State Government – Maryland Reparations Commission – Revisions

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0476*

SENATE BILL 476
P1 6lr3258
CF 6lr3252
By: Senator Muse
Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2026
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

State Government – Maryland Reparations Commission – Revisions 2

FOR the purpose of altering the membership, duties, and reporting requirements for the 3
Maryland Reparations Commission; and generally relating to the Maryland 4
Reparations Commission. 5

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 6
Chapter 9 of the Acts of the General Assembly of the 2025 Special Session 7
Section 1(b) 8

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
Chapter 9 of the Acts of the General Assembly of the 2025 Special Session 10
Section 1(c)(7), (12), and (13) and (g)(1) and 2 11

BY adding to 12
Chapter 9 of the Acts of the General Assembly of the 2025 Special Session 13
Section 1(c)(13) through (15) and (17) 14

SECTION 1. BE IT E NACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16

Chapter 9 of the Acts of the 2025 Special Session 17

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
That: 19

(b) There is a Maryland Reparations Commission. 20

(c) The Commission consists of: 21

2 SENATE BILL 476

(7) one member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored 1
People, [designated by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People 2
Maryland State Conference President ] APPOINTED JOINTLY BY THE PRESIDENT OF 3
THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE; 4

(12) a representative of the Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation 5
Commission, designated by the Chair of the Commission; [and] 6

(13) A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MARYLAND COMMISSION FOR 7
AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE, DESIGNATED BY THE CHAIR OF THE 8
COMMISSION; 9

(14) ONE FAITH LEADER APP OINTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE 10
SENATE; 11

(15) ONE FAITH LEADER APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE; 12

[(13)] (16) the following members appointed by the Governor: 13

(i) a mental health expert; 14

(ii) two historians, with expertise in researching the impacts of 15
enslavement and housing segregation; 16

(iii) a representative of a religious institution that ser ves a 17
community with a high minority population; 18

(iv) an attorney with expertise in civil rights law or constitutional 19
law; AND 20

(v) a representative of an African American financial institution; 21
and 22

[(vi) two members of the general public] 23

(17) FOUR MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC, TWO APPOINTED BY 24
THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND TWO APPOIN TED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE 25
HOUSE. 26

(g) (1) The Commission shall: 27

(I) HOLD AT LEAST THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND 28
CONTINUOUSLY SOLICIT PUBLIC INPUT; 29

SENATE BILL 476 3

[(i)] (II) study and make recommendations relating to appropriate 1
benefits to be offered to individuals impacted by historical inequality; 2

[(ii)] (III) on or before [January 1, 2027 ] SEPTEMBER 1, 2028, 3
submit a preliminary report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and, in 4
accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly; and 5

[(iii)] (IV) on or before [November 1, 2027 ] DECEMBER 1, 2028, 6
submit a fina l report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and, in 7
accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly. 8

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 9
1, 2025. It shall remain effec tive for a period of [3] 4 years and, at the end of June 30, 10
[2028] 2029, this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be 11
abrogated and of no further force and effect. 12

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 13
1, 2026. 14