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.
*hb1372*
HOUSE BILL 1372
Q2 5lr2394
CF 5lr2396
By: Washington County Delegation
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2025
Assigned to: Ways and Means
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 5, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Washington County – Notice of Tax Sale – Alterations 2
FOR the purpose of altering the requirements for providing notice of the tax sale of property 3
in Washington County; altering the number of notices that shall be sent to the owner 4
of property after property is sold at a tax sale; and generally relating to providing 5
notice of a tax sale of property in Washington County. 6
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – Tax – Property 8
Section 14–813(a) and 14–817.1 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 11
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13
Article – Tax – Property 14
14–813. 15
(a) (1) At any time after 30 days from the mailing of the statement and notice, 16
the collector shall cause to be published, 4 times, once a week for 4 successive weeks in 1 17
or more newspapers that have a general circulation in the county in which the property is 18
located, a notice that the property will, on the date and at the place named in the notice, be 19
sold at public auction. 20 2 HOUSE BILL 1372
(2) In Dorchester County, Frederick County, Garrett County, Kent County, 1
and Queen Anne’s County, the notice shall be published 3 times, once a week for 3 2
successive weeks. 3
(3) (i) In Baltimore City, the notice shall be: 4
1. published two times, once per week in alternate weeks; 5
and 6
2. posted on the City’s website 4 weeks prior to the sale. 7
(ii) The required newspaper notice shall include a statement that 8
notice shall be posted on the City’s website along with instructions on how the public can 9
access the website. 10
(4) (I) IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, THE NOTICE SHALL BE : 11
1. PUBLISHED TWO TIMES , ONCE PER WEEK IN 12
ALTERNATE WEEKS ; AND 13
2. POSTED ON THE COUNTY’S WEBSITE 4 WEEKS PRIOR 14
TO THE SALE. 15
(II) 1. THE REQUIRED NEWSPAPE R NOTICE SHALL INCLU DE 16
A STATEMENT THAT NOT ICE SHALL BE POSTED ON THE COUNTY’S WEBSITE ALONG 17
WITH INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW THE PUBLIC CAN A CCESS THE WEBSITE . 18
2. THE NOTICE ON THE COUNTY’S WEBSITE SHALL BE 19
UPDATED BY THE CLOSE OF BUSINE SS ON EACH FRIDAY UNTIL THE SALE. 20
14–817.1. 21
(a) Within 60 days after a property is sold at a tax sale, the collector shall send to 22
the person who last appears as owner of the property on the collector’s tax roll, at the last 23
address shown on the tax roll, a notice that includes: 24
(1) a statement that the property has been sold to satisfy unpaid taxes; 25
(2) the date of the tax sale; 26
(3) the amount of the highest bid; 27
(4) the lien amount on the property at the time of sale; 28
HOUSE BILL 1372 3
(5) a statement that the owner has the right to redeem the property until 1
a court forecloses that right; 2
(6) a statement that the purchaser of the property may institute an action 3
to foreclose the property: 4
(i) as early as 6 months from the date of the sale; or 5
(ii) if a government agency certifies that the property requires, or 6
shall require, substantial repair to comply with applicable building codes, as early as 60 7
days from the date of the sale; 8
(7) a statement that if the property is redeemed before an action to 9
foreclose the right of redemption is filed, the amount that shall be paid to redeem the 10
property is: 11
(i) the total lien amount on the property at the time of sale, with 12
interest; 13
(ii) any taxes, interest, and penalties paid by the holder of the 14
certificate of sale; and 15
(iii) any taxes, interest, and penalties accruing after the date of the 16
tax sale; 17
(8) a statement that, if the property is redeemed more than 4 months after 18
the date of the tax sale, and before an action to foreclose the right of redemption is filed, 19
the holder of the certificate of sale may be reimbursed for: 20
(i) attorney’s fees for recording the certificate of sale; 21
(ii) a title search fee, not to exceed $250; and 22
(iii) reasonable attorney’s fees, not to exceed $500; 23
(9) a statement that, if the property is redeemed after an action to foreclose 24
the right of redemption has been filed, the amount that shall be paid to redeem the property 25
is the sum of: 26
(i) the total lien amount on the property at the time of sale, with 27
interest; 28
(ii) any taxes, interest, and penalties paid by the holder of the 29
certificate of sale; 30
(iii) any taxes, interest, and penalties accruing after the date of the 31
tax sale; and 32 4 HOUSE BILL 1372
(iv) attorney’s fees and expenses to which the holder of the certificate 1
of sale may be entitled under § 14–843(a)(4) and (5) of this subtitle; and 2
(10) the provisions of § 14–843(a) of this subtitle, reproduced as they appear 3
in the Code. 4
(b) (1) The notice required under subsection (a) of this section shall be sent by 5
first–class mail. 6
(2) IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, ONE ADDITIONAL COPY OF T HE NOTICE 7
REQUIRED UNDER SUBSE CTION (A) OF THIS SECTION SHAL L BE SENT WITHIN 15 8
DAYS OF THE NOTICE R EQUIRED UNDER SUBSEC TION (A) OF THIS SECTION. 9
(c) The mailing required under this section shall include a separate insert that 10
includes all of the information required under § 14–812(b) of this subtitle. 11
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 12
October 1, 2025. 13
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.