SB 929 Maryland Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Workgroup on Mail-In Ballot Accessibility

SB 929 creates a Workgroup on Mail-In Ballot Accessibility to study and improve mail-in voting processes, specifically focusing on accessibility for voters with disabilities. The Workgroup includes state officials, disability advocacy representatives, and experts in accessibility, election security, and cybersecurity, and will examine current ballot return procedures, assess the impact of paper-only requirements, and evaluate accessible alternatives from other states. It must submit findings and recommendations - including potential policy changes - to the Governor and legislature by December 31, 2025. The bill takes effect June 1, 2025, and expires June 30, 2026, without requiring further legislative action.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 3, 2025 Last action Mar 26, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Workgroup on Mail-In Ballot Accessibility → Third - Workgroup on Mail-In Ballot Accessibility · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill was amended to update its official title reference from a Senate bill to a House bill, add committee and adoption status information, and significantly revise the composition of the Workgroup on Mail-In Ballot Accessibility. The changes include adding new expert positions focused on cybersecurity and election security, reorganizing the list of appointed members, and expanding the Workgroup's duties to include consultation with the National Institute of Standards and Technology on cybersecurity issues.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include additional cybersecurity and election security expertise in the Workgroup composition, and the Workgroup's responsibilities were broadened to include administrative time and cost analysis along with consultation with federal cybersecurity standards.

REQUIREMENT

Added the Director of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and the State Chief Information Security Officer as appointed members of the Workgroup

Added the Executive Director of the Cybersecurity Association of Maryland and the Director of Computer Science at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County as appointed members

Added the Executive Director of the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council as an appointed member

Reorganized and renumbered the list of appointed members to include additional cybersecurity and election security experts

Added requirement for the Workgroup to consult with the National Institute of Standards and Technology on cybersecurity issues

Expanded Workgroup duties to include examination of administrative time, costs, ballot return rates, and security issues

TECHNICAL

Updated bill header to reflect House bill number HB 1097 and added committee report and adoption status information

Floor votes · Senate Feb 24, 2025

How they voted

34–11

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 46

Feb 24, 2025

D Democratic33

32 Yea 1

96% Yea

R Republican13

2 Yea 11 Nay

84% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Mar 13, 2025

Committee

Referred Ways and Means

lower

Mar 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Introduced

Floor Amendment {

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Motion Special Order until Next Session (Senator Kagan) Adopted

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

upper

Mar 11, 2025

Upper · Passed

Motion Special Order until 3/12 (Senator Kagan) Adopted

upper

Mar 11, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

upper

Mar 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

Feb 24, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (34-11-1)

senate

Feb 3, 2025

Committee

First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

3 primary · 0 co-sponsors