ACT NOW! Vote Favorable on HB693!

The Governor's Renters’ Rights and Housing Stabilization Act of 2024, HB693, just crossed over to the Senate! This bill is critical to funding civil legal aid and also aims to lower eviction filings in MD. We URGENTLY need your help to contact Senators to vote favorably for HB693!

What the Bill Does

Funds Civil Legal Aid

Importantly, the bill creates a revenue stream to fund civil legal aid and is the ONLY mechanism to fund the Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC) during this legislative session. Civil legal aid funding in the amount of $14.6M is urgently needed to continue to implement the Access to Counsel in Evictions law and support all the other life-saving civil legal aid programs funded by MLSC. Investing in civil legal aid keeps Maryland families housed, safe and economically secure; provides a $6 ROI for every $1 invested; and works to correct racial and other inequities in the civil justice system.

Increases Filing Fee in Eviction Cases, Prohibits that Filing Fee from being Passed to Tenant

The bill aims to reduce MD's aberrantly high eviction filing rates by increasing the filing fee in eviction cases from a national low of $15 to $83 and prohibits that increased fee from being passed on to tenants.

We urgently need your help. Please urge your Senators to vote favorably on the current version of HB693 to ensure funding for civil legal aid and to lower eviction filings in MD.

Email or call your legislators NOW!

HB693 - Renters' Rights

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HB693 - Renters' Rights

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Dear {{legislator:full_name}},  I represent the public interest law community in MD and I strongly urge you to issue a favorable report on HB693, the Governor's Renters’ Rights and Housing Stabilization Act of 2024, which aims to fund civil legal aid and lower eviction filings in MD. Importantly, the bill creates a revenue stream to fund civil legal aid and is the ONLY mechanism to fund the Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC) during this legislative session. Civil legal aid funding in the amount of $14.6M is urgently needed to continue to implement the Access to Counsel in Evictions law and support all the other life-saving civil legal aid programs funded by MLSC. Investing in civil legal aid keeps Maryland families housed, safe and economically secure; provides a $6 ROI for every $1 invested; and works to correct racial and other inequities in the civil justice system. The bill also aims to reduce MD's aberrantly high eviction filing rates by increasing the filing fee in eviction cases from a national low of $15 to closer to the national average at $83 and by prohibiting that increased fee from being passed to tenants.  For the reasons stated above, I strongly urge you to vote favorably on HB693.  Sincerely, {{contact:first_name}} {{contact:last_name}}

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HB693 - Renters' Rights

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