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*sb0629*
SENATE BILL 629
S1, P3, F2 6lr2440
CF HB 718
By: Senator Kramer
Introduced and read first time: February 5, 2026
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
Committee Report: Favorable
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 25, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Information Technology – State and Higher Education E–Mail – Requirements 2
FOR the purpose of establishing that certain provisions of law governing information 3
technology plans apply to certain public institutions of higher education; establishing 4
a certain policy of the State relating to State and higher education employee e–mail 5
systems; requiring certain policies, plans, and standards to include certain 6
provisions relating to e –mail security ; and generally relating to State e–mail 7
systems. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
Article – State Finance and Procurement 10
Section 3.5–302(c) and 3.5–305 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2021 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 – State Finance and Procurement 16
3.5–302. 17
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except as provided in subsection 18
(a) of this section and §§ 3.5–305, 3.5–307(a)(2), 3.5–308, and 3.5–309 of this subtitle, this 19
subtitle applies to all units of the Executive Branch of State government including public 20
2 SENATE BILL 629
institutions of higher education other than Morgan State University, the University 1
System of Maryland, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, and Baltimore City Community 2
College. 3
3.5–305. 4
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 5
INDICATED. 6
(2) (I) “SPAM E –MAIL” MEANS UNSOLICITED, PHISHING, 7
SOLICITATION, AND BULK E–MAILS UNRELATED TO STATE BUSINESS. 8
(II) “SPAM E –MAIL” DOES NOT INCLUDE SOL ICITATION AND 9
BULK E–MAILS RELATING TO STATE BUSINESS , INCLUDING BULK E–MAIL FROM 10
STATE VENDORS, PARTNERS, AND EXCLUSIVE REPRESENTATIVES. 11
(3) “STATE BUSINESS” MEANS THE FURTHERANC E OF THE STATE’S 12
OBLIGATIONS: 13
(I) UNDER THE MARYLAND CONSTITUTION, MARYLAND CODE, 14
AND CODE OF MARYLAND REGULATIONS; 15
(II) UNDER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES; AND 16
(III) BY OPERATION OF CONTRACTS AND SIMILAR OBLIGATIONS. 17
(B) IT IS THE POLICY OF T HE STATE THAT E –MAIL SYSTEMS AND 18
RESOURCES FOR STATE AND HIGHER EDUC ATION EMPLOYEES ARE INTENDED TO 19
SUPPORT STATE BUSINESS AND MAY NOT SERVE AS A PUBLIC FORUM. 20
[(a)] (C) Except as provided in subsection [(b)] (D) of this section, in accordance 21
with guidelines established by the Secretary, each unit of State government shall develop 22
and submit to the Secretary: 23
(1) information technology policies and standards; 24
(2) an information technology plan; and 25
(3) an annual project plan outlining the status of efforts to make 26
information and services available to the public over the Internet. 27
[(b)] (D) (1) The governing boards of the public institutions of higher 28
education shall develop and submit information technology policies and standards and an 29
information technology plan for their respective institutions or systems to the Secretary. 30
SENATE BILL 629 3
(2) If the Secretary finds that the submissions required under this 1
subsection are consistent with the master plan, the Secretary shall incorporate those 2
submissions into the master plan. 3
(3) If the Secretary finds that the submissions required under this 4
subsection are not consistent with the master plan: 5
(i) the Secretary shall return the submissions to the governing 6
boards; and 7
(ii) the governing boards shall revise the submissions as appropriate 8
and submit the revised policies, standards, and plans to the Secretary. 9
(E) (1) IN ORDER TO PROTECT T HE INFORMATION TECHN OLOGY 10
RESOURCES OF THE STATE, THE POLICIES , PLANS, AND STANDARDS REQUIR ED 11
UNDER SUBSECTIONS (C) AND (D) OF THIS SECTION SHALL INCLUDE PROVISIONS TO 12
PROTECT STATE AND HIGHER EDUCATION EMPLOYEE E –MAIL SERVICES FROM 13
SPAM E–MAIL AND OTHER USE THAT D OES NOT SUPPORT STATE BUSINESS , 14
INCLUDING BY IMPLEME NTING SYSTEMS THAT A UTOMATICALLY FILTER SPAM 15
E–MAIL FROM STATE AND HIGHER EDUCATION EMPLOYEES’ E–MAIL ACCOUNTS. 16
(2) THE POLICIES , PLANS, AND STANDARDS REQUIR ED UNDER 17
SUBSECTIONS (C) AND (D) OF THIS SECTION SHALL PERMIT INCIDENTAL PERSONAL 18
USE OF INFORMATION T ECHNOLOGY, INCLUDING E –MAIL, BY STATE EMPLOYEES 19
THAT: 20
(I) HAS A DE MINIMIS IMPACT ON RESOURCES; AND 21
(II) IS CONSISTENT WITH G ENERALLY ACCEPTED 22
PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS NORMS AND EXPECTATIONS. 23
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 24
October 1, 2026. 25
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.