HB 1164

Did not advance

Counties and Municipalities - Homelessness - Local Laws (Right to Rest Act)

Sponsor: Jessica Feldmark (District 12A)Committee: JudiciarySubject: Local Government - GenerallyStatus: Hearing 3/11 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Dec 1, 2025)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Prohibiting a county or municipality from enacting or enforcing a local law that is designed to prevent an individual from resting or sleeping in a public space, protecting oneself from the elements in a manner that does not obstruct the use of or access to private property, or sleeping in a legally parked vehicle.

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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 (0)

MGA witness list

FAV 17FavorableFWA 1Favorable with amendmentsUNF 6Unfavorable

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	McFall, Trudy	Anne Arundel Affordable Housing Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Mikkila, Lois	Assn of Community Services of Howard Co	Written (PDF)
FAV	Broderick, Jennifer	Bridges to Housing Stability Inc.,	Oral
FAV	Sarro, Lisa	Community Legal Services	Written (PDF)
FAV	Cook, Chuck	Department of Housing and Community Development	Written (PDF)
FAV	Diamond, Joanna	Health Care for the Homeless	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Zelaya, Michellelobbyist	Maryland Catholic Conference	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Schumitz, Kalilobbyist	Maryland Center on Economic Policy	Position only
FAV	Ruth, Laure	Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence	Written (PDF)
FAV	Gray, Michael	NAMI Maryland (National Alliance on Mental Illness)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Tars, Eric	National Homelessness Law Center	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Tercero, Rebecca	OPD	Oral
FAV	Turner, Albert	Renters United Maryland	Oral
FAV	SWASC, UM	Social Work Advocates for Social Change	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kaplowitz, Richard KAP	Year	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bala, Charan	Individual	Oral
FAV	Delegate Feldmark, Delegate Feldmarklegislator	Individual	Oral
UNF	Anderson, Karrington	Maryland Association of Counties (MACo)	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Bertino, Chip	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Ennis, Ella	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Lang, Alan	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Meyerovich, Mark	Individual	Position only
UNF	Tibbals, Trudy	Individual	Position only
FWA	Lasher, Daniel	Maryland Correctional Administrators Association	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Anne Arundel Affordable Housing CoalitionFAV 1

Assn of Community Services of Howard CoFAV 1

Bridges to Housing Stability Inc.,FAV 1

Community Legal ServicesFAV 1

Department of Housing and Community DevelopmentFAV 1

Health Care for the HomelessFAV 1

Maryland Association of Counties (MACo)UNF 1

Maryland Catholic ConferenceFAV 1

Maryland Center on Economic PolicyFAV 1

Maryland Correctional Administrators AssociationFWA 1

Maryland Network Against Domestic ViolenceFAV 1

NAMI Maryland (National Alliance on Mental Illness)FAV 1

National Homelessness Law CenterFAV 1

OPDFAV 1

Renters United MarylandFAV 1

Social Work Advocates for Social ChangeFAV 1

YearFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVZelaya, MichelleMaryland Catholic ConferenceRegistered for: Maryland Catholic Conference

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