SB 46 Maryland Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Real Property - Wrongful Detainer - Time of Hearing and Service of Process

SB 46 makes it a crime to illegally occupy residential property with the intent to defraud the owner, prohibiting possession or claiming rights to property you don’t legally own. Property owners can submit a sworn affidavit to their sheriff, triggering removal of the occupant unless they present evidence of lawful possession. Violations carry fines up to $2,500 or jail time (up to 1 year for repeat offenses within 2 years). The law explicitly states it does not replace existing wrongful detainer lawsuits, which remain an option for property owners.

Issues: ✗ Criminal Justice

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Sep 2024

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

Apr 2025

Introduced Sep 20, 2024 Signed Apr 22, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Third - Real Property - Wrongful Detainer Actions → Enrolled - Real Property - Wrongful Detainer - Time of Hearing and Service of Process · 1 edit · Apr 22, 2025

MINOR

The bill was converted from a pre-filed draft to its final enrolled version, adding official signatures and proofreader marks. Substantively, the text of the law regarding criminal fraud and wrongful detainer procedures remains identical to the previous version, with no changes to penalties, timelines, or eligibility criteria.

TECHNICAL

The document format changed from a draft bill to an enrolled bill, adding official signatures, proofreader lines, and a seal presentation date, while the actual legal text of the statute remained unchanged.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 23, 2025 · House of Delegates Mar 25, 2025

How they voted

42–0

Passed · 4 other

Total votes 46

Mar 23, 2025

D Democratic33

30 Yea 3

90% Yea

R Republican13

12 Yea 1

92% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 22, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 188

executive

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed Enrolled

upper

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Conference Committee Report {

upper

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

House Conference Committee Appointed (Delegates Williams, Phillips and Schmidt)

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

Senate Conference Committee Appointed (Senators Sydnor, McKay and Charles)

upper

Apr 3, 2025

Introduced

Senate Refuses Concur House Amendments

upper

Apr 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Mar 31, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

lower

Mar 31, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Judiciary

lower

Mar 25, 2025

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (136-0-3)

house of delegates

Mar 23, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (42-0-4)

senate

Mar 13, 2025

Committee

Referred Judiciary

lower

Mar 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Motion Special Order until Later Today (Senator Attar) Adopted

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Motion Special Order until Later Today (Senator Salling) Adopted

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Motion Special Order until Later Today (Senator A. Washington) Adopted

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Introduced

Floor Amendment {

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings

upper

Jan 8, 2025

Committee

First Reading Judicial Proceedings

upper

Sep 20, 2024

Introduced

Pre-filed

upper

13 primary · 0 co-sponsors