Legislative
2025 End of Session Report
Yesterday was the last day of the legislative session and although it was a cool, gray, rainy day, there were still moments when the rain stopped, and the sun burst through. This is an apt description of this year's legislative session as well. At a time when economic protections and policies to promote racial equity are being decimated, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is currently on life support, Maryland’s General Assembly passed some great bills, some good bills, and some very bad bills for working families. Below are some of the bills that Economic Action was thrilled to lead ...
Help Protect Maryland Homeowners from Foreclosure!
Maryland, Alabama, and Connecticut are the only three states in the country that do not have a statute of limitations for foreclosures. Statutes of limitations establishes the time limit for bringing a foreclosure action. Essentially, it means that if a homeowner misses mortgage payments, a foreclosure action must begin before the time runs out. This provides clarity for the homeowner and ensures that mortgage servicers have an incentive to work with homeowners to refinance the mortgage to a more affordable payment or begin foreclosure proceedings in a timely fashion. Forty-seven states already do this which means that mortgages lenders and ...
Help Stop Predatory Payday Loans in Maryland (Again!)
From the National Consumer Law Center: The Maryland State Senate is nearing passage of a bill that could legalize 300% APR payday advance loans in Maryland. The bill, HB 1294, exempts “earned wage access” loans from Maryland’s 33% interest rate cap, allowing fees and so-called “tips” that could add up to $100 or more per month. The bill has already passed the Maryland General Assembly and the Senate Finance Committee. Call your Maryland Senator and tell them not to legalize 300% APR payday advance loans in Maryland. You can also call Governor Moore's office at (410) 974-3901 or send his ...
Protect Maryland Residents from Foreclosure on Zombie Mortgages!
Maryland, Connecticut, and Alabama are rarely thought of as a trio; they are located in different regions in the U.S. with distinct food, culture, cities, and natural environments. They share one unfortunate trait: Maryland, Alabama, and Connecticut are the only three states in the country that do not have a statute of limitations for foreclosure. Statutes of limitations establishes the time limit for bringing a foreclosure action. Essentially, it means that if a homeowner misses mortgage payments, a foreclosure action must begin before the time runs out. This provides clarity for the homeowner and ensures that mortgage servicers have an ...
Post-Crossover Update: Heading To the Finish Line
Last Monday, March 17 wasn’t just St. Patrick’s Day. It was also ‘crossover day,’ the day by which a bill had to pass out of one chamber of the General Assembly in order to have a good chance of final passage by Sine Die, the last day of the 2025 legislative session on Monday, April 7. It wasn’t the luck of the Irish, it was the hard work of our policy team, our bill sponsors, our partners and supporters that led to 14 bills we’ve led and supported making it across this critical legislative hurdle. A few highlights include: HB268/SB981: ...
Your Utility Bill Shouldn’t Fund Shareholder Perks!
It’s no secret that utility bills are at an all time high in Maryland, and are only set to increase. With the rising costs, families have been forced to choose between heating their homes and food, medicine, and other basic needs. Thousands of Baltimore City households experienced BGE shutoffs in 2024. Meanwhile, our monopoly utilities are using the money they collect from your monthly bills to fund their lobbying and advertisements. They've even attempted to charge ratepayers for their retirement gifts. This lavish spending benefits them, not you. The ratepayer pays the bill, the utility companies reap the rewards. This ...
Voting Today — Stop Zombie Mortgages!
Today, the House and Senate will be voting on a bill that will roll back decades of consumer protection law and make it easier for zombie mortgage purchasers to enter the state. Because the turnaround rate on this bill from hearing to voting session is so quick, we need your help NOW to keep this bill from passing. The bill, HB1516/SB1026, introduced by Governor Moore’s Office of Financial Regulation, would allow predatory debt buyers to avoid oversight, investigation, regulation, and enforcement. It protects predatory zombie debt buyers instead of hardworking Maryland families. An NPR report found that more than 700 ...
Stop Zombie Mortgages from Running Rampant! Urge Your Legislator to Vote NO on HB1516/SB1026
An NPR report found that more than 700 homeowners in Maryland are facing foreclosure on second mortgages that they believed were resolved or died years ago. Yet these zombie mortgages are rising now to feast on the rising equity in many Maryland homes. The vast majority of these foreclosures on second-mortgages are concentrated in Baltimore City and Prince George's County, which means Black and Brown homeowners are disproportionately affected by these foreclosures, just as they were hardest hit by predatory mortgage products. Yet, Governor Moore’s Office of Financial Regulation has introduced HB1516/SB1026, which will allow these predatory debt buyers to ...
Help Pass Key Medical Debt Bills in the Senate!
Maryland families are struggling with the high costs of basic needs including food, housing, utilities, and healthcare. We are already seeing many costs increase, putting more pressure on hard-working low-income households. We are working hard to protect patients over profits this legislative session. This morning, two of our priority bills to address medical debt passed out of the House, and we need your help!. HB1020 sponsored by Del. Julie Palacovich-Carr will ban hospitals and outpatient providers as well as some healthcare credit cards from reporting medical debt to credit reporting agencies. Patients shouldn’t see their credit scores plummet because they ...
Stop the Assault on Consumer Protections in MD, Urge Your Legislators to Vote NO on HB1417 and SB883!
With federal consumer protection efforts under assault, it’s more important now than ever for Maryland to pursue robust, far-reaching legislation to protect our residents. Instead, several bills were introduced this week that would roll back decades of strong consumer protections for Maryland families and open the door to droves of out-of-state predatory lenders. This week, the House Economic Matters Committee and Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee heard two troubling bills: HB1471 sponsored by Del. Marlon Amprey would carve out an exemption from Maryland's strong 36% rate cap for consumer loans for ‘peer-to-peer lending companies.” SoLoFund, a peer-to-peer lending company that would ...