HB 1198

Did not advance

Civil Actions - Coerced Debt - Debtor Protections

Sponsor: Lesley J. Lopez (District 39)Committee: JudiciarySubject: Civil Actions and ProceduresStatus: Hearing 3/11 at 2:00 p.m. (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Providing that a debtor may provide certain notice to a creditor and request that the creditor cease debt collection activity relating to a coerced debt; authorizing a debtor, after providing a creditor with certain notice, to bring an action against the creditor seeking certain relief; authorizing a debtor to bring a certain action against a certain individual; and establishing a certain affirmative defense.

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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 (33)

MGA witness list

FAV 25FavorableFWA 3Favorable with amendmentsUNF 5Unfavorable

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Westrick, Saralobbyist	AARP Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Miicke, Sarahlobbyist	Baltimore Jewish Council	Oral
FAV	Philip, Diana	Coalition to Protect Maryland's Children	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Robinson, Phillip	Consumer Law Center LLC	Written (PDF)
FAV	Young, Crystal	Department of Human Services	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	White, Marcelinelobbyist	Economic Action Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Amezcua Zamudio, Cynthia	FreeFrom	Written (PDF)
FAV	Watkins, Caronlobbyist	Harris Jones & Malone	Written (PDF)
FAV	Nunez, Andrea	Legislative Director, Maryland Department of Aging	Written (PDF)
FAV	Jordan, Lisae Clobbyist	Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Vora, Amee	Maryland Legal Aid	Oral
FAV	Steinwedel, William	Maryland Legal Aid Bureau	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Morgan, Jessica	Maryland Legislative Agenda for Women (MLAW)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Ruth, Laure	Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Nichols, Nora	Office of the Attorney General	Written (PDF)
FAV	Turnbull, Emanwel	The Holland Law Firm, P.C.	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Gilman, Michele	University of Baltimore School of Law	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Jones, Dana	Women Legislators of MD	Written (PDF)
FAV	OMalley, Catherine	Women's Law Center	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Lopez, Delegate Lopezlegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Heiman, Heather	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kazemi Khasragh, Fariba	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lent, Michael	Individual	Position only
FAV	Lopez, Lesley	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Mauer, William	Individual	Position only
UNF	Ferris, Keelin	Klima, Peters, & Daly, P.A.	Oral
UNF	Vormelker, Will	Maryland Judiciary	Written (PDF)
UNF	Macon, Diana	PRA Group	Written (PDF)
UNF	Maurice, Donald	Receivables Management Association International, Inc.	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Peters, Scott	Individual	Oral
FWA	Enten, Robert	Maryland Bankers Association	Oral
FWA	Richards, Evanlobbyist	Maryland Bankers Association	Written (PDF)
FWA	Willner, Nathan	National Creditors Bar Association (NCBA)	Oral

Organizations on record

AARP MarylandFAV 1

Baltimore Jewish CouncilFAV 1

Coalition to Protect Maryland's ChildrenFAV 1

Consumer Law Center LLCFAV 1

Department of Human ServicesFAV 1

Economic Action MarylandFAV 1

FreeFromFAV 1

Harris Jones & MaloneFAV 1

Klima, Peters, & Daly, P.A.UNF 1

Legislative Director, Maryland Department of AgingFAV 1

Maryland Bankers AssociationFWA 2

Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)FAV 1

Maryland JudiciaryUNF 1

Maryland Legal AidFAV 1

Maryland Legal Aid BureauFAV 1

Maryland Legislative Agenda for Women (MLAW)FAV 1

Maryland Network Against Domestic ViolenceFAV 1

National Creditors Bar Association (NCBA)FWA 1

Office of the Attorney GeneralFAV 1

PRA GroupUNF 1

Receivables Management Association International, Inc.UNF 1

The Holland Law Firm, P.C.FAV 1

University of Baltimore School of LawFAV 1

Women Legislators of MDFAV 1

Women's Law CenterFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVWestrick, SaraAARP MarylandRegistered for: AARP Maryland

FAVMiicke, SarahBaltimore Jewish CouncilRegistered for: Baltimore Jewish Council

FAVWhite, MarcelineEconomic Action MarylandRegistered for: Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition DBA Economic Action Maryland; Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition

FAVWatkins, CaronHarris Jones & MaloneRegistered for: AFT Maryland; Aligned Data Centers; Associated Black Charities; Associated Builders & Contractors; Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) on behalf of National Strategies, LLC; Baltimore Civic Fund, Inc.…

FAVJordan, Lisae CMaryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)Registered for: Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault

FWARichards, EvanMaryland Bankers AssociationRegistered for: Maryland Bankers Association