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.
*hb0801*
HOUSE BILL 801
O1 5lr0980
HB 815/24 – APP & W&M
By: Delegates Spiegel, Acevero, Crutchfield, Foley, D. Jones, Kaiser, Kaufman,
Lopez, McComas, Terrasa, Tomlinson, Vogel, Wims, Wolek, and Wu
Introduced and read first time: January 29, 2025
Assigned to: Ways and Means
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 1, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Maryland Financial Empowerment Center Network Pilot Program 2
– Establishment 3
FOR the purpose of establishing the Maryland Financial Empowerment Center Network 4
Pilot Program within the Office of the Comptroller; and generally relating to the 5
Maryland Financial Empowerment Center Network Pilot Program. 6
BY adding to 7
Article – Tax – General 8
Section 1–501 through 1–505 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 5. Maryland 9
Financial Empowerment Center Network Pilot Program” 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 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 – Tax – General 15
SUBTITLE 5. MARYLAND FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTER NETWORK PILOT 16
PROGRAM. 17
1–501. 18
2 HOUSE BILL 801
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 1
INDICATED. 2
(B) “CENTER” MEANS A FINANCIAL EM POWERMENT CENTER EST ABLISHED 3
UNDER THE PILOT PROGRAM. 4
(C) “PILOT PROGRAM” MEANS THE FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTER 5
NETWORK PILOT PROGRAM. 6
1–502. 7
(A) THERE IS A MARYLAND FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTER NETWORK 8
PILOT PROGRAM. 9
(B) THE PURPOSE OF THE PILOT PROGRAM IS TO ESTABLI SH A STATEWIDE 10
NETWORK OF FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTERS IN DIFFERENT REGIONS OF THE 11
STATE. 12
(C) THE COMPTROLLER SHALL IMPLEMENT AN D ADMINISTER THE PILOT 13
PROGRAM. 14
1–503. 15
(A) (1) EACH CENTER SHALL PRO VIDE ONE –ON–ONE FINANCIAL 16
COUNSELING AND COACH ING SERVICES FREE OF CHARGE, INCLUDING 17
INFORMATION ON HOW T O: 18
(I) INCREASE SAVINGS ; 19
(II) PAY DOWN DEBT ; 20
(III) ACCESS BANKING ; AND 21
(IV) IMPROVE CREDIT SCORE S. 22
(2) EACH CENTER SHALL MAK E THE INFORMATION PR OVIDED UNDER 23
THIS SUBSECTION AVAI LABLE IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, AND ANY OTHER LANGUA GE 24
REQUIRED BY THE OFFICE. 25
(B) EACH FINANCIAL COUNSE LOR EMPLOYED BY A CE NTER SHALL 26
COMPLETE TRAINING TH AT MEETS OR EXCEEDS THE FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT 27
CENTER COUNSELOR TRAINING STANDARDS DEVELOPED B Y THE CITIES FOR 28
FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT FUND. 29 HOUSE BILL 801 3
1–504. 1
FOR FISCAL YEARS 2027 AND 2028, THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUD E IN THE 2
ANNUAL BUDGET BILL A N APPROPRIATION TO THE COMPTROLLER IN AN AMOUNT 3
SUFFICIENT TO COVER THE COSTS OF THE PILOT PROGRAM. 4
1–505. 5
THE COMPTROLLER SHALL ADOPT REGULATI ONS TO CARRY OUT THI S 6
SUBTITLE. 7
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 8
October 1, 2025. It shall remain effective for a period of 3 years and, at the end of September 9
30, 2028, this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be 10
abrogated and of no further force and effect. 11
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.