EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW. [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law. *hb1135* HOUSE BILL 1135 C2, I1 2lr2323 CF SB 855 By: Delegates Adams, Ghrist, McKay, and Thiam Introduced and read first time: February 11, 2022 Assigned to: Economic Matters A BILL ENTITLED AN ACT concerning 1 Business Regulation – Home Improvement Contracts – Deposits by Financial 2 Institutions 3 FOR the purpose of authorizing a person to receive a deposit for more than a certain amount 4 of a home improvement contract price at a certain time if the deposit is being 5 financed by certain financial institutions; and generally relating to home 6 improvement contracts. 7 BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8 Article – Business Regulation 9 Section 8–617 10 Annotated Code of Maryland 11 (2015 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 12 BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 13 Article – Financial Institutions 14 Section 1–101(a) and (j) 15 Annotated Code of Maryland 16 (2020 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 17 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19 Article – Business Regulation 20 8–617. 21 (a) A person may not demand or receive any payment for a home improvement 22 before the home improvement contract is signed. 23 2 HOUSE BILL 1135 (b) (1) [A] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS 1 SUBSECTION, A person may not receive a deposit of more than one–third of the home 2 improvement contract price before or at the time of execution of the home improvement 3 contract. 4 (2) A PERSON MAY RECEIVE A DEPOSIT OF MORE THAN ONE–THIRD 5 OF THE HOME IMPROVEM ENT CONTRACT PRICE B EFORE OR AT THE TIME OF 6 EXECUTION OF THE HOM E IMPROVEMENT CONTRA CT IF THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE 7 DEPOSIT IS BEING FINANCED BY A FINANC IAL INSTITUTION, AS DEFINED IN § 1–101 8 OF THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS ARTICLE. 9 Article – Financial Institutions 10 1–101. 11 (a) In this article, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the following 12 words have the meanings indicated. 13 (j) “Financial institution” means any financial institution of the type supervised 14 under this article, whether or not State–chartered. 15 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 16 October 1, 2022. 17