Public Safety - Short-Term Rental Units - Safety (Jillian and Lindsay Wiener Short-Term Rental Safety Act)
Summary
HB1221, the Jillian and Lindsay Wiener Short-Term Rental Fire Safety Act, establishes statewide fire-safety requirements for short-term rental units in Maryland. For rentals offered for fewer than 30 consecutive days, hosts must conspicuously post an evacuation diagram and emergency phone numbers, provide a working fire extinguisher, and install working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms. The bill also requires that alarms be maintained and replaced under specified conditions, including when they stop functioning or are more than 10 years old.
The bill further places obligations on booking services that facilitate short-term rentals. These platforms must electronically notify hosts of the new fire-safety requirements and obtain confirmation documentation showing compliance. In addition, counties and Baltimore City must, by local law or regulation, require annual inspections of short-term rental units for compliance, may charge fees to cover inspection costs, and may use qualified third-party inspectors approved under State Fire Marshal standards. Local jurisdictions must also report inspection and compliance information to the State Fire Marshal, who must then report to the General Assembly by October 1, 2028.
Impact
The bill adds a new subtitle to the Public Safety Article governing short-term rental fire safety and cross-references the Tax-General Article definitions of short-term rental and short-term rental unit. It creates new duties for hosts, booking services, counties, Baltimore City, and the State Fire Marshal, while also clarifying that the law does not require any jurisdiction to allow short-term rentals or prevent local governments from adopting additional regulations. The measure is effective October 1, 2026, with local inspection requirements and reporting due by July 1, 2028.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been generally favorable overall, as reflected by its passage in both chambers and final enactment as Chapter 9. The House rejected one floor amendment before passing the bill on third reading, suggesting some debate over its details, but the final votes were strong. The absence of committee transcript material limits insight into specific arguments, but the vote pattern indicates broad support for the underlying fire-safety framework.
Contention
The main points of potential contention are the regulatory burden on short-term rental hosts and booking platforms, and the requirement that counties and Baltimore City adopt annual inspection regimes. Hosts must comply with posting, equipment, and alarm-maintenance rules, while booking services must actively notify hosts and collect proof of compliance. Local governments also must implement inspections and reporting, though the bill preserves local control by allowing additional measures and by not requiring jurisdictions to authorize short-term rentals at all. The rejected floor amendment suggests at least one attempt to alter the bill’s approach, but the available record does not show the substance of that amendment.