HB 753 Maryland House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Tax Sales - Homeowner Protections - Revisions

HB 753 would require Maryland's State Tax Sale Ombudsman to create a process allowing homeowners to designate family members or representatives to handle tax sale matters on their behalf. It mandates that dwellings be withheld from tax sale if the homeowner has a physician-documented terminal illness or medical hardship. The bill also increases the maximum home value eligible for the Homeowner Protection Program and grants priority enrollment in the program to homeowners with terminal illness or medical hardship. These changes directly affect Maryland homeowners facing tax sale proceedings, particularly those with serious health conditions or limited capacity to navigate the process.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Apr 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 4, 2026 Signed May 26, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Third - Tax Sales - Homeowner Protections - Revisions → Enrolled - Tax Sales - Homeowner Protections - Revisions · 3 edits · May 26, 2026

MINOR

The bill was converted from a draft version to an enrolled (final) version, adding official signatures and proofreading marks. Substantively, the bill's scope was reorganized to repeal and reenact several tax sale protection sections with minor text updates. The most significant policy change is the expansion of the medical hardship protection for homeowners: the requirement for a physician's documentation was broadened to include any 'licensed health care provider,' and the definition of 'terminal illness' and 'medical hardship' was updated to be established by regulation in consultation with the Department of Health rather than by the Legislature itself.

Scope change

The bill's scope was reorganized by consolidating repealed sections and adding new sections to the same articles, but the overall applicability to Maryland homeowners remains the same.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded the requirement for medical hardship documentation to accept certification from any 'licensed health care provider' instead of limiting it to a 'physician.'

REQUIREMENT

Changed the authority for defining 'terminal illness' and 'medical hardship' from the Legislature to the Department and Ombudsman, who will now define these terms by regulation in consultation with the Department of Health.

TECHNICAL

Reorganized the bill's structure to repeal and reenact specific sections of the Annotated Code of Maryland, shifting from a format of adding new sections to a format of repealing and reenacting existing ones.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 21, 2026 · House of Delegates Mar 26, 2026

How they voted

43–0

Passed · 6 other

Total votes 49

Mar 21, 2026

D Democratic36

30 Yea 6

83% Yea

R Republican13

13 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 26, 2026

Signed into law

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 777

executive

Apr 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Enrolled

lower

Apr 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Apr 10, 2026

Introduced

House Concurs Senate Amendments

lower

Apr 9, 2026

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Apr 8, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

upper

Apr 8, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Budget and Taxation

upper

Mar 26, 2026

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (134-0-8)

house of delegates

Mar 21, 2026

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (43-0-6)

senate

Mar 12, 2026

Committee

Referred Budget and Taxation

upper

Mar 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

lower

Mar 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Ways and Means

lower

Feb 4, 2026

Committee

First Reading Ways and Means

lower

18 primary · 0 co-sponsors