SB0617 • 2026

Video Lottery Operations - Prohibitions on Campaign Contributions - Parity Act

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Senator Watson
Last action: 2026-02-05
Official status: In the Senate - Hearing 2/25 at 1:00 p.m.
Effective date: 2027-01-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Video Lottery Operations - Prohibitions on Campaign Contributions - Parity Act

Repealing the prohibition on applicants for and holders of video lottery operation licenses and persons who own an interest in video lottery facility operations in the State from directly or indirectly making contributions to certain campaign finance entities.

What This Bill Does

Repealing the prohibition on applicants for and holders of video lottery operation licenses and persons who own an interest in video lottery facility operations in the State from directly or indirectly making contributions to certain campaign finance entities.

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

2026-02-05 Senate
First Reading Budget and Taxation
2026-02-05 Senate
Hearing 2/25 at 1:00 p.m.
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Video Lottery Operations - Prohibitions on Campaign Contributions - Parity Act

Official Summary Text

Repealing the prohibition on applicants for and holders of video lottery operation licenses and persons who own an interest in video lottery facility operations in the State from directly or indirectly making contributions to certain campaign finance entities.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0617*

SENATE BILL 617
C7, G1 6lr2998
CF HB 75
By: Senator Watson
Introduced and read first time: February 5, 2026
Assigned to: Budget and Taxation

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Video Lottery Operations – Prohibitions on Campaign Contributions – Parity 2
Act 3

FOR the purpose of repealing the prohibition on applicants for and holders of video lottery 4
operation licenses and persons who own an interest in video lottery facility 5
operations in the State from directly or indirectly making contributions to certain 6
campaign finance entities; and generally relating to campaign finance contributions 7
by persons with an interest in video lottery operations. 8

BY repealing 9
Article – Election Law 10
Section 13–237 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 13

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15

Article – Election Law 16

[13–237. 17

(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 18

(2) “Own” has the meaning stated in § 9 –1A–01 of the State Government 19
Article. 20

(3) “Video lottery facility” has the meaning stated in § 9–1A–01 of the State 21
Government Article. 22

2 SENATE BILL 617

(4) “Video lottery operation license” has the meaning stated in § 9 –1A–01 1
of the State Government Article. 2

(b) This section applies to the following persons: 3

(1) an applicant for a video lottery operation license; 4

(2) a holder of a video lottery operation license; or 5

(3) a person who owns an interest in the operation of a video lottery facility 6
in this State. 7

(c) This section does not apply to gaming activity that an eligible organization is 8
authorized to conduct under the Criminal Law Article. 9

(d) A person subject to this section may not, directly or indirectly, make a 10
contribution to: 11

(1) the campaign finance entity of a candidate for any nonfederal public 12
office in the State; or 13

(2) any other campaign finance entity organ ized in support of a candidate 14
for any nonfederal public office in the State.] 15

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 16
January 1, 2027. 17