Maryland SB 141 (election deepfakes)
Maryland Election Law — Election Misinformation, Disinformation, and Deepfakes (SB 141)
Maryland · 2026 Md. Laws ch. 444 (SB 141)
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- June 1, 2026
- Applies to
- Any person who would create, use, or disseminate election-related deepfakes, subject to the satire/parody and news exemptions.
- Enforced by
- State Administrator of Elections and State Board of Elections; state prosecutors and courts for criminal penalties.
This law makes it a crime to knowingly or with reckless disregard create, use, or disseminate a deepfake to produce materially false information in the election context. It also directs the State Administrator of Elections to publicly issue correct information when there is a credible report of election misinformation, and lets the State Board of Elections file a civil action. The prohibition does not apply to satire or parody or to bona fide news broadcasting.
Who is protected: Maryland voters and the integrity of Maryland elections.
Legal detail
2026 Md. Laws ch. 444 (SB 141) adds an Election Law prohibition on knowingly or recklessly creating, using, or disseminating a deepfake to produce materially false information, with satire/parody and bona fide news exemptions, and authorizes State Board of Elections civil action plus corrective public notices.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Maryland |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Strength | Limited |
| Enacted | May 12, 2026 |
| Citation | 2026 Md. Laws ch. 444 (SB 141) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | A violation is a misdemeanor punishable on conviction by a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment for up to 5 years, or both. |
| Topics | deepfakes · election deepfakes |
| Bill text | Maryland General Assembly — SB 141 (2026), Chapter 444 |
More AI rules in Maryland
- MD HB 1339 (Automated Decision Systems, 2026) · In effect
- Maryland AI Ready Schools Act, SB 720 (2026) · In effect
- Maryland EO 01.01.2026.16 data center framework (2026) · In effect
- Maryland Online Data Privacy Act · In effect
- MD NCII Deepfake Law · In effect
- Maryland CSAM Law (computer-generated images) · In effect
Related deepfakes rules elsewhere
- Arkansas Frank Broyles Act AI amendment — voice and likeness protection (2025) · In effect
- Doe v. X.AI (Grok NCII deepfakes class action) · Blocked / in litigation
- xAI v. Harwood (Grok NCII Counter-Suit 2026) · Blocked / in litigation
- Arizona HB 2133 deepfake sexual content — vetoed 2026 · Vetoed
- Arizona HB 2678 — AI-generated CSAM criminalized · In effect
- MN HF 1606 AI Nudification Ban (2026) · In effect
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