Code of Maryland Regulations
State agencies with the authority to adopt regulations must follow the State's Administrative Procedures Act, State Government Article, §10-101 et seq., Annotated Code of Maryland, when adopting regulations. These requirements include review by the Maryland General Assembly's Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review Committee, publication in the Maryland Register, and public comment on proposed new regulations and changes to existing regulations.
The Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) is organized by title, with the name of title corresponding to the name of the agency with authority to adopt regulations. For example, the State Board of Elections is authorized under section 2-102 of the Election Law Article to adopt regulations to implement its powers and duties. Regulations adopted by the State Board of Elections are located in Title 33 - State Board of Elections of COMAR.
The State's Division of State Documents publishes COMAR in two formats. The Division has an online, searchable version of COMAR and sells a printed version. The online version is updated as soon as a proposed regulation is effective, and updates to the printed version are printed bi-annually.
Final Regulations
All final regulations that have gone into effect are incorporated into the searchable version of COMAR linked in the above paragraph.
August 15, 2022 State Board Meeting
Subtitle 11- Absentee Ballots
Subtitle 11, Chapter 04- Canvass of Ballots — Procedures
At its August 15, 2022 meeting, the State Board approved amendments to Regulation .04 of Subtitle 11, Chapter 04. A Notice of Proposed Action was published in the December 2, 2022 issue of the Maryland Register for a 30-day comment period, which closed on January 2, 2022. The proposed amendment was adopted by the State Board at its January 29, 2023 meeting. A notice of Final Action was published in the February 10, 2023 issue of the Maryland Register. The amendment went into effect on February 20, 2023.
October 26, 2022 State Board Meeting
Subtitle 13- Campaign Financing
Subtitle 13, Chapter 02- Campaign Financing Report
Subtitle 13, Chapter 10- Prohibitions
Subtitle 13, Chapter 20- Contributions by Employee Membership and Membership Entities
Subtitle 13, Chapter 22- Legal Expenses
Subtitle 13, Chapter 23- Exploratory Committees
Subtitle 18- Violations
Subtitle 18, Chapter 01- Civil Penalties
At its October 26, 2022 meeting, the State Board approved:
- New Regulation .03 under Subtitle 13, Chapter 02;
- Amendments to Regulations .01 and .04 of Subtitle 13, Chapter, 10;
- New Regulation .03 under Subtitle 13, Chapter 20;
- Amendments to Regulation .01, .03, and .05, and the repeal of Regulations .02, .06 and .07 under Subtitle 13, Chapter 22;
- New Regulations .01 through .11 under a new Subtitle 23- Exploratory Committees; and
- Amendment to Regulation .02 of Subtitle 18, Chapter 01.
A Notice of Proposed Action was published in the March 10, 2023 issue of the Maryland Register for a 30 day comment period, which closed on April 10, 2023. The proposed and new amendments were adopted by the State Board at its May 4, 2023 meeting. A notice of Final Action was published in the May 19, 2023 issue of the Maryland Register, and the new and amended regulations went into effect on May 29, 2023.
Proposed Regulations
February 23, 2023 State Board Meeting
Subtitle 01- Definitions; General Provisions
Subtitle 01, Chapter 05- Administrative Complaint Procedure
Subtitle 03- Records Management
Subtitle 03, Chapter 02- Copies of Registration Lists
Subtitle 10- Voting Systems - System Requirements and Procedures
Subtitle 10, Chapter 01- EVS Voting Solution
Subtitle 12- Recounts
Subtitle 12, Chapter 02- Initiation of Recounts
Subtitle 16- Provisional Voting
Subtitle 16, Chapter 02- Provisional Voting Documents and Supplies
Subtitle 16, Chapter 04-Pre-Canvass Procedures
Subtitle 16, Chapter 05- Canvass of Ballots - Procedures
Subtitle 17- Early Voting
Subtitle 17, Chapter 02- Early Voting Center
Subtitle 21- Special Elections by Mail
Subtitle 21, Chapter 01- Definitions; General Provisions
Subtitle 21, Chapter 03- Issuance and Return
Subtitle 21, Chapter 04- Voting Centers
At its February meeting, the State Board approved:
1) Amendments to Regulation .06 under COMAR 33.01.05;
2) Amendments to Regulations .01, .03, and .04 under COMAR 33.03.02;
3) Amendments to Regulation .18 under COMAR 33.10.01;
4) Amendments to Regulation .05 under COMAR 33.12.02;
5) Amendments to Regulation .01 and the repeal of Regulation .03 under COMAR 33.16.06;
6) Amendments to Regulation .02 under COMAR 33.16.04;
7) Amendments to Regulation .04 under COMAR 33.16.05;
8) Amendments to Regulations .02 and .04 under COMAR 33.17.02;
9) Amendments to Regulation .02 under COMAR 33.21.01;
10) Amendments to Regulations .02 and .03 under COMAR 33.21.03; and
11) Amendments to Regulation .06 under COMAR 33.21.04.
A Notice of Proposed Action was published on the April 7, 2023 issue of the Maryland Register. for a 30 day comment period, which concluded on May 8, 2023. The proposed amendments will be presented for final adoption at the June 20, 2023 meeting of the State Board.
May 4, 2023 State Board Meeting
Subtitle 02- Meetings and Trainings
Subtitle 02, Chapter 03- Judges' Manuals and Training
Subtitle 12- Recounts
Subtitle 12,Chapter 02- Initiation of Recounts
Subtitle 13- Campaign Financing
Subtitle 13, Chapter 10- Prohibitions
Subtitle 13, Chapter 13- Administrative Accounts
Subtitle 16- Provisional Voting
Subtitle 16, Chapter 02- Provisional Voting Documents and Supplies
Subtitle 17- Early Voting
Subtitle 17, Chapter 04- Early Voting Center Equipment and Materials
Subtitle 17, Chapter 05- Election Judges
Subtitle 17, Chapter 07- Non-Voting Hours Procedures
Subtitle 19- Same Day Registration and Address Changes
Subtitle 19, Chapter 01- General Provisions
Subtitle 19, Chapter 02- Public Notice
Subtitle 21- Special Elections by Mail
Subtitle 21, Chapter 03- Issuance and Return
At its May meeting, the State Board approved:
1) New regulations .01 and .05 under COMAR 33.02.03;
2) Amendments to Regulation .01 under COMAR 33.12.02;
3) New regulation .05 under COMAR 33.13.10;
4) Amendments to Regulation .06 under COMAR 33.13.13;
6) Amendments to Regulation .06 under COMAR 33.17.04;
7) Amendments to Regulation .03 under COMAR 33.17.05;
8) Amendments to Regulation .01 under COMAR 33.17.07;
9) Amendments to Regulation .01 under COMAR 33.19.01;
10) Amendments to Regulation .01 under COMAR 33.19.02;
A Notice of Proposed Action will be published in the June 16, 2023 issue of the Maryland Register for a 30 day comment period, which will conclude on July 17, 2023, for all proposed amendments.
Additionally, at its May meeting, the State Board also approved:
1) Amendments to Regulation .01 under COMAR 33.16.02; and
2) Amendments to Regulation .02 under COMAR 33.21.03.
These proposed regulations will not be submitted for publication in the Maryland Register until after the proposed amendments on the same regulations that were proposed at the February 23, 2023 meeting of the State Board have gone into effect, which will not be until July 10, 2023, at the earliest.