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HB 103

Access to Counsel in Evictions – Task Force Termination and Special Fund

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Sandy Rosenberg

Maryland bill terminates eviction task force and creates special fund providing legal counsel to low-income tenants facing eviction to reduce homelessness and improve case outcomes.

Hearing 2/11 at 1:00 p.m. (Appropriations)
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Bill Summary · HB 103

Legislative bill overview

HB 103 terminates Maryland's existing eviction task force and establishes a special fund to provide legal representation (counsel) for low-income tenants facing eviction proceedings. The bill redirects resources from the task force structure toward direct legal aid services for vulnerable renters.

Why is this important

Eviction cases disproportionately affect low-income households, and tenants without legal representation lose cases at substantially higher rates than those with attorneys. By creating dedicated funding for tenant counsel, the bill could reduce preventable homelessness, keep families housed, and reduce costs to the social services system. However, it also eliminates an existing coordinating body, which may affect comprehensive eviction prevention efforts.

Potential points of contention

  • Resource allocation: Whether eliminating the task force reduces strategic coordination on eviction prevention, or whether direct legal funding is a more efficient use of resources
  • Funding source and amount: How the special fund will be financed and whether appropriated amounts will be sufficient to serve all eligible tenants statewide
  • Scope of coverage: Whether legal representation should apply to all eviction cases or only specific circumstances (e.g., non-payment vs. lease violations), and income thresholds for eligibility

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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