Constitutional Officers - Salaries
HB 607 updates the annual salaries for four Maryland constitutional officers: the Comptroller, Treasurer, Attorney General, and Secretary of State. The bill amends the State Government Article to raise each office’s salary schedule in stages over the course of a term, with the new amounts beginning with the next full term or appointment after the act takes effect. For the Comptroller, Treasurer, and Attorney General, the starting salary is increased to $175,000, with later-step increases to $180,000 and then $185,000. For the Secretary of State, the salary is increased from $112,500 to $120,000 at the start of the term, then to $124,000 and finally $128,000.
The bill also preserves the constitutional rule that salary changes cannot apply to an official already serving a term when the law takes effect. Instead, the new compensation levels apply at the beginning of the next term of office, except for someone appointed or elected to fill an unexpired term after the effective date. The act takes effect October 1, 2026, and is codified as Chapter 561 of the 2026 Laws of Maryland.
HB 607 directly amends Sections 4-103, 5-104, 6-103, and 7-107 of the Maryland State Government Article, changing the statutory compensation for the Comptroller, Treasurer, Attorney General, and Secretary of State. It affects the state budget and payroll obligations for these offices, but only prospectively and only for future terms or qualifying midterm appointments. No other substantive duties of the offices are changed, aside from retaining existing language on the Treasurer’s reporting duties and the Attorney General’s expense reimbursement.
The available record suggests the bill was noncontroversial and ultimately enacted without recorded opposition in the provided materials. Because there are no committee transcripts or vote tallies included, the overall sentiment can only be inferred from the bill’s passage and gubernatorial approval: it appears to have been treated as a routine compensation adjustment for statewide constitutional officers rather than a disputed policy change.
The main potential point of contention in a bill like this is the increase in public compensation for statewide elected and appointed officials, especially during a period when state spending is scrutinized. Another possible issue is the timing of the raises, since the bill delays implementation until the next term to comply with the Maryland Constitution and avoid midterm salary changes. No specific objections, amendments, or opposing arguments are included in the provided legislative history, so any disagreement is not documented here.