SB 856 Maryland Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Mold - Landlord Requirements and Regulations (Maryland Tenant Mold Protection Act)

SB 856 (Maryland Tenant Mold Protection Act) requires landlords of rental properties to provide tenants with mold prevention information at lease signing and every two years, using either a state-developed pamphlet or the EPA’s "Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home." Landlords must conduct mold assessments and remediation within 45 days of receiving written notice about mold from tenants, local housing agencies, or building occupants. The bill mandates that remediation follow industry standards and best practices while requiring landlords to maintain proper ventilation, low humidity, and compliance with housing codes. This law directly affects Maryland landlords and tenants by establishing clear, time-bound requirements for addressing mold hazards in rental units.

Issues: ✓ Housing

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Feb 3, 2025 Signed May 13, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Third - Mold - Landlord Requirements and Regulations (Maryland Tenant Mold Protection Act) → Enrolled - Mold - Landlord Requirements and Regulations (Maryland Tenant Mold Protection Act) · 3 edits · May 13, 2025

MINOR

The bill has been finalized and enrolled, meaning it is ready to be signed by the Governor. Substantively, the text was reorganized to clearly separate the addition of two new legal sections: one for the Environment Article regarding mold definitions and one for the Real Property Article regarding landlord duties. The definitions for 'mold' and 'dampness' remain consistent, and the requirements for landlords to provide information and perform assessments are preserved in the new structure.

Scope change

The scope of the bill remains focused on tenant mold protection, but the legislative text has been structurally updated to reflect its final enrolled status and to explicitly list the two specific sections of the Annotated Code of Maryland being amended.

TECHNICAL

The document format changed from a draft version to an 'Enrolled Bill,' adding official proofreading blocks and presentation details for the Governor.

The legislative text was restructured to explicitly state that the bill adds two separate sections to the Annotated Code of Maryland (Environment Article and Real Property Article) rather than presenting them as a continuous block.

Minor formatting adjustments were made to the line numbering and spacing within the legal definitions and landlord requirements to align with the enrolled format.

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

How they voted

39–1

Passed · 6 other

Total votes 46

Mar 23, 2025

D Democratic33

28 Yea 5

84% Yea

R Republican13

11 Yea 1 Nay 1

84% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 13, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 539

executive

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed Enrolled

upper

Apr 7, 2025

Introduced

Senate Concurs House Amendments

upper

Apr 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Apr 7, 2025

Introduced

Floor Amendment {

lower

Apr 5, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

lower

Apr 5, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Environment and Transportation

lower

Mar 23, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (39-1-6)

senate

Mar 17, 2025

Committee

Referred Environment and Transportation

lower

Mar 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Mar 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

upper

Mar 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings

upper

Feb 3, 2025

Committee

First Reading Judicial Proceedings and Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors