EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb0354*
SENATE BILL 354
K3, L1, N1 4lr1002
CF HB 372
By: Senators Waldstreicher and Jackson
Introduced and read first time: January 16, 2024
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 18, 2024
CHAPTER ______
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
2 SENATE BILL 354
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 1
INDICATED. 2
(B) “COVERED INDIVIDUAL ” MEANS A DEFENDANT TE NANT OF A 3
RESIDENTIAL RENTAL P ROPERTY IN A FAILURE TO PAY RENT CASE FIL ED UNDER § 4
8–401 OF THIS TITLE. 5
(C) “DESIGNATED ORGANIZATI ON” MEANS THE FISCAL AND 6
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT OF A COUNTY’S LOCAL WORKFORCE DE VELOPMENT 7
BOARD. 8
(D) “PILOT PROGRAM” MEANS THE RENT COURT WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS 9
PILOT PROGRAM. 10
8–1002. 11
THIS SUBTITLE APPLIES ONLY IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND PRINCE 12
GEORGE’S COUNTY. 13
8–1003. 14
(A) THERE IS A RENT COURT WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS PILOT PROGRAM. 15
(B) THE PURPOSE OF THE PILOT PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE COVERED 16
INDIVIDUALS WITH : 17
(1) WORKFORCE RESOURCES ; AND 18
(2) INFORMATION ON : 19
(I) WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ; AND 20
(II) EMPLOYMENT REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIPS AND OTHER 21
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES . 22
(C) A DESIGNATED ORGANIZAT ION SHALL ADMINISTER THE PILOT 23
PROGRAM. 24
8–1004. 25
(A) THE DISTRICT COURT SHALL MAY ALLOW AT LEAST ONE 26
REPRESENTATIVE FROM A DESIGNATED ORGANIZ ATION TO OPERATE IN A DISTRICT 27
COURT COURTHOUSE ON D AYS ON WHICH CASES F ILED FOR A FAILURE T O PAY RENT 28
UNDER § 8–401 OF THIS TITLE ARE HE ARD. 29
SENATE BILL 354 3
(B) THE OPERATION OF A DE SIGNATED ORGANIZATIO N IN A DISTRICT 1
COURT COURTHOUSE SHAL L BE GOVERNED BY A M EMORANDUM OF 2
UNDERSTANDING SIGNED BY A RE PRESENTATIVE OF THE DESIGNATED 3
ORGANIZATION AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE FOR THE APPLICABLE DISTRICT 4
COURT. 5
(B) (C) NOTHING IN THIS SUBTI TLE MAY BE CONSTRUED TO REQUIRE THE 6
DISTRICT COURT TO ALLOW A REPR ESENTATIVE FROM A DE SIGNATED 7
ORGANIZATION TO OPER ATE WITHIN A COURTROO M. 8
(C) IF BOTH PARTIES AGREE , THE COURT MAY GRANT A CONTINUANCE OR A 9
STAY OF AN EVICTION PROCEEDING FOR A FAI LURE TO PAY RENT SO THAT A 10
COVERED INDIVIDUAL M AY PARTICIPATE IN TH E PILOT PROGRAM. 11
8–1005. 12
ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2026, AND EACH JANUARY 1 THEREAFTER , A 13
DESIGNATED ORGANIZAT ION SHALL REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND , IN 14
ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE GENERAL 15
ASSEMBLY ON THE NUMBE R OF INDIVIDUALS THA T WERE CONNECTED TO 16
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMEN T PROGRAMS OR EMPLOYMENT OPPORT UNITIES 17
THROUGH THE PILOT PROGRAM. 18
8–1006. 19
FOR EACH OF FISCAL YE ARS 2026 THROUGH 2028, THE GOVERNOR SHALL 20
INCLUDE IN THE ANNUA L BUDGET BILL AN APP ROPRIATION OF : 21
(1) $100,000 TO THE DESIGNATED ORGANIZAT ION FOR 22
MONTGOMERY COUNTY OFFICE OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO BE USED FOR THE 23
PILOT PROGRAM; AND 24
(2) $100,000 TO THE DESIGNATED ORGANIZAT ION FOR PRINCE 25
GEORGE’S COUNTY OFFICE OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO BE USED FOR THE 26
PILOT PROGRAM. 27
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 28
1, 2024. 29