Recycling - Prohibition on the Chemical Conversion of Plastic
HB0796 amends Maryland’s real property foreclosure law for residential property by increasing the filing fee that must accompany an order to docket or complaint to foreclose a mortgage or deed of trust. The bill changes the required fee from $300 to $600, then to $450 in the enacted version shown in the bill text, and keeps the fee in addition to any other filing fees required by law. The measure applies to residential foreclosure filings and is part of the procedural requirements a lender, secured party, or their representative must satisfy before a foreclosure case can proceed.
The bill does not change the substantive grounds for foreclosure, but it does affect the cost of initiating foreclosure actions and therefore the economics of foreclosure litigation. It amends § 7-105.1 of the Real Property Article, which governs the documents, affidavits, notices, and supporting materials required in residential mortgage foreclosure cases. The act takes effect October 1, 2025, and will apply to future foreclosure filings after that date.
HB0796 directly amends Maryland Real Property § 7-105.1(e) by increasing the mandatory filing fee for residential mortgage foreclosure actions and leaving the rest of the foreclosure filing requirements intact. The change affects mortgage lenders, loan servicers, trustees, attorneys, and other parties filing orders to docket or complaints to foreclose on residential property, while also potentially affecting homeowners by increasing the upfront cost of foreclosure proceedings. It does not alter foreclosure eligibility standards, notice requirements, or loss mitigation obligations, but it does change the fee schedule associated with filing.
The available context does not include committee testimony or recorded votes, so there is no direct evidence of support or opposition in the provided materials. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears administrative and fee-related rather than ideologically contentious, though any increase in foreclosure filing costs could draw concern from lenders or foreclosure practitioners and be viewed more favorably by consumer advocates or homeowner-protection interests. The enacted version suggests the bill ultimately advanced through the legislative process.
The main point of contention is likely the size of the filing fee increase and who should bear the added cost of initiating a residential foreclosure. Lenders, servicers, and foreclosure attorneys may object to higher filing costs as an added burden on enforcement and recovery efforts, while supporters may argue the increase helps cover administrative costs or discourages unnecessary foreclosure filings. Because the bill only changes a procedural fee and not foreclosure rights themselves, the dispute is likely about cost allocation rather than the underlying foreclosure framework.