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HB 543

Real Property - Landlord and Tenant - Family Child Care Homes

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Nick Allen and 22 co-sponsors

HB 543 strengthens tenant protections for family child care home operators in Maryland rental properties, clarifying landlord-tenant rights regarding residential-based child care businesses.

Hearing 2/19 at 1:00 p.m.
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 543

Legislative bill overview

HB 543 modifies Maryland's landlord-tenant law to provide specific protections and regulations for family child care homes operating within residential rental properties. The bill addresses the intersection of residential tenancy rights with home-based child care operations, clarifying legal obligations and protections for both landlords and child care providers.

Why is this important

Family child care homes serve as a critical affordable child care option for working families, but providers operating in rental properties often face legal ambiguity about their rights and landlords' authority. This bill provides clarity that could affect housing stability for child care providers and, by extension, access to affordable child care in communities.

Potential points of contention

  • Landlord restrictions: Landlords may object to limitations on their ability to regulate or terminate tenancies for child care operations, viewing child care as a commercial use in residential spaces
  • Zoning and licensing concerns: Ambiguity about how the bill interacts with local zoning laws and state child care licensing requirements could create compliance conflicts
  • Operational standards: Disagreement over whether child care provider rights should extend equally to licensed versus unlicensed or exempted family child care operations

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

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