Maryland Legislative
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 ...
Help Us Support the CFPB — Tell Your Member of Congress to Vote NO on High Overdraft Fees
On February 14, we shared that Economic Action along with the City of Baltimore sued to stop Russell Vought, Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, from defunding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). That temporary restraining order was for two weeks, ending on February 28. On February 28, Democracy Forward, the nonprofit who is suing on our behalf informed us that the judge extended the order barring the federal government from transferring away all of the CFPB’s funds. This means that the CFPB still has funding for another two weeks. While this is a short-term victory, it's ...
Protect Immigrant Families by Supporting the Maryland Data Privacy Act
The chilling effects of mass deportations and anti-immigrant policies have already taken hold in our communities. Children are missing school, older adults are forgoing critical medical care, workers are afraid to file taxes, survivors of domestic violence are too fearful to seek help. All due to fear of detention and deportation, and a perceived lack of data privacy. The federal administration’s rhetoric on deportation is at odds with the reality: they are not prioritizing criminals—they are targeting hardworking taxpayers, families, and community members who contribute to our state. Maryland must act now to protect our vulnerable residents. That’s why CASA ...
End Medical Debt Liens on Homes, and Expand Low-Cost Care!
In the past five years, Economic Action has worked with legislators, coalition partners, and YOU to pass some of the strongest medical debt protections in the country. But there is much more work to be done. As we reach the halfway point of Maryland's legislative session, legislators are faced with competing priorities. With over 2,500 bills this year, it is more important than ever to use your voice and let your elected officials know that protecting patients from medical debt should be a priority. Please urge your legislators to pass HB268/SB981 and HB428/SB349! HB268/SB981 puts patients first by: Creating a ...
Put Maryland Patients First and Reduce Medical Debt
Background Medical debt remains an issue in Maryland and one that disproportionately affects Black patients. According to a 2023 poll that Economic Action commissioned, 14% of Marylanders have debt related to medical services they can’t pay with the percentage rising to 23% for Black households. In the past five years, Economic Action has worked with legislators and coalition partners to pass some of the strongest protections in the country. But there is much more work to be done. The Problem and Solutions Hospital Debt Hospital debt remains an issue in Maryland. With rising costs of healthcare, high insurance deductibles, and ...
Strengthen Fair Housing in Maryland, Urge Your Legislators to Vote YES on HB392/SB107
Background In 2023, there were 198 fair housing complaints in the Baltimore Metro region. At Economic Action, we’ve received many fair housing complaints with a large number of complaints based on access to reasonable accommodations to assist residents with a disability. To determine whether housing providers are discriminating against Marylanders due to race, gender, ethnicity, how someone pays for their rent, or other protected reasons, fair housing organizations conduct tests to see if discrimination exists. The Problem In 39 states including Virginia and the District of Columbia, fair housing testers use an audio recording to accurately capture the conversation with ...
Contact Your Legislators and Stop Out of Control Utility Bills!
Background In 2013, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation to allow gas utilities to add a surcharge to customers' bills as an incentive for utilities to install new pipes– the STRIDE program. As passed, the law does not require utilities to prioritize cost effectiveness nor safety resulting in excessive and wasteful spending. Gas utilities have spent billions on new pipes and equipment, leading to massive rate hikes. Utilities have reaped enormous profits without commensurate community benefits. For example: In 2023 BGE spent about $160 million on its STRIDE plan. After accounting for BGE’s profits and interest, that $160 million will cost ...