# Maryland SB 0154: Access to Counsel in Evictions - Task Force and Special Fund

Maryland SB 0154, Access to Counsel in Evictions - Task Force and Special Fund, is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Shelly Hettleman (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-05-13 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 457) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0154-2025RS
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland SB 0154
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Access to Counsel in Evictions - Task Force and Special Fund
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2024-10-30
- Last action: 2025-05-13, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 457
- Sponsor: Shelly Hettleman (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Real Property, State Government - Agencies, Offices, and Officials, Appropriations, Committees and Commissions, Comptroller, Eviction, Governor, Housing and Community Development, Department of, Legal Aid, Reports, Revenue and Taxes -see also- (specific tax), Salaries and Compensation -see also- Overtime; Reimb. Rates, Sunset
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (134 yes, 51 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Possible pay for low-income tenant advisers: benefit, low. Beginning June 1, 2025, eligible tenant members of the Access to Counsel in Evictions Task Force may receive reasonable pay. Their income must be at or below 50% of Maryland’s median income, adjusted for household size. The Secretary of Housing and Community Development decides whether to authorize…
- Renters’ eviction legal aid funding extended: benefit, low. Effective June 1, 2025, the law extends annual eviction legal aid funding through fiscal year 2028. For fiscal years 2024–2028, Maryland must transfer $14 million yearly into the Access to Counsel in Evictions Special Fund. Transfers come from remaining net unclaimed-property funds after required d…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Shelly Hettleman (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Guy Guzzone (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-07 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 99 | 40 | 2 |
| 2025-03-17 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 35 | 11 | 1 |

## Actions (16)

- 2025-05-13: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 457
- 2025-04-07: Returned Passed (Senate)
- 2025-04-07: Third Reading Passed (99-40) (House)
- 2025-04-07: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2025-04-07: Favorable Report by Appropriations (House)
- 2025-03-26: Hearing 3/26 at 2:30 p.m. (Appropriations) (House)
- 2025-03-26: Hearing canceled (Appropriations) (House)
- 2025-03-19: Hearing 3/26 at 1:00 p.m. (Appropriations) (House)
- 2025-03-18: Referred Appropriations Judiciary (House)
- 2025-03-17: Third Reading Passed (35-11) (Senate)
- 2025-03-17: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2025-03-17: Favorable with Amendments {553524/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2025-03-17: Favorable with Amendments Report by Budget and Taxation (Senate)
- 2025-01-08: Hearing 1/15 at 10:30 a.m. (Budget and Taxation) (Senate)
- 2025-01-08: First Reading Budget and Taxation and Judicial Proceedings (Senate)
- 2024-10-30: Pre-filed (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2025-05-13: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/Chapters_noln/CH_457_sb0154t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2025-03-17: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0154t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2025-01-08: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0154f.pdf)

## Related bills

- SB 0227: Workers' Compensation - Payment From Uninsured Employers' Fund - Revisions (vetoed)
- HB 0482: Occupational Licensing and Certification - Criminal History - Predetermination Review Process (vetoed)
- HB 0384: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established (vetoed)
- SB 0157: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established (vetoed)
- HB 1294: Commercial Law - Credit Regulation - Earned Wage Access and Credit Modernization (became law)
- HB 0228: Maryland Veterans Trust – Assistance to Members of the Maryland National Guard (signed)

## Sources
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/Chapters_noln/CH_457_sb0154t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0154t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/sb/sb0154f.pdf)

## Related
- [SB 0227: Workers' Compensation - Payment From Uninsured Employers' Fund - Revisions](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0227-2025RS)
- [HB 0482: Occupational Licensing and Certification - Criminal History - Predetermination…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0482-2025RS)
- [HB 0384: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0384-2025RS)
- [SB 0157: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0157-2025RS)
- [HB 1294: Commercial Law - Credit Regulation - Earned Wage Access and Credit Modernization](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB1294-2025RS)
- [HB 0228: Maryland Veterans Trust – Assistance to Members of the Maryland National Guard](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0228-2025RS)
- [Maryland bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland/bills)
- [Maryland state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0154-2025RS (as of 2026-10-19).