# Maryland SB 0729: Real Property - Access to Counsel in Evictions Program - Expansion

Maryland SB 0729, Real Property - Access to Counsel in Evictions Program - Expansion, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Shaneka Henson (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 754); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0729-2026RS
- As of: 2026-10-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland SB 0729
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Real Property - Access to Counsel in Evictions Program - Expansion
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-02-06
- Last action: 2026-05-26, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 754
- Sponsor: Shaneka Henson (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Real Property, Abandoned Property, Appeals -see also- Judicial Review, Appraisals, Armed Forces and Uniformed Services, Attorneys, Attorneys' Fees, Bonds -see also- County & Baltimore City Bonds; State Bonds, Certifications, Circuit Courts, Civil Actions -see also- Small Claims, Classifications and Designations, Committees and Commissions, Communications -see also- ElecComm; Intergov; etc., Complaints, Consumer Protection, Contracts -see also- Procurement, Court Orders, Courts -see also- AppCt; Circuit; District; Orphans'; etc., Damages, Disabilities, Disclosure, Discrimination, District Courts, Domestic Animals -see also- Birds; Dogs, Electronic Government, Emergencies -see also- Pandemics, Escrow Accounts, Ethics, Eviction, Fees -see also- Attys' Fees; Devt Fees & Taxes, Health -see also- COVID19; EnvHlth; MedCon; etc., Hearings, Internet -see also- Internet Access, Kinship -see also- Parents and Guardians, Leases and Rent, Legal Aid, Meetings -see also- Hearings; Open Government, Mobile and Manufactured Homes, Notices, Nuisances -see also- Noise; Weeds, Open Government, Personal Property, Postal Service, Prices -see also- Consumer Price Index, Property Damage, Real Estate -see also- Agents and Brokers, Records -see also- Land Records; Vital Records, Religion -see also- Places of Worship, Residential Property -see also- Apartments; Condominiums, Rules and Regulations, Safety -see also- Occupational Safety, Sewage, Standards and Best Practices, Telephones, Time, Trials, Utilities -see also- Recycl; Refuse; Sewage; Teleph; Water, Waivers, Warrants, Water -see also- Coastal Bays; Riv,Str,Lks; Wastewater; etc., Wells -see also- Hydraulic Fracturing; Water, Work, Labor, and Employment -see also- JobTrn; Leave; etc.
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 2 (143 yes, 35 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 4

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Free lawyers for low-income renters: benefit, high. The law provides a free lawyer for covered individuals in eviction, tenancy termination, housing subsidy termination, and mobile‑home repossession cases. You qualify if your household income is at or below 50% of the statewide median for your household size; mobile‑home park residents are included.…
- Stronger notices and renter outreach: benefit, low. When you are served in an eviction or repossession case, the sheriff or constable also gives you a pamphlet explaining your rights and how to get a lawyer. The state funds community groups to teach renters across Maryland about these rights and services. By December 1, 2026, the courts post a stand…
- Annual report on eviction counsel: benefit, low. Each year by August 31, the Maryland Legal Services Corporation reports how many people got lawyers, by case type, including mobile‑home repossession categories. The report also shows attorney payments, where cases happened, outcomes, funding to legal groups, and how many people had more than one c…
- Protections begin October 1, 2026: benefit, low. The law applies only to events on or after October 1, 2026. It does not change repossession cases started before that date or rental agreements signed before then. This sets a clear start date for all new duties and protections.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Shaneka Henson (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-13 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 101 | 35 | 4 |
| 2026-03-20 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 42 | 0 | 1 |

## Actions (14)

- 2026-05-26: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 754
- 2026-04-13: Returned Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (101-35) (House)
- 2026-04-09: Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2026-04-09: Favorable Adopted (House)
- 2026-04-09: Favorable Report by Judiciary (House)
- 2026-03-26: Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-03-21: Referred Judiciary (House)
- 2026-03-20: Third Reading Passed (42-0) (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Favorable with Amendments {883421/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Favorable with Amendments 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_754_sb0729t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-19: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0729t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-02-06: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0729f.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_754_sb0729t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0729t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0729f.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-SB0729-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).