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Maryland Senate convenes special session and overrides multiple gubernatorial vetoes
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Summary
In a Dec. 16 special session, the Maryland Senate voted to override several of the governor's vetoes on a range of bills — from vehicle noise pilot programs to school food procurement — while postponing some local measures; recorded tallies were announced on the floor.
The Senate of Maryland met in a special session Dec. 16, 2025, and considered a series of gubernatorial vetoes and other procedural business. After roll call and reading of the governor's proclamation convening the extraordinary session under Article 2, Section 16 of the Maryland Constitution, senators moved through a calendar of vetoed bills and recorded votes on several measures.
Several vetoes were overridden and returned to the House of Delegates. The clerk and presiding officer announced the following results on the Senate floor: Senate Bill 121 (vehicle laws; noise abatement monitoring systems pilot) was overridden with 42 votes in the affirmative; Senate Bill 149 was overridden with 31 affirmative votes; Senate Bill 157 (Maryland disability service animal program) passed notwithstanding the governor's objections with 44 affirmative votes; Senate Bill 177 (state procurement for local food purchasing through the State Department of Education) was overridden with 44 affirmative votes; and Senate Bill 455 was overridden with 43 affirmative votes. Later in the session, Senate Bill 655 was overridden with 45 affirmative votes, and Senate Bill 691 (health care cybersecurity work group) was overridden with 34 affirmative votes.
Several bills were postponed indefinitely by unanimous or unrecorded voice motions on the floor. The majority leader moved to postpone Senate Bill 503 (Washington County Board of License Commissioners membership), and the motion carried without objection. The majority leader also moved to postpone Senate Bills 972 and 980; both motions were carried without objection.
Procedurally, the Senate confirmed that leadership and committee appointments from the 2025 regular session would continue to serve for the special session. The session included ceremonial remarks honoring former House Speaker Adrienne Jones and welcoming the House's newly selected speaker, Jocelyn Pena Melnick. The Senate recessed until 2:30 p.m. as the chamber managed interhouse business and awaited House messages.
What happens next: bills overridden by the Senate are sent back to the House of Delegates for further consideration or final enrollment as provided by legislative procedures.
