EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0393*
HOUSE BILL 393
I4 5lr2595
CF SB 31
By: Delegate Queen
Introduced and read first time: January 16, 2025
Assigned to: Economic Matters
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Commercial Law – Attachment of Wages – Exemptions 2
(Exempt Income Protection Act) 3
FOR the purpose of altering the amount of wages of a judgment debtor that are exempt 4
from attachment; requiring an employer served with an attachment to make certain 5
notifications to a judgment debtor; and generally relating to exemptions from 6
attachment. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Commercial Law 9
Section 15–601.1 and 15–603 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2013 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Commercial Law 15
15–601.1. 16
(a) In this section, “disposable wages” means the part of wages that remain after 17
deduction of any amount required to be withheld by law. 18
(b) The following are exempt from attachment: 19
(1) The greater of: 20
(i) [75 percent] 75% of the disposable wages AND SOCIAL 21
SECURITY, DISABILITY, OR UNEMPLOYMENT BENE FITS due; or 22 2 HOUSE BILL 393
(ii) [30 times the State minimum hourly wage in effect at the time 1
the wages are due,] 150% OF THE FEDERAL POVER TY LEVEL FOR WEEKLY INCOME AS 2
DETERMINED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FOR A 3
HOUSEHOLD OF THE JUD GMENT DEBTOR ’S SIZE multiplied by the number of weeks 4
during which the wages due were earned; and 5
(2) Any medical insurance payment deducted from an employee’s wages by 6
the employer. 7
(c) The amount subject to attachment shall be calculated per pay period 8
15–603. 9
(a) While the attachment remains a lien, the employer/garnishee shall withhold 10
all attachable wages payable to the judgment debtor and remit the amount withheld to the 11
judgment creditor or his legal representative within 15 days after the close of the last pay 12
period in each month. 13
(b) If the employer/garnishee is served with more than one attachment against 14
the same judgment debtor, then the attachments shall be satisfied in the order in which 15
they were served, and each prior attachment must be satisfied before any effect can be 16
given to a subsequent attachment. 17
(C) WHEN AN EMPLOYER /GARNISHEE IS SERVED WITH AN ATTACHMENT , 18
THE EMPLOYER /GARNISHEE SHALL NOTI FY THE JUDGMENT DEBT OR IN WRITING OF: 19
(1) THE AMOUNT OF WAGES E XEMPT FROM ATTACHMEN T UNDER § 20
15–601.1 OF THIS SUBTITLE; 21
(2) THE METHOD USED TO CA LCULATE THE AMOUNT O F ATTACHABLE 22
WAGES; AND 23
(3) THE PROCEDURE BY WHIC H THE JUDGMENT DEBTO R MAY 24
CONTEST THE ATTACHME NT UNDER MARYLAND RULE 3–646. 25
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 26
1, 2025. 27