Bill > HB1239

This bill makes several key changes to Maryland's housing discrimination laws, expanding protections and clarifying enforcement mechanisms. The legislation authorizes the Department of Housing and Community Development to adopt regulations to affirmatively further fair housing, which means actively promoting equal housing opportunities for all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, disability, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, source of income, or military status. Critically, the bill introduces a new legal standard that allows housing discrimination claims to be pursued even without proven intentional discrimination, meaning actions that have a discriminatory effect can now be challenged, even if the person or entity did not explicitly intend to discriminate. The bill provides a defense mechanism for such claims, allowing respondents to prove their actions were justified by legitimate business necessity and could not have been accomplished through less discriminatory means. Additionally, the bill empowers the Commission on Civil Rights and provides legal pathways for aggrieved persons to seek remedies, including potential damages and injunctive relief, while also giving the Attorney General broader investigative and prosecutorial powers in civil rights violation cases. The legislation is set to take effect on October 1, 2025, providing time for stakeholders to understand and prepare for the new legal framework.

Justice, Transportation and Infrastructure

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB1239?ys=2025RS