SB 894

Third-Party Litigation Financing - Licensing and Regulation

Sponsor: Dawn Gile (District 33)Committee: FinanceSubject: Financial InstitutionsStatus: Hearing 2/27 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Prohibiting a certain litigation financier from providing certain litigation financing unless licensed under the Maryland Consumer Loan Law or provisions of law relating to installment loans; providing that litigation financing shall be considered a loan for certain purposes; requiring a certain disclosure of a litigation financing contract in certain civil actions; and providing that certain information is a permissible subject of discovery in certain civil actions.

AI analysis is off. Set ANTHROPIC_API_KEY to enable summaries, pros and cons, and questions.

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 (23)

MGA witness list

FAV 11FavorableFWA 5Favorable with amendmentsUNF 7Unfavorable

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Pachman, Laurenlobbyist	Allstate	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Popham, Brysonlobbyist	Bryson F. Popham, P.A.	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Enten, Robert	Maryland Bankers Association	Oral
FAV	Richards, Evanlobbyist	Maryland Bankers Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Collins, Carvillelobbyist	Maryland Employers for Civil Justice Reform Coalition	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Whitaker, Jakelobbyist	Maryland Hospital Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Campion, Louislobbyist	Maryland Motor Truck Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Rotunno, Ginalobbyist	NAMIC	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Burriss, Hannahlobbyist	National Insurance Crime Bureau	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lininger, Brettlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Senator Gile, Senator Gilelegislator	Individual	Oral
UNF	Tolley, George	Dugan, Babij, Tolley & Kohler, LLC	Written (PDF)
UNF	Chin Feman, Dai Wai	International Legal Finance Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Dodge, Alison	MD Association for Justice	Written (PDF)
UNF	Winkelman, Michael	Maryland Association for Justice	Oral
UNF	Schuller, Eric	The Alliance for Responsible Consumer Legal Funding	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Hosker, Harrison	The American Legal Finance Association	Oral
UNF	Bellamy, Lorenzolobbyist	Individual	Oral
FWA	Egan, Nancylobbyist	American Property & Casualty Insurance Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Gile, Dawn	MD Senate	Written (PDF)
FWA	Allen, Hannahlobbyist	Maryland Chamber of Commerce	Written (PDF)
FWA	Nichols, Nora	Office of the Attorney General	Written (PDF)
FWA	Bereano, Brucelobbyist	Individual	Oral

Organizations on record

AllstateFAV 1

American Property & Casualty Insurance AssociationFWA 1

Bryson F. Popham, P.A.FAV 1

Dugan, Babij, Tolley & Kohler, LLCUNF 1

International Legal Finance AssociationUNF 1

Maryland Association for JusticeUNF 1

Maryland Bankers AssociationFAV 2

Maryland Chamber of CommerceFWA 1

Maryland Employers for Civil Justice Reform CoalitionFAV 1

Maryland Hospital AssociationFAV 1

Maryland Motor Truck AssociationFAV 1

MD Association for JusticeUNF 1

MD SenateFWA 1

NAMICFAV 1

National Insurance Crime BureauFAV 1

Office of the Attorney GeneralFWA 1

The Alliance for Responsible Consumer Legal FundingUNF 1

The American Legal Finance AssociationUNF 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVPachman, LaurenAllstateRegistered for: Allstate Insurance Company

FAVPopham, BrysonBryson F. Popham, P.A.Registered for: Agency Insurance Company of Maryland; Agency Services, Inc.; Army Alliance; Bryson F. Popham P.A.; Building Owners and Managers Association of Greater Baltimore (BOMA); CVS Health…

FAVRichards, EvanMaryland Bankers AssociationRegistered for: Maryland Bankers Association

FAVCollins, CarvilleMaryland Employers for Civil Justice Reform CoalitionRegistered for: Artesian Resources Corporation; Columbia Gas of Maryland; Maryland Employers for Civil Justice Reform Coalition; Pepco Holdings, LLC.; Health Facilities Association of Maryland; General Motors LLC…

FAVWhitaker, JakeMaryland Hospital AssociationRegistered for: Maryland Hospital Association

FAVCampion, LouisMaryland Motor Truck AssociationRegistered for: Maryland Motor Truck Association

FAVRotunno, GinaNAMICRegistered for: National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC)

FAVBurriss, HannahNational Insurance Crime BureauRegistered for: National Insurance Crime Bureau

FAVLininger, BrettRegistered for: Aflac (American Family Life Assurance Company); Amazon.com Services, LLC; American International Group; Boyd Gaming Corporation; Brookfield Power US Asset Management LLC; Centers for Better Insurance, LLC…

UNFBellamy, 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…

FWAEgan, NancyAmerican Property & Casualty Insurance AssociationRegistered for: American Property Casualty Insurance Association

FWAAllen, HannahMaryland Chamber of CommerceRegistered for: Maryland Chamber of Commerce

FWABereano, BruceRegistered for: 5400 Holiday Drive LLC; Anne Arundel County Fair; Aurora Technical Systems; BWI Airport Fire Rescue Local 1742; BWI Airport Professional Firefighters; BWI Taxi Management, Inc.…