HB 97 Maryland House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

State Designations - State Shark - Megalodon

HB 97 designates the extinct megalodon shark (Otodus megalodon) as Maryland's official state shark, symbolically recognizing its fossil history in the state. The bill amends Maryland law to state: "THE MEGALODON (OTODUS MEGALODON) IS THE STATE SHARK," referencing fossil evidence found in counties like Calvert and the Calvert Marine Museum's collection of over 1,700 megalodon teeth. It has no practical effect on living sharks, conservation, or state policy - only serving as a ceremonial designation. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026, after legislative approval. This is a purely symbolic measure with no direct impact on residents or regulations.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Oct 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House of Delegates Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Oct 2, 2025 Last action Mar 23, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - State Designations - State Shark - Megalodon → Third - State Designations - State Shark - Megalodon · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to reflect its progression through the legislative process, adding committee approval and adoption status. The substantive content of the bill remains unchanged, with the megalodon still designated as Maryland's state shark based on fossil evidence found in multiple counties and the Calvert Marine Museum's collection.

Scope change

No substantive scope change; the bill's core designation of the megalodon as the state shark remains identical

TECHNICAL

Added committee report and house action status indicating favorable committee review and adoption

Added signature lines for Governor, Speaker of the House, and President of the Senate

Changed header from 'A BILL ENTITLED' to 'CHAPTER ______' to reflect bill progression

Removed pre-filed status and early filing dates as bill moved to later stages

Reordered WHEREAS clauses to match legislative markup conventions while preserving all substantive content

Floor votes · House of Delegates Mar 10, 2026

How they voted

136–0

Passed · 6 other

Total votes 142

Mar 10, 2026

D Democratic103

100 Yea 3

97% Yea

R Republican39

36 Yea 3

92% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 23, 2026

Committee

Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

Mar 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Mar 21, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed

lower

Mar 21, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable Report by Government, Labor, and Elections

lower

Mar 10, 2026

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (136-0-6)

house of delegates

Jan 14, 2026

Committee

First Reading Government, Labor, and Elections

lower

Oct 2, 2025

Introduced

Pre-filed

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors