Public Health - Office of Health Care Quality Information and Maryland Health Centralization Commission
Summary
HB1372 makes targeted changes to tax sale notice procedures in Washington County. Under current law, county tax collectors must publish notice of a tax sale four times over four consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation, with special reduced publication schedules already in place for certain counties and Baltimore City. This bill adds Washington County to the list of jurisdictions with modified notice rules, requiring only two newspaper publications, once per week in alternate weeks, and requiring the notice to be posted on the county’s website four weeks before the sale.
The bill also changes post-sale notice requirements in Washington County. In addition to the existing first-class mail notice sent within 60 days after a tax sale to the last known owner, the collector must send one additional copy of that notice within 15 days. The bill preserves the detailed content requirements for the notice, including redemption rights, foreclosure timelines, and redemption costs, while adding a local procedural step intended to increase the likelihood that owners receive notice after a tax sale. The act takes effect October 1, 2025.
Impact
HB1372 amends the Maryland Tax-Property Article, specifically §§ 14-813(a) and 14-817.1, to create Washington County-specific deviations from the statewide tax sale notice framework. It reduces the number of required newspaper publications, adds a website posting requirement, and imposes an extra mailed notice after the sale. The practical effect is to alter how tax sale information is disseminated in Washington County and to provide an additional notice opportunity to property owners facing loss of property through tax sale proceedings.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial. It received a favorable committee report, was adopted by the House, and passed third reading unanimously with 137 yeas and 0 nays. No committee transcript or recorded debate is provided, but the voting history suggests strong consensus in favor of the local notice changes.
Contention
No significant opposition is evident in the available record. Because the bill is narrowly focused on Washington County tax sale notice procedures, any potential concerns would likely center on balancing administrative efficiency and cost savings from fewer newspaper publications against the need for adequate notice to property owners. The addition of a website posting and a second mailed notice suggests the bill’s sponsors aimed to preserve or improve notice while adjusting the publication burden, and there is no indication that these tradeoffs were disputed in the recorded history.