Bill > S2671

This bill aims to strengthen housing discrimination protections by making several key changes to real estate licensing and oversight. The bill modifies the composition of the board of registration of real estate brokers and salesmen to include an expert in fair housing and civil rights or a tenant from a public assistance rental voucher program. It requires the board to publish quarterly reports on newly licensed members and detailed summaries of complaints, investigations, and disciplinary actions, including any findings of discrimination. The bill expands the agencies that can investigate housing discrimination to include federally certified fair housing agencies. It also increases the requirements for real estate professionals, mandating that new licensees complete 40 hours of training with at least four hours focused on fair housing law and diversity, and requiring renewed licensees to complete 10-16 hours of continuing education with specific emphasis on fair housing, equal opportunity, and dispute resolution. Critically, the bill introduces mandatory license suspensions for real estate professionals found to have violated fair housing laws, with suspension periods of 60 days for a first offense and 180 days for repeat offenses within two years. These provisions are designed to create more transparency, accountability, and education in the real estate industry to combat housing discrimination.

Budget and Finance

Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure (Joint)

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S2671