SB 325

Land Use - Permitting - Development Rights (Maryland Housing Certainty Act)

Sponsor: Malcolm Augustine (District 47)Committee: Education, Energy, and the EnvironmentSubject: Housing and Community DevelopmentStatus: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 590 (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring the approval of a housing development project application by a local regulatory authority or the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission to be governed only by certain laws and regulations in effect at the time of submission of a complete application; granting the proponent of an approved housing development project certain vested rights related to use and development for the longer of 5 years or a period determined by the local regulatory authority or the Commission; etc.

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Testimony (59)

MGA witness list

FAV 37FavorableFWA 11Favorable with amendmentsUNF 6UnfavorableINFO 5Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Westrick, Saralobbyist	AARP Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hovermale, Emilylobbyist	Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership	Written (PDF)
FAV	East, Heather	Chase Home, Inc. and Maryland Episcopal Public Policy Network	Written (PDF)
FAV	Searcy, Talisha	City of Takoma Park	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kisicki, Carrielobbyist	Coalition for Smarter Growth	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Wilson Randall, Claudia	Community Development Network of Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Matthews Brown, Rianna	Comptroller	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Day, Jake	Department of Housing and Community Development	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Jennings, Ms. JohnDre	Druid Heights CDC	Written (PDF)
FAV	Marks, Zachary	Enterprise Community Development	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Shewbridge, Rylielobbyist	Fello	Written (PDF)
FAV	Reed, Danlobbyist	Greater Greater Washington	Written (PDF)
FAV	Johnson, Dana	Homes for America	Written (PDF)
FAV	ANDERSON, ARLISA	Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Graf, Lorilobbyist	Maryland Building Industry Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Graf, Lorilobbyist	Maryland Building Industry Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Wiggins, Grasonlobbyist	Maryland Chamber of Commerce	Written (PDF)
FAV	Wiggins, Grasonlobbyist	Maryland Chamber of Commerce	Written (PDF)
FAV	Westervelt, Patricia	Maryland Department of Transportation	Written (PDF)
FAV	Baker, Jeremy D	Maryland Department of the Environment	Written (PDF)
FAV	Baker, Jeremy D	Maryland Department of the Environment	Written (PDF)
FAV	Shah, Zafar	Maryland Legal Aid	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Pipkin, Matthewlobbyist	Maryland Multi-Housing Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Pipkin, Matthewlobbyist	Maryland Multi-Housing Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	May, Lisalobbyist	Maryland REALTORS	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Ballentine, Tom	NAIOP Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Ellis, Dan	Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore, Inc.	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Anderson, Casey	Rodgers Consulting	Oral
FAV	Greenfield, Aaronlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Greenfield, Aaronlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Pickard, Allison	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Rigby, Christiana	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Senator Augustine, Senator Augustinelegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Senator Augustine, Senator Augustinelegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Senator Augustine, Senator Augustinelegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Van Kirk, Jason	Individual	Oral
FAV	Willems, Miranda	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Rybczynski, Adam	City of Havre de Grace	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Price, Suzanne	Concerned Citizen	Position only
UNF	Cassilly, Robert	Harford County Government	Written (PDF)
UNF	Cassilly, Robert	Harford County Government	Written (PDF)
UNF	Jones, Samantha	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Smith, Greg	Individual	Position only
FWA	Day, Jake	Department of Housing and Community Development	Written (PDF)
FWA	Wilkins, Michael	Frederick County Government	Written (PDF)
FWA	Baucum Colbert, Jordan	M-NCPPC - Senior Government Analyst	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Sanderson, Michael	Maryland Association of Counties (MACo)	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Bailey Thupari, Angelica	Maryland Municipal League	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Elrich, Marc	Montgomery County Government	Written (PDF)
FWA	Sartori, Jason	Montgomery County Planning Department	Oral
FWA	Perez, Julian	Prince George's County Government	Written (PDF)
FWA	Wessel, Matthew	Rodgers Consulting Inc.	Oral
FWA	Hessler, Thereselobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FWA	McKenna, Melissa	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
INFO	Collins, Reuben	Charles County Government	Written (PDF)
INFO	Groth, Jason	Charles County Government	Oral
INFO	Cooper, Jabari	Prince George's County Council	Oral
INFO	Bellamy, Lorenzolobbyist	Individual	Oral
INFO	Franklin, Sarah	Individual	Oral

Organizations on record

AARP MarylandFAV 1

Baltimore Regional Housing PartnershipFAV 1

Charles County GovernmentINFO 2

Chase Home, Inc. and Maryland Episcopal Public Policy NetworkFAV 1

City of Havre de GraceUNF 1

City of Takoma ParkFAV 1

Coalition for Smarter GrowthFAV 1

Community Development Network of MarylandFAV 1

ComptrollerFAV 1

Concerned CitizenUNF 1

Department of Housing and Community DevelopmentFAV 1FWA 1

Druid Heights CDCFAV 1

Enterprise Community DevelopmentFAV 1

FelloFAV 1

Frederick County GovernmentFWA 1

Greater Greater WashingtonFAV 1

Harford County GovernmentUNF 2

Homes for AmericaFAV 1

Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC)FAV 1

M-NCPPC - Senior Government AnalystFWA 1

Maryland Association of Counties (MACo)FWA 1

Maryland Building Industry AssociationFAV 2

Maryland Chamber of CommerceFAV 2

Maryland Department of the EnvironmentFAV 2

Maryland Department of TransportationFAV 1

Maryland Legal AidFAV 1

Maryland Multi-Housing AssociationFAV 2

Maryland Municipal LeagueFWA 1

Maryland REALTORSFAV 1

Montgomery County GovernmentFWA 1

Montgomery County Planning DepartmentFWA 1

NAIOP MarylandFAV 1

Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore, Inc.FAV 1

Prince George's County CouncilINFO 1

Prince George's County GovernmentFWA 1

Rodgers ConsultingFAV 1

Rodgers Consulting Inc.FWA 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVWestrick, SaraAARP MarylandRegistered for: AARP Maryland

FAVHovermale, EmilyBaltimore Regional Housing PartnershipRegistered for: Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership

FAVKisicki, CarrieCoalition for Smarter GrowthRegistered for: Coalition for Smarter Growth dba Piedmont Environmental Council

FAVShewbridge, RylieFelloRegistered for: Fello; City of Frederick; City of Westminster; Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund; League of Life & Health Insurers of Maryland, Inc.; Maryland Children's Alliance, Inc.…

FAVReed, DanGreater Greater WashingtonRegistered for: Greater Greater Washington

FAVGraf, LoriMaryland Building Industry AssociationRegistered for: Maryland Building Industry Association

FAVWiggins, GrasonMaryland Chamber of CommerceRegistered 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…

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

FAVMay, LisaMaryland REALTORSRegistered for: Maryland REALTORS; Maryland Association of Realtors

FAVGreenfield, AaronRegistered for: BTS Bioenergy; Baltimore Area Council Boy Scouts of America, Inc.; Embassy of Japan; Ernst & Young, LLP; FEi Systems; Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake…

FWAHessler, ThereseRegistered for: City of Gaithersburg; Elevate Recovery Centers; Evolve Kids Care; Evolve Life Centers; High Roller Technologies; Laila's Gift…

INFOBellamy, LorenzoRegistered for: ACLU of Maryland; Alliance for Responsible Consumer Legal Funding; American Forest & Paper Association; Americans for Patient Access; Avaya, Inc.; Bellamy Genn Group, LLC…