MD
Maryland House Bill HB87

Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB87 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.
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33 EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
44 [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
55 *hb0087*
66
77 HOUSE BILL 87
88 C2, Q8, E1 5lr0901
99 (PRE–FILED) CF SB 132
1010 By: Delegate Foley
1111 Requested: September 20, 2024
1212 Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
1313 Assigned to: Ways and Means and Environment and Transportation
1414
1515 A BILL ENTITLED
1616
1717 AN ACT concerning 1
1818
1919 Short–Term Rentals and Home Amenity Rentals – Taxation, Regulation, and 2
2020 Crimes 3
2121
2222 FOR the purpose of applying certain health and safety requirements to short–term rental 4
2323 units and home amenities; prohibiting a person from conducting visual surveillance 5
2424 with prurient intent of an individual located in a home amenity or short–term rental 6
2525 without the consent of the individual; prohibiting a person from obstructing or 7
2626 hindering the free passage or disturbing the peace of another in a home amenity or 8
2727 short–term rental unit; authorizing the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore City or 9
2828 the governing body of a county to adopt rules or regulations, by resolution or 10
2929 ordinance, relating to high–intensity use of short–term rentals located in certain 11
3030 areas; requiring owners of short–term rental units or home amenities to submit, on 12
3131 or before a certain date each year, a certain report to the Comptroller; including 13
3232 “short–term rental platform” and “short–term rental unit” in the definition of “hotel” 14
3333 for the purpose of the county and municipal corporation hotel rental tax; and 15
3434 generally relating to short–term rentals and home amenity rentals. 16
3535
3636 BY adding to 17
3737 Article – Business Regulation 18
3838 Section 15–301 through 15–304 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 3. Short–Term 19
3939 Rentals and Home Amenity Rentals” 20
4040 Annotated Code of Maryland 21
4141 (2024 Replacement Volume) 22
4242
4343 BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 23
4444 Article – Criminal Law 24
4545 Section 3–902(a) and 10–201(a) 25
4646 Annotated Code of Maryland 26
4747 (2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 27
4848 2 HOUSE BILL 87
4949
5050
5151 BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 1
5252 Article – Criminal Law 2
5353 Section 3–902(c) and 10–201(c)(1) and (5) 3
5454 Annotated Code of Maryland 4
5555 (2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 5
5656
5757 BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 6
5858 Article – Local Government 7
5959 Section 20–401 8
6060 Annotated Code of Maryland 9
6161 (2013 Volume and 2024 Supplement) 10
6262
6363 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 11
6464 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 12
6565
6666 Article – Business Regulation 13
6767
6868 SUBTITLE 3. SHORT–TERM RENTALS AND HOME AMENITY RENTALS. 14
6969
7070 15–301. 15
7171
7272 (A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 16
7373 INDICATED. 17
7474
7575 (B) “HOME AMENITY ” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 11–101 OF THE 18
7676 TAX – GENERAL ARTICLE. 19
7777
7878 (C) “HOME AMENITY RENTAL ” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 11–101 OF 20
7979 THE TAX – GENERAL ARTICLE. 21
8080
8181 (D) (1) “RENTAL INTERMEDIARY ” MEANS A PERSON , OTHER THAN THE 22
8282 OWNER, WHO FACILITATES THE SALE OR USE OF A SHORT –TERM RENTAL UNIT OR 23
8383 HOME AMENITY AND CHA RGES A BUYER THE TAX ABLE PRICE FOR THE S HORT–TERM 24
8484 RENTAL OR HOME AMENI TY RENTAL. 25
8585
8686 (2) FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SUBTITLE, A PERSON SHALL BE 26
8787 CONSIDERED TO FACILI TATE THE SALE OR USE OF A SHORT–TERM RENTAL UNIT OR 27
8888 HOME AMENITY IF THE PERSON BROKER S, COORDINATES , OR IN ANY OTHER WAY 28
8989 ARRANGES FOR THE SAL E OR USE OF A SHORT –TERM RENTAL UNIT OR HOME 29
9090 AMENITY BY A BUYER . 30
9191
9292 (E) “SHORT–TERM RENTAL ” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 11–101 OF THE 31
9393 TAX – GENERAL ARTICLE. 32
9494 HOUSE BILL 87 3
9595
9696
9797 (F) “SHORT–TERM RENTAL UNIT ” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 11–101 1
9898 OF THE TAX – GENERAL ARTICLE. 2
9999
100100 15–302. 3
101101
102102 (A) A SHORT–TERM RENTAL UNIT OR HOME AMENITY IS: 4
103103
104104 (1) SUBJECT TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY RE QUIREMENTS THAT ARE 5
105105 ESTABLISHED UNDER TITLE 9, SUBTITLE 5 OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY ARTICLE 6
106106 (EVACUATION PROCEDURES IN CASE OF FIRE); 7
107107
108108 (2) A PROPERTY OR A PORTIO N OF A PROPERTY IN WHICH A PRIVATE 8
109109 PLACE MAY BE LOCATED FOR PURPOSES OF § 3–902 OF THE CRIMINAL LAW 9
110110 ARTICLE (VISUAL SURVEILLANCE WITH PRURIENT INTE NT); AND 10
111111
112112 (3) A PUBLIC PLACE FOR P URPOSES OF § 10–201 OF THE CRIMINAL 11
113113 LAW ARTICLE (DISTURBING THE PUBLIC PEACE AND DISORDERLY CONDUCT). 12
114114
115115 (B) IN ADDITION TO COMPLY ING WITH THE REQUIRE MENTS OF SUBSECTION 13
116116 (A) OF THIS SECTION, A SHORT–TERM RENTAL UNIT OR HOME AMENITY SHALL BE IN 14
117117 COMPLIANCE WITH THE HEALTH AND SAFET Y PROVISIONS THAT THE COUNTY AND 15
118118 MUNICIPAL CORPORATIO N IMPOSE ON HOTELS OR SIMILAR AMENITIES LOCATED IN 16
119119 THE SAME JURISDICTIO N. 17
120120
121121 (C) THE RENTAL INTERMEDIA RY SHALL PROVIDE THE OWNER OF THE 18
122122 SHORT–TERM RENTAL UNIT OR HOME AMENITY WITH THE NECESSARY FUNDS TO 19
123123 COMPLY WITH THE REQU IREMENTS OF THIS SEC TION. 20
124124
125125 15–303. 21
126126
127127 THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE CITY OR THE GOVERNING 22
128128 BODY OF A COUNTY OR MUNICIPAL CORPORATIO N MAY ADOPT RULES OR 23
129129 REGULATIONS , BY RESOLUTION OR ORD INANCE, RELATING TO HIGH –INTENSITY USE 24
130130 OF SHORT–TERM RENTALS IN AREA S LACKING AN ADEQUAT E SUPPLY OF 25
131131 AFFORDABLE HOUSING , INCLUDING A RULE OR REGULATION THAT DEFI NES A 26
132132 HIGH–INTENSITY USE OF SHO RT–TERM RENTALS BASED O N: 27
133133
134134 (1) THE NUMBER OF NIGHTS BOOKED; 28
135135
136136 (2) INFRASTRUCTURE CONST RAINTS IN THE AREA S URROUNDING 29
137137 THE SHORT–TERM RENTAL UNITS ; 30
138138 4 HOUSE BILL 87
139139
140140
141141 (3) WHETHER THE SHORT –TERM RENTAL UNITS AR E 1
142142 OWNER–OCCUPIED; 2
143143
144144 (4) CRITERIA TO IDENTIFY AREAS LACKING AN ADE QUATE SUPPLY OF 3
145145 AFFORDABLE HOUSING ; AND 4
146146
147147 (5) ANY OTHER CRITERIA R ELATING TO SHORT –TERM RENTALS . 5
148148
149149 15–304. 6
150150
151151 (A) ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1 EACH YEAR , EACH OWNER O F A 7
152152 SHORT–TERM RENTAL UNIT OR HOME AMENITY SHAL L REPORT TO THE 8
153153 COMPTROLLER , FOR EACH MONTH OF THE PRIOR CALENDA R YEAR: 9
154154
155155 (1) THE NUMBER OF NIGHTS EACH SHORT –TERM RENTAL UNIT IS 10
156156 RENTED; AND 11
157157
158158 (2) THE NUMBER OF TIMES EACH HOME AMENITY IS RENTED. 12
159159
160160 (B) THE COMPTROLLER SHALL DEV ELOP A FORM FOR THE ANNUAL 13
161161 REPORTING REQUIRED U NDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION AND POST THE 14
162162 FORM ON THE COMPTROLLER ’S WEBSITE. 15
163163
164164 Article – Criminal Law 16
165165
166166 3–902. 17
167167
168168 (a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 18
169169
170170 (2) “Camera” includes any electronic device that can be used 19
171171 surreptitiously to observe an individual. 20
172172
173173 (3) “Female breast” means a portion of the female breast below the top of 21
174174 the areola. 22
175175
176176 (4) “HOME AMENITY ” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 11–101 OF THE 23
177177 TAX – GENERAL ARTICLE. 24
178178
179179 (5) “Private area of an individual” means the naked or undergarment–clad 25
180180 genitals, pubic area, buttocks, or female breast of an individual. 26
181181
182182 [(5)] (6) (i) “Private place” means a room in which a person can 27
183183 reasonably be expected to fully or partially disrobe and has a reasonable expectation of 28
184184 privacy, in: 29
185185 HOUSE BILL 87 5
186186
187187
188188 1. an office, business, or store; 1
189189
190190 2. a recreational facility; 2
191191
192192 3. a restaurant or tavern; 3
193193
194194 4. a hotel, motel, or other lodging facility; 4
195195
196196 5. a theater or sports arena; 5
197197
198198 6. a school or other educational institution; 6
199199
200200 7. a bank or other financial institution; 7
201201
202202 8. any part of a family child care home used for the care and 8
203203 custody of a child; [or] 9
204204
205205 9. A HOME AMENITY OR SHORT–TERM RENTAL UNIT; OR 10
206206
207207 10. another place of public use or accommodation. 11
208208
209209 (ii) “Private place” includes a tanning room, dressing room, bedroom, 12
210210 or restroom. 13
211211
212212 (7) “SHORT–TERM RENTAL UNIT ” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 14
213213 11–101 OF THE TAX – GENERAL ARTICLE. 15
214214
215215 [(6)] (8) (i) “Visual surveillance” means the deliberate, surreptitious 16
216216 observation of an individual by any means. 17
217217
218218 (ii) “Visual surveillance” includes surveillance by: 18
219219
220220 1. direct sight; 19
221221
222222 2. the use of mirrors; or 20
223223
224224 3. the use of cameras. 21
225225
226226 (iii) “Visual surveillance” does not include a casual, momentary, or 22
227227 unintentional observation of an individual. 23
228228
229229 (c) A person may not with prurient intent conduct or procure another to conduct 24
230230 visual surveillance of: 25
231231
232232 (1) an individual in a private place without the consent of that individual; 26
233233 or 27 6 HOUSE BILL 87
234234
235235
236236
237237 (2) the private area of an individual by use of a camera without the consent 1
238238 of the individual under circumstances in which a reasonable person would believe that the 2
239239 private area of the individual would not be visible to the public, regardless of whether the 3
240240 individual is in a public or private place. 4
241241
242242 10–201. 5
243243
244244 (a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 6
245245
246246 (2) “HOME AMENITY ” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 11–101 OF THE 7
247247 TAX – GENERAL ARTICLE. 8
248248
249249 (3) (i) “Public conveyance” means a conveyance to which the public or a 9
250250 portion of the public has access to and a right to use for transportation. 10
251251
252252 (ii) “Public conveyance” includes an airplane, vessel, bus, railway 11
253253 car, school vehicle, and subway car. 12
254254
255255 [(3)] (4) (i) “Public place” means a place to which the public or a 13
256256 portion of the public has access and a right to resort for business, dwelling, entertainment, 14
257257 or other lawful purpose. 15
258258
259259 (ii) “Public place” includes: 16
260260
261261 1. a restaurant, shop, shopping center, store, tavern, or other 17
262262 place of business; 18
263263
264264 2. a public building; 19
265265
266266 3. a public parking lot; 20
267267
268268 4. a public street, sidewalk, or right–of–way; 21
269269
270270 5. a public park or other public grounds; 22
271271
272272 6. the common areas of a building containing four or more 23
273273 separate dwelling units, including a corridor, elevator, lobby, and stairwell; 24
274274
275275 7. a hotel or motel; 25
276276
277277 8. a place used for public resort or amusement, including an 26
278278 amusement park, golf course, race track, sports arena, swimming pool, and theater; 27
279279
280280 9. an institution of elementary, secondary, or higher 28
281281 education; 29
282282 HOUSE BILL 87 7
283283
284284
285285 10. a place of public worship; 1
286286
287287 11. a place or building used for entering or exiting a public 2
288288 conveyance, including an airport terminal, bus station, dock, railway station, subway 3
289289 station, and wharf; [and] 4
290290
291291 12. A HOME AMENITY OR SH ORT–TERM RENTAL UNIT ; 5
292292 AND 6
293293
294294 13. the parking areas, sidewalks, and other grounds and 7
295295 structures that are part of a public place. 8
296296
297297 (5) “SHORT–TERM RENTAL UNIT ” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 9
298298 11–101 OF THE TAX – GENERAL ARTICLE. 10
299299
300300 (c) (1) A person may not willfully and without lawful purpose obstruct or 11
301301 hinder the free passage of another in a public place or on a public conveyance. 12
302302
303303 (5) A person from any location may not, by making an unreasonably loud 13
304304 noise, willfully disturb the peace of another: 14
305305
306306 (i) on the other’s land or premises; 15
307307
308308 (ii) in a public place; or 16
309309
310310 (iii) on a public conveyance. 17
311311
312312 Article – Local Government 18
313313
314314 20–401. 19
315315
316316 (a) In this part the following words have the meanings indicated. 20
317317
318318 (b) (1) “Hotel” means: 21
319319
320320 (I) an establishment that offers sleeping accommodations for 22
321321 compensation; OR 23
322322
323323 (II) A SHORT–TERM RENTAL PLATFORM . 24
324324
325325 (2) “Hotel” includes: 25
326326
327327 (i) an apartment; 26
328328
329329 (ii) a cottage; 27
330330 8 HOUSE BILL 87
331331
332332
333333 (iii) a hostelry; 1
334334
335335 (iv) an inn; 2
336336
337337 (v) a motel; 3
338338
339339 (vi) a rooming house; 4
340340
341341 (VII) A SHORT–TERM RENTAL UNIT; or 5
342342
343343 [(vii)] (VIII) a tourist home. 6
344344
345345 (c) “Hotel rental tax” means the tax on a transient charge. 7
346346
347347 (D) “SHORT–TERM RENTAL PLATFORM ” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 8
348348 11–101 OF THE TAX – GENERAL ARTICLE. 9
349349
350350 (E) “SHORT–TERM RENTAL UNIT” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 11–101 10
351351 OF THE TAX – GENERAL ARTICLE. 11
352352
353353 [(d)] (F) (1) (i) Except as provided in subparagraphs (ii), (iii), and (iv) of 12
354354 this paragraph, “transient charge” means a hotel charge for sleeping accommodations for a 13
355355 period not exceeding 4 consecutive months. 14
356356
357357 (ii) In Carroll County, “transient charge” means a hotel charge for 15
358358 sleeping accommodations for a period not exceeding 25 days. 16
359359
360360 (iii) In Frederick County, “transient charge” means a hotel charge for 17
361361 sleeping accommodations for a period not exceeding 90 days. 18
362362
363363 (iv) In Garrett County and Washington County, “transient charge” 19
364364 means a hotel charge for sleeping accommodations for a period not exceeding 30 days. 20
365365
366366 (2) “Transient charge” does not include any hotel charge for: 21
367367
368368 (i) services; or 22
369369
370370 (ii) accommodations other than sleeping accommodations. 23
371371
372372 [(e)] (G) “Western Maryland code county” means a code county in the Western 24
373373 Maryland class as established under § 9–302 of this article. 25
374374
375375 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 26
376376 1, 2025. 27