{"id":2088,"date":"2025-04-25T15:04:33","date_gmt":"2025-04-25T19:04:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/maryland\/?post_type=article&p=2088"},"modified":"2025-08-11T13:43:48","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T17:43:48","slug":"2025-pambatasang-pagsusuri","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/maryland\/tl\/articles\/2025-legislative-review\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 Legislative Review"},"template":"","class_list":["post-2088","article","type-article","status-publish","hentry","article_type-blog-post"],"acf":{"details":{"summary":"The Maryland General Assembly adjourned on Monday, April 7, ending the 447th legislative session. Learn about the progress made over the 90 days. ","featured_image":"","article_type":181,"authors":"","related_issues":[442],"related_work":false,"location":null},"sidebar":{"helper_enable_sidebar":false,"helper_media_contact":{"heading":"Media Contact","manually_enter_person":false,"person":"","name":"","role":"","phone":"","email":""},"helper_links_downloads":{"heading":"Links & Downloads","links":null}},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_wysiwyg":{"content":"2025 Legislative Review (PDF)<\/a>"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_wysiwyg":{"content":"This legislative session, Common Cause Maryland worked around the clock to champion legislation that would build a more accessible and inclusive democracy. \u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThanks to our efforts, we successfully secured several important wins for Maryland voters, including legislation to increase language accessibility at the ballot box, s<\/span>trengthen the post-election audit process after each statewide election to ensure secure elections, and increase transparency requirements for scam political action committees (PACs).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nWhile we\u2019re proud of these important wins, we know there\u2019s still a lot of work to be done, including passing the full Maryland Voting Rights Act to protect Maryland voters from ongoing federal attacks on the freedom to vote. We're thankful for the legislators who championed our pro-democracy reforms and look forward to working with them next session. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nLearn more about our priorities and which bills passed into law below. To view a full list of all the bills we advocated for this session, check out our legislative tracker here. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nx<\/strong> Passed\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>o<\/strong>\u00a0Failed<\/strong><\/span>\r\n

Voting\u202fand Elections<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\r\nx<\/strong> <\/span><\/b>Language Assistance \u2013<\/span><\/b> This bill provides expanded language assistance to communities of voters who speak limited English or simply prefer to vote in the language they are most comfortable speaking. Now, most election-related materials will be translated into multiple languages, and secure virtual oral language assistance services will be available at polling places in certain jurisdictions across the state, helping to ensure that no eligible voter is left behind at the ballot box. This reform was part of the larger Maryland Voting Rights Act (MDVRA) package of bills. <\/span>SB 685, HB 983 (Sen. Augustine, Del. Mireku-North)\u00a0<\/em>\r\n\r\nx<\/strong> <\/span><\/b> Risk-Limiting Audits<\/span><\/b> - This bill requires local boards of elections, in collaboration with the State Board of Elections, to use \u201cthe gold standard\u201d for post-election ballot audits in an era when our election systems face unprecedented domestic and international threats. \u00a0<\/span>Post-election audits are highly effective methods to ensure correct election results and increase public trust in elections. <\/span>Maryland has now joined a growing number of states that have moved to RLAs to better secure our elections. <\/span>SB 313, HB 426 (Sen. M. Washington, Del. Kaiser)\u00a0<\/em>\r\n\r\no<\/strong><\/span><\/b> Special Elections for Legislative Vacancies \u2013 <\/span><\/b>This bill would have amended the state Constitution to require special elections when a seat is vacated by a member of the Maryland General Assembly on or before the date that is 55 days from the candidate filing deadline. 85% of Marylanders favor special elections to fill legislative vacancies.<\/a> This would have ensured that voters get to exercise one of our most fundamental constitutional rights: the right to select the elected officials who represent them.\u202f <\/em><\/span>SB 2, HB 174 (Sen. Kagan, Del. Foley)\u00a0<\/em>\r\n\r\no<\/strong><\/span><\/b> Voting Access for Incarcerated and Returning Citizens <\/span><\/b>\u2013 We continue to work in coalition to ensure returning citizens and eligible incarcerated citizens are aware of their right to vote and have meaningful access to voting and voting information. We are also committed to re-enfranchising the over 16,000 Marylanders who are banned from voting while serving a prison or jail term for a felony conviction. These overwhelmingly Black voters deserve equal access to the ballot box. The bills below r<\/span>eflect these goals. <\/span> Learn more about why we must restore the right to vote.<\/em><\/a>\r\n