SB 443 Maryland Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Local Boards of Elections - Board Counsel - Qualifications

SB 443 changes the qualifications for legal counsel serving on Maryland's local election boards. It replaces a requirement that counsel must be a registered voter in their specific county with a statewide requirement that counsel must be a registered voter in Maryland. The bill also maintains the existing requirement that counsel must be licensed to practice law in Maryland. These changes apply directly to county election boards statewide, affecting who can serve as their legal counsel.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Apr 2026

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2026

Signed into Law

Apr 2026

Introduced Jan 30, 2026 Signed Apr 28, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Local Boards of Elections - Board Counsel - Qualifications → Third - Local Boards of Elections - Board Counsel - Qualifications · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill updates the procedural status of SB 443, marking it as an emergency measure that has been adopted by the Senate and read a second time. It also reorganizes the bill's text, moving the main statute to the top and adding a legend explaining how to read the amendments (capital letters for additions, brackets for deletions).

Scope change

The bill's substantive scope regarding local board counsel qualifications remains unchanged, but the document structure has been modified to reflect its emergency status and adoption.

TIMELINE

Added a declaration that the bill is an emergency measure necessary for public health or safety, requiring a three-fifths vote to pass.

TECHNICAL

Added a legend explaining that capital letters indicate new text added to existing law and brackets indicate deleted text.

Reordered the bill text to place the statute section (2-205) above the explanatory legend and removed the original bill header.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 27, 2026 · House of Delegates Apr 1, 2026

How they voted

47–0

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 49

Feb 27, 2026

D Democratic36

34 Yea 2

94% Yea

R Republican13

13 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 28, 2026

Signed into law

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 257

executive

Apr 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Returned Passed

upper

Apr 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Apr 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed

lower

Apr 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable Report by Government, Labor, and Elections

lower

Apr 1, 2026

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (116-18-8)

house of delegates

Mar 13, 2026

Committee

Referred Government, Labor, and Elections

lower

Mar 12, 2026

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable Adopted

upper

Mar 9, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

Feb 27, 2026

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (47-0-2)

senate

Jan 30, 2026

Committee

First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

4 primary · 0 co-sponsors