HB 487

Unhoused Individuals - Rights, Civil Action, and Affirmative Defense

Sponsor: Bernice Mireku-North (District 14)Committee: JudiciarySubject: Civil Actions and ProceduresStatus: Hearing 2/12 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Dec 1, 2025)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Providing that all unhoused individuals have certain rights; authorizing the Attorney General or an individual harmed by a violation of the Act to bring a certain civil action against a political subdivision, a unit of State or local government, or a government official; establishing an affirmative defense of necessity to certain criminal charges relating to trespass or disturbing the peace; and repealing the authority of a municipality to prohibit vagrancy.

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Testimony (0)

MGA witness list

FAV 18FavorableFWA 2Favorable with amendmentsUNF 21Unfavorable

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Sarro, Lisa	Community Legal Services	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hudson, Lee	Delaware-Maryland Synod, ELCA	Position only
FAV	Diamond, Joanna	Health Care for the Homeless	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lindamood, Kevin	Health Care for the Homeless	Oral
FAV	Fair, Kris	LGBTQ+ Caucus	Written (PDF)
FAV	Wilkins, Jheanelle	Legislative Black Caucus of MD	Written (PDF)
FAV	Schumitz, Kalilobbyist	Maryland Center on Economic Policy	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kelter, Chris	Maryland Centers for Independent Living	Position only
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Ruth, Laure	Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence	Written (PDF)
FAV	Tars, Eric	National Homelessness Law Center	Oral
FAV	Taylor, Vanita	Office of the Public Defender	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	SWASC, UM	Social Work Advocates for Social Change	Written (PDF)
FAV	OMalley, Catherine	Women's Law Center	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kaplowitz, Richard KAP	Year	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Mireku-North, Delegate Mireku-Northlegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Isler, Amy	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Mireku-North, Bernice	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Fisher, Brant	Brewers Hill Neighbors	Written (PDF)
UNF	Breeding, Travis	Caroline County Commissioners Office	Written (PDF)
UNF	Flaherty, Sean	City of Hagerstown	Written (PDF)
UNF	Sample, Sarah	Maryland Association of Counties	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Vormelker, Will	Maryland Judiciary	Written (PDF)
UNF	Bailey Thupari, Angelica	Maryland Municipal League	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Etting, Paula	Mayor, Town of Bel Air	Written (PDF)
UNF	Coronel, Suzie	Norwood-Holabird Community Assn	Written (PDF)
UNF	Castelli, Williamlobbyist	Rifkin, Weiner, Livingston LLC	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Wieland, Tom	Ritchie Pharmacy , Brooklyn Park, Md.	Position only
UNF	Regnante, Lisa	SE Baltimore Community Associations	Written (PDF)
UNF	Gamble, Sheriff Joe	Sheriff's Office	Written (PDF)
UNF	Andrea, Mansfield	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Lang, Alan	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	McKown, Arch	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Meyerovich, Mark	Individual	Position only
UNF	STepp, Lori	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Schwarz, Mimi	Individual	Oral
UNF	Simms, Kate	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Sybert, Christine	Individual	Position only
UNF	Zentz, Kim	Individual	Position only
FWA	Pipkin, Matthewlobbyist	Maryland Multi-Housing Association	Written (PDF)
FWA	Prater, David	Office of Attorney General	Oral + Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Brewers Hill NeighborsUNF 1

Caroline County Commissioners OfficeUNF 1

City of HagerstownUNF 1

Community Legal ServicesFAV 1

Delaware-Maryland Synod, ELCAFAV 1

Health Care for the HomelessFAV 2

Legislative Black Caucus of MDFAV 1

LGBTQ+ CaucusFAV 1

Maryland Association of CountiesUNF 1

Maryland Center on Economic PolicyFAV 1

Maryland Centers for Independent LivingFAV 1

Maryland JudiciaryUNF 1

Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Maryland Multi-Housing AssociationFWA 1

Maryland Municipal LeagueUNF 1

Maryland Network Against Domestic ViolenceFAV 1

Mayor, Town of Bel AirUNF 1

National Homelessness Law CenterFAV 1

Norwood-Holabird Community AssnUNF 1

Office of Attorney GeneralFWA 1

Office of the Public DefenderFAV 1

Rifkin, Weiner, Livingston LLCUNF 1

Ritchie Pharmacy , Brooklyn Park, Md.UNF 1

SE Baltimore Community AssociationsUNF 1

Sheriff's OfficeUNF 1

Social Work Advocates for Social ChangeFAV 1

Women's Law CenterFAV 1

YearFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVSchumitz, KaliMaryland Center on Economic PolicyRegistered for: Maryland Center on Economic Policy

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…

FWAPipkin, MatthewMaryland Multi-Housing AssociationRegistered for: Maryland Multi-Housing Association