EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0354*
SENATE BILL 354
K3, L1, N1 4lr1002
CF 4lr1001
By: Senators Waldstreicher and Jackson
Introduced and read first time: January 16, 2024
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Montgomery County and Prince George’s County – Rent Court Workforce 2
Solutions Pilot Program 3
FOR the purpose of establishing the Rent Court Workforce Solutions Pilot Program in 4
Montgomery County and Prince George’s County to provide certain individuals with 5
certain resources and information on workforce development and employment 6
opportunities; and generally relating to the Rent Court Workforce Solutions Pilot 7
Program. 8
BY adding to 9
Article – Real Property 10
Section 8–1001 through 8–1006 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 10. Rent Court 11
Workforce Solutions Pilot Program” 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
SUBTITLE 10. RENT COURT WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS PILOT PROGRAM. 18
8–1001. 19
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 20
INDICATED. 21
2 SENATE BILL 354
(B) “COVERED INDIVIDUAL ” MEANS A DE FENDANT TENANT OF A 1
RESIDENTIAL RENTAL P ROPERTY IN A FAILURE TO PAY RENT CASE FIL ED UNDER § 2
8–401 OF THIS TITLE. 3
(C) “DESIGNATED ORGANIZATI ON” MEANS THE FISCAL AND 4
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT OF A COUNTY ’S LOCAL WORKFORCE DE VELOPMENT 5
BOARD. 6
(D) “PILOT PROGRAM” MEANS THE RENT COURT WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS 7
PILOT PROGRAM. 8
8–1002. 9
THIS SUBTITLE APPLIES ONLY IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND PRINCE 10
GEORGE’S COUNTY. 11
8–1003. 12
(A) THERE IS A RENT COURT WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS PILOT PROGRAM. 13
(B) THE PURPOSE OF THE PILOT PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE COVERE D 14
INDIVIDUALS WITH : 15
(1) WORKFORCE RESOURCES ; AND 16
(2) INFORMATION ON : 17
(I) WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ; AND 18
(II) EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNIT IES. 19
(C) A DESIGNATED ORGANIZAT ION SHALL ADMINISTER THE PILOT 20
PROGRAM. 21
8–1004. 22
(A) THE DISTRICT COURT SHALL ALLOW AT LEAST ONE REPRESENTA TIVE 23
FROM A DESIGNATED OR GANIZATION TO OPERAT E IN A DISTRICT COURT 24
COURTHOUSE ON DAYS O N WHICH CASES FILED FOR A FAILURE TO PAY RENT UNDER 25
§ 8–401 OF THIS TITLE ARE HE ARD. 26
SENATE BILL 354 3
(B) NOTHING IN THIS SUBTI TLE MAY BE CONSTRUED TO REQU IRE THE 1
DISTRICT COURT TO ALLOW A REPR ESENTATIVE FROM A DE SIGNATED 2
ORGANIZATION TO OPER ATE WITHIN A COURTRO OM. 3
(C) IF BOTH PARTIES AGREE , THE COURT MAY GRANT A CONTINUANCE OR A 4
STAY OF AN EVICTION PROCEEDING FOR A FAI LURE TO PAY RENT SO THAT A 5
COVERED INDIVIDUAL M AY PARTICIPATE IN TH E PILOT PROGRAM. 6
8–1005. 7
ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2026, AND EACH JANUARY 1 THEREAFTER , A 8
DESIGNATED ORGANIZAT ION SHALL REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND , IN 9
ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE GENERAL 10
ASSEMBLY ON THE NUMBE R OF INDIVIDUALS THA T WERE CONNECTED TO 11
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMEN T PROGRAMS OR EMPLOY MENT OPPORTUNITIES 12
THROUGH THE PILOT PROGRAM. 13
8–1006. 14
FOR EACH OF FISCAL YE ARS 2026 THROUGH 2028, THE GOVERNOR SHALL 15
INCLUDE IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET BILL A N APPROPRIATION OF : 16
(1) $100,000 TO THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY OFFICE OF THE 17
COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO BE USED FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM; AND 18
(2) $100,000 TO THE PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY OFFICE OF THE 19
COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO BE USED FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM. 20
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 21
1, 2024. 22