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.
*hb1293*
HOUSE BILL 1293
E4, A2 5lr3407
By: Delegates Smith, Addison, Embry, and Young
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2025
Assigned to: Judiciary
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 1, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Baltimore City – Office of the Sheriff – Neighborhood Services Unit 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the Neighborhood Services Unit within the Office of the 3
Sheriff of Baltimore City; requiring the Neighborhood Services Unit and the Board 4
of License Commissioners of Baltimore City to work in partnership to enforce the 5
alcoholic beverages laws of Baltimore City and to enter into a memorandum of 6
understanding that specifies the respective roles and responsibilities of the parties 7
in connection with the partnership; requiring the Neighborhood Services Unit to 8
perform any other duties as directed by the Sheriff of Baltimore City; expanding the 9
authorized uses of certain revenue to include the work of the Neighborhood Services 10
Unit; and generally relating to the Office of the Sheriff of Baltimore City. 11
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 12
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 13
Section 12–101(a) and (b) 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2024 Replacement Volume) 16
BY adding to 17
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 18
Section 12–2605 19
Annotated Code of Maryland 20
(2024 Replacement Volume) 21
BY adding to 22 2 HOUSE BILL 1293
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 1
Section 2–316.1 2
Annotated Code of Maryland 3
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 4
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 5
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 6
Section 7–301(c)(1) and (2) 7
Annotated Code of Maryland 8
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 9
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 11
Section 7–301(c)(3) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 17
12–101. 18
(a) In this title: 19
(1) except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, the definitions in § 20
1–101 of this article apply without exception or variation; and 21
(2) the following words have the meanings indicated. 22
(b) “Board” means the Board of License Commissioners for Baltimore City. 23
12–2605. 24
(A) IN THIS SECTION, “UNIT” MEANS THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES UNIT 25
WITHIN THE OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF OF BALTIMORE CITY, AS ESTABLISHED 26
UNDER § 2–316.1 OF THE COURTS ARTICLE. 27
(B) THE BOARD SHALL WORK IN P ARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIT TO 28
ENFORCE THIS TITLE . 29
(C) THE BOARD SHALL ENTER INT O A MEMORANDUM OF UNDE RSTANDING 30
WITH THE UNIT THAT SPECIFIES THE R ESPECTIVE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 31
OF THE PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE PARTNERSHIP DESC RIBED IN 32
SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION. 33 HOUSE BILL 1293 3
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 1
2–316.1. 2
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 3
INDICATED. 4
(2) “BOARD” MEANS THE BOARD OF LICENSE COMMISSIONERS OF 5
BALTIMORE CITY. 6
(3) “UNIT” MEANS THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES UNIT WITHIN THE 7
OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF OF BALTIMORE CITY, AS ESTABLISHED UNDER 8
SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION. 9
(B) THERE IS A NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES UNIT WITHIN THE OFFICE OF 10
THE SHERIFF OF BALTIMORE CITY. 11
(C) THE UNIT SHALL: 12
(1) WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BOARD TO ENFORCE THE 13
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES LAWS OF BALTIMORE CITY UNDER TITLE 12 OF THE 14
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND CANNABIS ARTICLE; AND 15
(2) PERFORM ANY OTHER DUTIES AS DIRECTED BY THE SHERIFF OF 16
BALTIMORE CITY. 17
(D) THE UNIT SHALL ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDE RSTANDING 18
WITH THE BOARD THAT SPECIFIES THE R ESPECTIVE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 19
OF THE PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH T HE PARTNERSHIP DESCR IBED IN 20
SUBSECTION (C)(1) OF THIS SECTION. 21
7–301. 22
(c) (1) The filing fees and costs in a civil case are those prescribed by law 23
subject to modification by law, rule, or administrative regulation. 24
(2) The Chief Judge of the District Court shall assess a surcharge that: 25
(i) May not be more than: 26
1. $43 per summary ejectment case; and 27
2. $28 per case for all other civil cases; and 28
4 HOUSE BILL 1293
(ii) Shall be deposited: 1
1. For a surcharge assessed under item (i)1 of this 2
paragraph: 3
A. 45% into the Statewide Rental Assistance Voucher 4
Program established under § 4–2902 of the Housing and Community Development Article; 5
B. 45% into the Maryland Legal Services Corporation Fund 6
established under § 11–402 of the Human Services Article; and 7
C. 10% into the Rental Assistance for Community Schools 8
Families Fund established under § 9.9–104.1 of the Education Article; and 9
2. For a surcharge assessed under item (i)2 of this 10
paragraph, into the Maryland Legal Services Corporation Fund established under § 11
11–402 of the Human Services Article. 12
(3) (i) In addition to the surcharge assessed under paragraph (2) of this 13
subsection, the Chief Judge of the District Court shall assess a surcharge that may not be 14
more than $10 per case for the following cases filed in Baltimore City: 15
1. Summary ejectment; 16
2. Tenant holding over; 17
3. Breach of lease; and 18
4. Warrant of restitution. 19
(ii) The revenue generated from the surcharge on filing fees collected 20
by the District Court in Baltimore City under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph shall be: 21
1. Remitted quarterly to the Baltimore City Director of 22
Finance; and 23
2. Used to fund the enhancement of sheriff benefits [and], 24
the increase in sheriff personnel to enhance the service of domestic violence orders, AND 25
THE WORK OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES UNIT WITHIN THE OFFICE OF THE 26
SHERIFF OF BALTIMORE CITY. 27
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 28
October 1, 2025. 29