: 21
(I) THE INSTALLATION AND MONITORING OF AN ELE CTRONIC 22
SECURITY SYSTEM; 23
(II) PERSONAL SECURITY SERVICES; 24
(III) REIMBURSING THE STATE FOR GOODS OR SE RVICES 25
NECESSARY TO PROVIDE SECURITY TO A PROTECTEE; AND 26
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(IV) OTHER GOODS OR SERVI CES NECESSARY TO PRO VIDE 1
SECURITY TO A PROTECTEE. 2
(B) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION, A SECURITY 3
EXPENDITURE MAY BE M ADE FROM CAMPAIGN FUNDS IF A THREAT TO A 4
PROTECTEE’S SAFETY ARISES FROM: 5
(1) THE PROTECTEE ’S ACTIVITIES , DUTIES, OR STATUS AS A 6
CANDIDATE OR ELECTED OFFICIAL; OR 7
(2) THE PROTECTEE’S ASSOCIATION WITH A CANDIDATE OR ELECTED 8
OFFICIAL. 9
(C) A SECURITY EXPENDITURE MAY NOT BE MADE: 10
(1) TO PAY FOR A FIREARM; OR 11
(2) TO A CANDIDATE OR ELECTED OFFICIAL’S CHILD, GRANDCHILD, 12
GREAT–GRANDCHILD, PARENT, GRANDPARENT, GREAT–GRANDPARENT, SIBLING, 13
SIBLING’S CHILD, OR PARENT’S SIBLING. 14
(D) TOTAL LIFETIME SECURITY EXPENDITURES MADE ON BEHALF OF AN 15
INDIVIDUAL WHO IS A CANDIDATE OR AN ELECTED OFFICIAL MAY NOT EXCEED 16
$10,000. 17
(E) WITHIN THE TIME PERIOD REQUIRED UNDER SUBSECTION (F) OF THIS 18
SECTION: 19
(1) A TANGIBLE ITEM PURCHA SED UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE 20
RETURNED TO THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE ENT ITY THAT PURCHASED THE TANGIBLE 21
ITEM; OR 22
(2) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (H) OF THIS SECTION, THE 23
INDIVIDUAL WHO RETAINS THE TANGIBLE ITEM SHALL REIMBURSE THE CAMPAIGN 24
FINANCE ENTITY THAT PURCHASED THE TANGIBLE ITEM. 25
(F) REIMBURSEMENT OR RETU RN OF A TANGIBLE ITE M UNDER 26
SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE MADE: 27
(1) FOR A CONTINUING THREAT, AT THE EARLIER OF: 28
(I) WITHIN 1 YEAR AFTER THE CESSATION OF THE CONTINUING 29
THREAT; OR 30
HOUSE BILL 1454 5
(II) ON SALE OF THE REAL PROPERTY FOR WHICH A TANGIBLE 1
ITEM WAS PURCHASED WITH A SECURITY EXPENDITURE; OR 2
(2) FOR A THREAT OTHER T HAN A CONTINUING THR EAT, AT THE 3
EARLIER OF: 4
(I) WITHIN 1 YEAR AFTER THE END OF AN ELECTED OFFICIAL’S 5
TERM OR AFTER A CANDIDATE CEASES TO BE A CANDIDATE; OR 6
(II) ON SALE OF THE REAL PROPERTY FOR WHICH A TANGIBLE 7
ITEM WAS PURCHASED THROUGH A SECURITY EXPENDITURE. 8
(G) (1) AN INDIVIDUAL SHALL REIMBURSE A CAMPAIGN FINANCE ENTITY 9
FOR A TANGIBLE ITEM RETAINED UNDER THIS SECTION AT FAIR MARKET VALUE. 10
(2) FOR PURPOSE S OF PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION , THE 11
FAIR MARKET VALUE SHALL BE DETERMINED AT THE EA RLIER OF THE TIME TH AT 12
THE REIMBURSEMENT IS MADE OR THE TIME THAT THE REIMBURSEMENT IS DUE. 13
(H) FOR A TANGIBLE ITEM P URCHASED FOR , OR A SECURITY SYSTEM 14
INSTALLED AT THE HOM E OR OFFICE OR ON TH E VEHICLE OF , AN IMMEDIATE 15
FAMILY MEMBER OR STA FF OF A CANDIDATE OR ELECTED OFFICIAL , 16
REIMBURSEMENT MAY BE MADE BY THE CANDIDATE OR ELECTED OFFICIAL OR THE 17
IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER OR STAFF OF THE CANDIDATE OR ELECTED OFFICIAL. 18
(I) (1) IN EACH CAMPAIGN FINA NCE REPORT THAT INCLUDES A 19
SECURITY EXPENDITURE, A CAMPAIGN FINANCE ENTITY SHALL INCLUDE: 20
(I) A DESCRIPTION OF THE THREAT THAT NECESSITATED THE 21
SECURITY EXPENDITURE; AND 22
(II) DOCUMENTATION SUFFICIENT TO VERIFY THE THREAT. 23
(2) INFORMATION REQUIRED TO BE REPORTED UNDER PARAGRAPH 24
(1) OF THIS SUBSECTION SHALL BE ON A FORM THAT THE STATE BOARD REQUIRES. 25
13–304. 26
(b) A campaign finance report filed by a campaign finance entity under subsection 27
(a) of this section shall include: 28
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(1) the information required by the State Board with respect to all 1
contributions received and all expenditures made by or on behalf of the campaign finance 2
entity during the designated reporting period; [and] 3
(2) the information regarding the occupations and employers of 4
contributors required to be recorded by the treasurer of a campaign finance entity under § 5
13–221 of this title; AND 6
(3) THE INFORMATION REGA RDING SECURITY EXPEN DITURES 7
REQUIRED TO BE REPORTED UNDER § 13–251 OF THIS TITLE. 8
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 9
1, 2026. 10