# Maryland SB 0691: Real Property - Termination of Residential Real Estate Contracts - Contingency Clauses

Maryland SB 0691, Real Property - Termination of Residential Real Estate Contracts - Contingency Clauses, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Mike McKay (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 716) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0691-2026RS
- 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 0691
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Real Property - Termination of Residential Real Estate Contracts - Contingency Clauses
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-02-06
- Last action: 2026-05-26, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 716
- Sponsor: Mike McKay (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Real Property, Agents and Brokers, Complaints, Contracts -see also- Procurement, District Courts, Estates and Trusts -see also- Beneficiaries, Mediation -see also- Arbitration, Notaries Public, Notices, Real Estate -see also- Agents and Brokers, Residential Property -see also- Apartments; Condominiums, Termination of Services, Time
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (171 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Rules and legal shield for escrow holders: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, the law defines who is an escrow agent or holder, what counts as residential real estate, what “trust money” means, and what a “contingency” is. It covers homes with four or fewer units and lots zoned for homes. Escrow agents and licensed brokers are not liable for a depo…
- Buyer deposit refunds after cancellation: mixed, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, if you cancel under a contingency, you can ask for your deposit back. Send written notice to the holder and the seller. The seller then has 10 days to give the holder a court complaint or a notarized request for mediation about the deposit. If the holder gets no copy with…
- How disputed home deposits are handled: mixed, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, if the holder gets a copy of a court complaint or a proper mediation request about a deposit, the holder must keep the money. The holder waits until a court order or a signed mediation agreement says where it goes, or the holder asks the District Court to decide. If you d…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Mike McKay (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-08 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 129 | 0 | 6 |
| 2026-03-20 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 42 | 0 | 1 |

## Actions (12)

- 2026-05-26: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 716
- 2026-04-09: Returned Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-08: Third Reading Passed (129-0) (House)
- 2026-04-08: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2026-04-08: Favorable Report by Economic Matters (House)
- 2026-03-21: Referred Economic Matters (House)
- 2026-03-20: Third Reading Passed (42-0) (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Second Reading Passed (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Favorable Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Favorable Report by Judicial Proceedings (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Hearing 3/05 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: First Reading Judicial Proceedings (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-05-26: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_716_sb0691t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-19: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0691t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-02-06: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0691f.pdf)

## Related bills

- SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - Authorization (became law)
- SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishment (became law)
- SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law)
- SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-1 Specialists Act) (became law)
- SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits (became law)
- HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law)

## Sources
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_716_sb0691t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0691t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0691f.pdf)

## Related
- [SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - A…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0496-2026RS)
- [SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishm…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0366-2026RS)
- [SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0244-2026RS)
- [SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0148-2026RS)
- [SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0016-2026RS)
- [HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0529-2026RS)
- [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-SB0691-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).