This week, the Prince George's County Council sent a letter to Senator Benson & Delegate Charles from Prince George's County explaining the council's position on three bills.
HB 1433 State Highways – Designations – Piscataway Highway, which would require the State Highway Administration ]to designate Maryland Route 210 as the Piscataway Highway. Native American groups have spent years pushing for a name change to the highway and have been trying to bolster public support and the backing of county leaders. This would be the second attempt to rename the highway in a year. In 2021, then-Prince George's County Delegate Jay Walker proposed renaming Route 210 as Thurgood Marshall Highway. There was also an effort to change the name in the MD Senate last year when Charles County Senator Arthur Ellis proposed renaming Route 210 after former President Barack Obama.
SB 279/HB 571 Access to Counsel in Evictions Special Fund – Alteration would change the funding sources of the Access to Counsel in Evictions Special Fund to include funds received by the Consumer Protection Division (CPD) in the Office of the Attorney General (OAG). Should this bill be enacted, the funds would include any final settlement, agreement, or judgment related to an investigation or enforcement of the Maryland Consumer Protection Act (MCPA) for an unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade practice regarding residential rental property. Excluded from the bill's effects would include any monies received by the aggrieved party and OAG's costs to bring the action.
HB 86/SB 6 Landlord and Tenant – Residential Leases – Tenant Rights and Protections (Tenant Protection Act of 2022) would make changes to statutes related to tenant rights and protections, which would include:
Establishing requirements and procedures for landlords that use a ratio utility billing system;
Requiring a statement of costs, as required under the current law if a landlord withholds the return of a security deposit, to include specified documentation; and
Expanding protections for tenants or legal occupants who are victims of "abuse" as defined in § 4‐501 of the Family Law Article.
For more information on these bills, contact Prince George's Council Council Chair Hawkins, the office of Senator Benson & Delegate Charles.