EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb1047*
SENATE BILL 1047
G1, G2 EMERGENCY BILL 5lr3658
CF 5lr3657
By: Senator Gallion
Constitutional Requirements Complied with for Introduction in the last 35 Days of Session
Introduced and read first time: March 15, 2025
Assigned to: Rules
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Election Law – State Elected Officials – Fundraising Activities During General 2
Assembly Session 3
FOR the purpose of altering the entities with respect to which certain officials or persons 4
acting on behalf of certain officials are prohibited from taking certain actions related 5
to fundraising during a regular session of the General Assembly; prohibiting certain 6
officials or persons acting on behalf of certain officials from participating in certain 7
fundraising events in a certain manner during a regular session of the General 8
Assembly; and generally relating to fundraising activities of State elected officials. 9
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10
Article – Election Law 11
Section 13–235 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
Article – Election Law 17
13–235. 18
(a) This section applies to the following officials: 19
(1) the Governor; 20
(2) the Lieutenant Governor; 21
(3) the Attorney General; 22 2 SENATE BILL 1047
(4) the Comptroller; 1
(5) the State Treasurer; and 2
(6) a member of the General Assembly. 3
(b) Except as provided in subsection (c), (d), or (e) of this section, during a regular 4
session of the General Assembly an official described in subsection (a) of this section, or a 5
person acting on behalf of the official, may not, as to a candidate for federal, State, or local 6
office[,] or a [campaign finance entity of the candidate or any other campaign finance entity 7
organized under this title and operated in coordination with a candidate] POLITICAL 8
COMMITTEE ORGANIZED UNDER THIS TITLE OR FEDERAL LAW : 9
(1) receive a contribution; 10
(2) conduct a fund–raising event; 11
(3) PARTICIPATE IN A FUN DRAISING EVENT AS A FEATURED GUEST 12
OR SPEAKER OR IN ANO THER ROLE INTENDED T O INCREASE ATTENDANC E AT OR 13
THE AMOUNT OF CONTRI BUTIONS RESULTING FR OM THE FUNDRAISING E VENT; 14
[(3)] (4) solicit a contribution; or 15
[(4)] (5) deposit or use any contribution of money that was not deposited 16
prior to the session. 17
(c) An official described in subsection (a) of this section, or a person acting on 18
behalf of the official, is not subject to this section when engaged in activities solely related 19
to the official’s election to an elective federal or local office for which the official is a filed 20
candidate. 21
(d) Under the Public Financing Act, a gubernatorial ticket, during the year of the 22
election only, may accept eligible private contributions and any disbursement of funds by 23
the State Board that is based on the eligible private contributions. 24
(e) An official described in subsection (a) of this section, or a person acting on 25
behalf of the official, may deposit a contribution during the legislative session if the 26
contribution was made electronically before the start of the session. 27
(f) (1) As to a violation of this section, the campaign finance entity of the 28
official in violation is liable for a civil penalty as provided in § 13–604.1 of this title. 29
(2) A civil penalty imposed under this subsection shall be distributed to the 30
Fair Campaign Financing Fund established under § 15–103 of this article. 31
SENATE BILL 1047 3
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act is an emergency 1
measure, is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health or safety, has 2
been passed by a yea and nay vote supported by three–fifths of all the members elected to 3
each of the two Houses of the General Assembly, and shall take effect from the date it is 4
enacted. 5