Consumer Protection - Motor Vehicles - Right to Repair

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW. [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law. *hb0843* HOUSE BILL 843 Q2 6lr1779 HB 1372/25 – W&M CF SB 499 By: Washington County Delegation Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2026 Assigned to: Ways and Means A BILL ENTITLED AN ACT concerning 1 Washington County – Notice of Tax Sale – Alterations 2 FOR the purpose of altering the requirements for providing notice of the tax sale of property 3 in Washington County; altering the number of notices that shall be sent to the owner 4 of property after property is sold at a tax sale; and generally relating to p roviding 5 notice of a tax sale of property in Washington County. 6 BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7 Article – Tax – Property 8 Section 14–813(a) and 14–817.1 9 Annotated Code of Maryland 10 (2019 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13 Article – Tax – Property 14 14–813. 15 (a) (1) At any time after 30 days from the mailing of the statement and notice, 16 the collector shall cause to be published, 4 times, once a week for 4 successive weeks in 1 17 or more newspapers that have a general circulation in the county in which the property is 18 located, a notice that the property will, on the date and at the place named in the notice, be 19 sold at public auction. 20 (2) In Dorchester County, Frederick County, Garrett County, Kent County, 21 and Queen Anne’s County, the notice shall be published 3 times, once a week for 3 22 successive weeks. 23 (3) (i) In Baltimore City, the notice shall be: 24 2 HOUSE BILL 843 1. published two time s, once per week in alternate weeks; 1 and 2 2. posted on the City’s website 4 weeks prior to the sale. 3 (ii) The required newspaper notice shall include a statement that 4 notice shall be posted on the City’s website along with instructions on how the p ublic can 5 access the website. 6 (4) (I) IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, THE NOTICE SHALL BE: 7 1. PUBLISHED TWO TIMES , ONCE PER WEEK IN 8 ALTERNATE WEEKS; AND 9 2. POSTED ON THE COUNTY ’S WEBSITE 4 WEEKS PRIOR 10 TO THE SALE. 11 (II) 1. THE REQUIRED NEWSPAPER NOTICE SHALL INCLUDE 12 A STATEMENT THAT NOTICE SHALL BE POSTED ON THE COUNTY’S WEBSITE ALONG 13 WITH INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW THE PUBLIC CAN ACCESS THE WEBSITE. 14 2. THE NOTICE ON THE COU NTY’S WEBSITE SHALL BE 15 UPDATED BY THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON EACH FRIDAY UNTIL THE SALE. 16 14–817.1. 17 (a) Within 60 days after a property is sold at a tax sale, the collector shall send to 18 the person who last appears as owner of the property on the collector’s tax roll, at the last 19 address shown on the tax roll, a notice that includes: 20 (1) a statement that the property has been sold to satisfy unpaid taxes; 21 (2) the date of the tax sale; 22 (3) the amount of the highest bid; 23 (4) the lien amount on the property at the time of sale; 24 (5) a statement that the owner has the ri ght to redeem the property until 25 a court forecloses that right; 26 (6) a statement that the purchaser of the property may institute an action 27 to foreclose the property: 28 (i) as early as 6 months from the date of the sale; or 29 HOUSE BILL 843 3 (ii) if a government age ncy certifies that the property requires, or 1 shall require, substantial repair to comply with applicable business codes, as early as 60 2 days from the date of the sale; 3 (7) a statement that if the property is redeemed before an action to 4 foreclose the right of redemption is filed, the amount that shall be paid to redeem the 5 property is: 6 (i) the total lien amount on the property at the time of sale, with 7 interest; 8 (ii) any taxes, interest, and penalties paid by the holder of the 9 certificate of sale; and 10 (iii) for property that is not owner–occupied residential property, any 11 delinquent taxes, interest, and penalties accruing after the date of the tax sale; 12 (8) a statement that, if the property is redeemed more than 4 months after 13 the date of the tax sale, and before an action to foreclose the right of redemption is filed, 14 the holder of the certificate of sale may be reimbursed for: 15 (i) attorney’s fees for recording the certificate of sale; 16 (ii) a title search fee, not to exceed $250; and 17 (iii) reasonable attorney’s fees, not to exceed $500; 18 (9) a statement that, if the property is redeemed after an action to foreclose 19 the right of redemption has been filed, the amount that shall be paid to redeem the property 20 is the sum of: 21 (i) the total lien amount on the property at the time of sale, with 22 interest; 23 (ii) any taxes, interest, and penalties paid by the holder of the 24 certificate of sale; 25 (iii) for property that is not owner–occupied residential property, any 26 delinquent taxes, interest, and penalties accruing after the date of the tax sale; and 27 (iv) attorney’s fees and expenses to which the holder of the certificate 28 of sale may be entitled under § 14–843(a)(4) and (5) of this subtitle; and 29 (10) the provisions of § 14–843(a) of this subtitle, reproduced as they appear 30 in the Code. 31 4 HOUSE BILL 843 (b) (1) The notice required under subsection (a) of this section shall be sent by 1 first–class mail. 2 (2) IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, ONE ADDITIONAL COPY OF THE NOTICE 3 REQUIRED UNDER SUBSE CTION (A) OF THIS SECTION SHAL L BE SENT WITHIN 15 4 DAYS AFTER THE NOTICE REQUIRED UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION. 5 (c) The mailing required under this section shall include a separate insert that 6 includes all of the information required under § 14–812(b) of this subtitle. 7 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 8 October 1, 2026. 9