Housing

passed both · Maryland · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 274: Fair Housing and Housing Discrimination - Regulations and Discriminatory Effect

SB 274 updates Maryland's fair housing laws to address discriminatory practices regardless of intent. It defines "discriminatory effect" as actions creating segregated housing patterns based on protected characteristics like race, disability, or sexual orientation, even without malicious intent. The bill requires housing authorities and political subdivisions to actively "affirmatively further fair housing" and prohibits practices with disparate impacts on protected groups. These changes apply to all housing providers, landlords, and government entities involved in housing decisions. The law removes intent as a defense for discriminatory housing practices, aligning enforcement with federal standards.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingPrevents housing discrimination by defining discriminatory effect and requiring affirmative fair housing action, strengthening tenant protections.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

Track

passed both · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 11, 2026

HB 1259: Zoning Authorities - Operation of Family Child Care Homes - Prohibitions and Requirements

HB 1259 prohibits local Maryland jurisdictions (counties and Baltimore City) from denying or restricting family child care homes that meet state licensing requirements, including limiting the number of children below state standards. It requires local governments to classify these homes as residential activities and permit them under residential zoning rules. The bill amends Maryland's land use code to ensure consistency with state licensing standards and prevent local zoning barriers for licensed child care providers. The law takes effect on October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRemoves zoning barriers for family child care homes, enabling residential use under state licensing standards and preventing local restrictions on housing development.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

Track

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 10, 2026

HB 1353: Homeless Individuals - Fee and Examination Exemptions

HB 1353 exempts homeless individuals in Maryland from specific fees and requirements. It prohibits the Maryland Department of Health from charging for vital records (like birth or death certificates) issued to homeless people, waives vehicle registration fees for vehicles owned by homeless individuals, and eliminates driver’s license fees for homeless applicants. The bill also allows unaccompanied homeless youth under 18 to take certain driver’s license exams sooner and exempts homeless individuals from mandatory vehicle emissions inspections. Homeless individuals must provide a written statement proving their homelessness to access these exemptions.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts homeless individuals from state fees (vital records, vehicle registration, driver's licenses), reducing government revenue and providing fiscal relief for low-income residents.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingExempts homeless individuals from fees for vital records, vehicle registration, and driver's licenses, directly addressing homelessness to improve housing access and stability.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

Track

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 7, 2026

HB 774: Landlord and Tenant - Residential Leases and Holdover Tenancies - Local Good Cause Termination (Good Cause Eviction)

HB 774 allows counties in Maryland to adopt local laws requiring landlords to have a valid reason (like nonpayment of rent or lease violations) to terminate residential leases or evict tenants who remain after their lease ends ("holdover tenancies"). Landlords in counties with such laws must disclose whether they are subject to these rules in lease agreements and provide specific ownership details (including how many properties they own) if claiming an exemption. The bill also requires the state housing office to create standardized forms for this disclosure and to clarify when landlords must prove "good cause" in court. This directly affects landlords and tenants in counties that implement these local good cause eviction protections.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRequires landlords to have valid reasons for eviction, protecting tenants from arbitrary displacement - directly strengthens tenant rights in housing.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

Track

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 25, 2026

HB 402: Common Ownership Communities - Oversight, Governing Document Database, and Local Commissions

HB 402 establishes a Common Ownership Community Ombudsman Unit within Maryland's Attorney General's Office to handle complaints from residents of homeowners associations (HOAs), condominiums, and cooperative housing communities about final adverse decisions made by their governing bodies. The unit will monitor relevant laws, provide members with information and referrals to dispute resolution services, and either make determinations about whether decisions violate laws or refer complaints to local county commissions. The bill also requires all common ownership communities to file governing documents with the Department of Housing and Community Development and mandates the department to create a public database of these documents. Annual reports on the unit's activities, including complaint volumes and actions taken, must be submitted to the department and the General Assembly.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingEstablishes ombudsman unit to resolve disputes in HOAs/condos, strengthening tenant protections against unfair governance decisions85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

Track

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 24, 2026

HB 313: Landlord and Tenant - Residential Housing - Rental Applications and Tenant Screening

HB 313 prohibits landlords in Maryland from charging application or screening fees unless a rental unit is immediately available or will become available within 30 days. Landlords must provide written disclosures about screening criteria, fees, and reporting agencies before collecting any fees, and must give prospective tenants specific reasons, copies of screening reports, and the right to dispute inaccuracies if denying an application. The bill also bans landlords from considering sealed court records or failure-to-pay rent proceedings in screening decisions. Violations are treated as consumer protection law violations under Maryland law, subject to enforcement and penalties.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticePrevents landlords from using sealed criminal records in tenant screening, protecting individuals with rehabilitated histories and aligning with criminal justice reform goals.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingProhibits unfair landlord fees and mandates transparency in tenant screening, strengthening tenant protections under housing policy.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

Track

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 20, 2026

HB 80: Landlord and Tenant - Residential Leases - Fee Disclosures

HB 80 requires landlords managing four or more rental units to provide prospective tenants with a clear, written list of all fees (including mandatory and optional fees like parking or pet charges) before signing a lease. It prohibits landlords from charging any mandatory fee that wasn’t disclosed in advance and makes lease terms violating this rule unenforceable. Tenants can sue landlords for violations occurring after February 2027, potentially recovering triple damages plus attorney fees. The law excludes utility charges, security deposits, and fees tied to tenant actions (like replacement keys), and takes effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingMandates fee transparency for landlords and provides tenant remedies for violations, directly strengthening tenant protections in housing.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

Track

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 20, 2026

HB 691: State Government - Procedures - Permitting Efficiency for Housing Development Projects

HB 691 requires Maryland state agencies that issue housing construction permits to create streamlined permitting processes. Key provisions include allowing multiple permits to be handled simultaneously where possible, establishing predictable sequencing for approvals, and creating clear pathways for faster reviews. The State Housing Ombudsman must ensure consistency across different agencies’ processes and facilitate coordination with local governments. This bill directly affects state agencies, local governments (through potential delegation of permit tasks), and developers seeking housing construction permits, with implementation required by October 2026 and a reporting deadline for the Ombudsman in December 2027.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingStreamlines housing permitting to accelerate development, increasing housing supply and reducing approval delays for projects.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

Track

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 20, 2026

HB 432: Municipalities - Vagrancy - Repeal of Authority to Prohibit

HB 432 repeals a provision in Maryland law that allowed municipalities to prohibit "vagrancy" (laws targeting homeless or loitering individuals without clear purpose). The bill directly affects local governments by removing their legal authority to enforce such vagrancy prohibitions under Section 5-207(c)(2) of the Maryland Annotated Code. Key mechanisms include deleting "vagrancy" from the list of activities municipalities could ban, while preserving other related powers like prohibiting gambling or vice. The change takes effect October 1, 2026, and represents a concrete policy shift in local law enforcement authority.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRepeals vagrancy laws criminalizing homelessness/loitering, reducing unnecessary arrests and aligning with criminal justice reform principles.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingRepeals vagrancy laws criminalizing homelessness, removing barriers for unhoused individuals and aligning with housing access protections90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

Track