EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0139*
HOUSE BILL 139
N1, O1 4lr0832
(PRE–FILED) CF SB 171
By: Delegate Charkoudian
Requested: October 3, 2023
Introduced and read first time: January 10, 2024
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Landlord and Tenant – Office of Home Energy Programs – Financial Assistance 2
FOR the purpose of requiring a landlord to accept financial assistance from the Office of 3
Home Energy Programs in the Department of Human Services for the cost of utility 4
services that a tenant is required to pay; requiring a landlord, under certain 5
circumstances, to provide a tenant with utility service documentation that is 6
necessary for the Office to determine the eligibility of the tenant for financial 7
assistance; and generally relating to landlords, tenants, and the Office of Home 8
Energy Programs. 9
BY adding to 10
Article – Real Property 11
Section 8–220 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2023 Replacement Volume) 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
Article – Real Property 17
8–220. 18
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 19
INDICATED. 20
(2) “OFFICE” MEANS THE OFFICE OF HOME ENERGY PROGRAMS IN 21
THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES. 22
2 HOUSE BILL 139
(3) “UTILITY SERVICE” MEANS FUEL, GAS, ELECTRIC, HEAT, WATER, 1
OR A SIMILAR SERVICE PROVIDED BY A PUBLIC SERVICE COMPA NY THAT IS 2
REGULATED BY THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION. 3
(B) A LANDLORD SHALL ACCEPT FINANCI AL ASSISTANCE FROM T HE 4
OFFICE FOR THE COST OF UTILITY SERVICES THAT A TENANT IS REQUIRED TO PAY. 5
(C) (1) SUBJECT TO THE CONFIDENTIALITY REQU IREMENTS OF STATE 6
AND FEDERAL LAW , AND ON THE REQUEST OF A TENANT , A LANDLORD SHALL 7
PROVIDE A TENANT WITH UTILITY SERVICE DOCUMENTATION THAT IS: 8
(I) ACCESSIBLE TO THE LANDLORD , BUT OTHERWISE 9
INACCESSIBLE TO THE TENANT; AND 10
(II) NECESSARY FOR THE OFFICE TO DETERMINE THE 11
ELIGIBILITY OF THE TENANT FOR FINANCIAL ASSIST ANCE. 12
(2) UTILITY SERVICE D OCUMENTATION UNDER P ARAGRAPH (1) OF 13
THIS SUBSECTION SHALL: 14
(I) BE PROVIDED AT NO COS T TO THE TENANT ; AND 15
(II) INCLUDE BILLS AND OTHER STATEMENTS RELATED TO 16
UTILITY SERVICES . 17
(D) (1) FOR EACH VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION BY A LANDLORD , THE 18
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES MAY IMPOSE: 19
(I) FOR A FIRST OFFENSE , AN ADMINISTRATIVE PEN ALTY OF 20
$500; OR 21
(II) FOR A SECOND OR SUBSE QUENT OFFENSE , AN 22
ADMINISTRATIVE PENAL TY OF $1,000. 23
(2) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PAY ANY PENALTY COLLECTED UNDER 24
THIS SUBSECTION INTO THE GENERAL FUND OF THE STATE. 25
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 26
October 1, 2024. 27