HB 964

Landlords and Prospective Tenants - Residential Leases - Criminal History Review (Maryland Fair Chance in Housing Act)

Sponsor: Adrian Boafo (District 23)Committee: Environment and TransportationSubject: Real PropertyStatus: Hearing 2/27 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Nov 13, 2024)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Altering the number of years of criminal history, from 7 years to 3 years, that are reviewed in a certain reusable tenant screening report; establishing certain prohibitions and limitations on the review and consideration of a prospective tenant's criminal history; and requiring a landlord that denies the lease application of a prospective tenant to provide the individual with a physical document stating with particularity each reason for the denial.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (29)

MGA witness list

FAV 19FavorableFWA 8Favorable with amendmentsUNF 2Unfavorable

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Duba, David	Bowie High School, Student Government	Written (PDF)
FAV	Cook, Chuck	Department of Housing and Community Development	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Reynolds-Dominguez, Camilalobbyist	FreeState Justice	Position only
FAV	Agarin, Ufuoma O.	Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Evans, Arianna	Life After Release	Oral
FAV	Gray, Rita	Life After Release	Oral
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kess, NaShonalobbyist	Maryland NAACP	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bogdan, Henrylobbyist	Maryland Nonprofits	Position only
FAV	Frey, Leslie	Montgomery County	Written (PDF)
FAV	Stand, Kurt	Progressive Maryland	Oral
FAV	Clark, Karen	UULM-MD	Written (PDF)
FAV	Boafo, Delegate Adrian	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Boafo, Delegate Boafolegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Dowridge, Detrese	Individual	Oral
FAV	Harris, Mrs.	Individual	Position only
FAV	Latino Caucus, Maryland Legislative	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lent, Michael	Individual	Position only
FAV	Rothstein, Melissa	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Castelli, Williamlobbyist	Rifkin, Weiner, Livingston LLC	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Meyerovich, Mark	Individual	Position only
FWA	Washington, Ryanlobbyist	Apartment and Office Building Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Jones, Brenda	Families Advocating Intelligent Registries (FAIR)	Written (PDF)
FWA	Hypolite, Crystal	Housing Authority of Baltimore City	Written (PDF)
FWA	Shah, Zafar	Maryland Legal Aid	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Turner, Albert	Renters United Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Johnson, Carolyn	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Wiggins, Grasonlobbyist	Individual	Oral
FWA	Yost, E.V.	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Apartment and Office Building AssociationFWA 1

Bowie High School, Student GovernmentFAV 1

Department of Housing and Community DevelopmentFAV 1

Families Advocating Intelligent Registries (FAIR)FWA 1

FreeState JusticeFAV 1

Housing Authority of Baltimore CityFWA 1

Legislative Black Caucus of MarylandFAV 1

Life After ReleaseFAV 2

Maryland Legal AidFWA 1

Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Maryland NAACPFAV 1

Maryland NonprofitsFAV 1

Montgomery CountyFAV 1

Progressive MarylandFAV 1

Renters United MarylandFWA 1

Rifkin, Weiner, Livingston LLCUNF 1

UULM-MDFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVReynolds-Dominguez, CamilaFreeState JusticeRegistered for: FreeState Justice

FAVKess, NaShonaMaryland NAACPRegistered for: NAACP Maryland State Conference of Branches

FAVBogdan, HenryMaryland NonprofitsRegistered for: Maryland Nonprofits

UNFCastelli, WilliamRifkin, Weiner, Livingston LLCRegistered for: ASC Engineered Solutions; Berkshire Hathaway Energy GT&S, LLC; Board of County Commissioners of Allegany County, MD; Brown Advisory; Cable Telecommunications Association of Maryland, Delaware and D.C., Inc.; Colonial Pipeline Company…

FWAWashington, RyanApartment and Office Building AssociationRegistered for: AOBA; National Apartment Association; Apartment & Office Building Association

FWAWiggins, GrasonRegistered for: Maryland Chamber of Commerce; United Way of Central Maryland, Inc.; Madison Marquette Property Investments LLC; Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund; Family Tree, The; OVG Facilities…