Horse Racing - Laurel Park - Arabian Breed Racing Authorization
HB0911 amends Maryland landlord-tenant law to address family child care homes operated on leased residential property. The bill allows a landlord to charge a higher security deposit when a tenant operates or plans to operate a registered family child care home on the premises, and it sets out notice and documentation requirements for tenants who want to use the property for that purpose. A tenant must give written notice before starting operations, provide proof of registration if requested, and provide a certificate of insurance naming the landlord and related ownership entities as additional insureds. The bill also allows a landlord to require liability insurance coverage up to $1,000,000 and requires the tenant to stop operating the child care home if required coverage lapses.
The bill also prohibits landlords of certain single-family and multifamily residential properties from refusing to rent, negotiating in bad faith, or imposing unreasonable limits solely to prevent a family child care home. At the same time, it preserves exceptions for owner-occupied properties with four or fewer units, and it does not override age-related HOA restrictions or condominium/cooperative governing documents. The bill expressly states that landlords are not liable for a tenant’s acts or omissions related to the child care operation, and it does not limit local zoning authority. It applies only prospectively to leases entered into on or after its effective date of October 1, 2025.
HB0911 would amend § 8-203 of the Real Property Article and add new § 8-220, creating a specific statutory framework for family child care homes in rental housing. It changes the general security deposit rule by allowing an increased deposit when a tenant operates or plans to operate a registered family child care home, and it creates new tenant disclosure, insurance, and operational obligations. The bill also limits landlord conduct by barring certain refusals or unreasonable restrictions on leasing to prospective child care providers in covered properties, while preserving zoning authority and certain property-type exceptions.
The available legislative history suggests the bill moved forward without recorded opposition in the materials provided, and it received a favorable committee report with amendments before House adoption. The overall posture appears supportive of expanding access to family child care homes in rental housing while balancing landlord risk concerns through notice, insurance, and liability protections. No committee transcript or vote detail is provided here, so the sentiment can only be characterized as generally favorable and pragmatic rather than strongly contested.
The main points of tension are between tenant access to home-based child care and landlord/property-owner protections. Supporters of the bill would likely emphasize preventing landlords from blocking family child care homes and improving child care availability, while landlords may be concerned about increased risk, insurance requirements, and the ability to set lease conditions. The bill addresses those concerns by allowing higher security deposits, requiring insurance and notice, and providing immunity from liability for tenant conduct, but it still limits landlords from using lease negotiations or unreasonable conditions to bar child care use. Another potential area of concern is the bill’s carve-outs for owner-occupied buildings, HOAs, and condominium/cooperative rules, which may be viewed as necessary exceptions but also create uneven coverage.