2026 Maryland General Assembly Session update

The 2026 General Assembly session began its 448^th Session on January 14. Each year Montgomery Village Foundation (MVF) follows legislation in the state that proposes new or changing laws that impact homeowners associations, condominiums, and residents in the community. In partnership with our state senator and delegates we advocate for the best outcomes and lend our experience and expertise to help shape meaningful legislation.

This year, a number of bills that have been previously introduced are being introduced again, as well as some new bills that have the potential to impact homeowners. Below is a list of the bills we are tracking, a brief summary and our position.

HB402 – Common Ownership Communities – Ombudsman Unit, Governing Document Database, and Local Commissions: This bill sets out to create an Ombudsman Unit at the state level, which conflicts with what is currently in existence in Montgomery County’s CCOC. It would cause undue financial burden on associations that already utilize a CCOC model, requiring them to pay into both a local and state-created program. MVF opposes this bill.

HB405 – Condominiums and Homeowners Associations – Governing Documents – Electric Vehicle Recharging Equipment: This bill prohibits provisions in governing documents from unreasonably restricting the installation authorization of recharging equipment for electric cars. MVF supports this bill.

HB469/SB747 – Condominiums – Mandatory Insurance Coverage: Legislation would require condominium unit owners to obtain a condominium unit owner insurance policy (HO-6 policy) or a substantially similar property insurance policy for the unit, to include certain provisions, and authorize a council of unit owners to acquire an insurance policy on behalf of a unit owner who does not maintain a certain required insurance policy and charge the insurance premium as an assessment to the unit owner. MVF supports this bill.

HB502 – Real Property – Governing Bodies of Common Ownership Communities – Member Training: If enacted, this bill would require members of homeowners and condominium associations to complete a training curriculum on the responsibilities of being on a board of directors. Similar legislation is already in place in Montgomery County and would not signify any change in current procedures. MVF supports this bill.

HB537 – Residential Owners in Common Ownership Communities – Bill of Rights: This bill has been proposed for several years to establish a bill of rights for unit owners of a condominium, members of a cooperative housing corporation and lot owners of a homeowners association. While MVF supports the spirit of this bill and the rights of homeowners, it does not support the actual legislation because many of the provisions conflict with Maryland common interest community law and association governing documents. MVF opposes this bill.

HB841 – Real Property – Condominiums and Homeowners Associations – Governing Bodies and Annual Meetings: This bill requires unit/lot owners have opportunity to comment during meetings convened by board, developer or declarant. It also requires the developer to appoint a unit owner not affiliated with the developer to the board within 30 days after 25% of units/votes conveyed. It further mandates Annual Meetings be open and notification requirements of the developer. MVF supports this bill.

HB853 – Real Property – Regulation of Common Ownership Community Managers: This bill aims to create a State Board of Common Ownership Community Managers in the Maryland Department of Labor to oversee licensing of community managers who provide management services for common ownership communities. It requires individuals to be licensed by the state board before providing management services and establishes appropriate licensing requirements and oversight procedures. MVF supports this bill.

HB855/SB758 – Common Ownership Communities – Candidate or Proposition Signs – Display Period: Legislation alters the time period that an association can restrict residents from placing political signs in their yard to 45 days before voting and early voting for a primary election, general election, or vote on a proposition. MVF supports this bill.

HB955/SB955 – Real Property – Condominiums and Homeowners Associations – Elections: This legislation establishes provisions requiring that elections in condominiums and homeowners associations be conducted by an independent party when the number of candidates exceeds the number of contested seats. This process is already used by MVF through the Election Committee; homes corporation and condominium association elections may need to adjust their procedures to comply with this bill. MVF supports this bill.

HB956 – Condominiums – Buildings More Than 40 Years Old – Study: This bill would require the Department of Housing and Community and Development to conduct a study on condominium buildings in Maryland that are more than 40 years old and report its findings to the General Assembly on or before December 1, 2026. MVF supports this bill.

HB1577 – Common Ownership Communities – Common Areas – Approval of Alterations: This bill prohibits the association board of directors from making certain alterations to a common area without the approval of a majority of members, unit owners or lot owners. While the spirit of this bill aims to make spending on common areas transparent, the process would delay timing and enact an approval process that would be costly and ineffective, and unable to produce results. It would truncate a board’s ability to maintain its fiduciary duty to the community. MVF opposes this bill.

SB332 – Condominiums – Property Insurance Deductibles – Unit Owner Responsibility: This bill seeks to increase the maximum amount of the council of unit owners' property insurance deductible for which a unit owner is responsible if the cause of damage to or destruction of any portion of the condominium originates from the unit owner’s unit from $10,000 to $25,000. Recent increases in both insurance deductibles and claims have become a large exposure for condominium boards of directors, and this legislation aims to help alleviate some strain on the association by sharing more of the cost with the unit owner. MVF supports this bill.

SB434/HB702 – Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Fund – Uses – Cooperative Housing Corporations and Condominiums (Co-Op and Condo Energy Refund Equity Act): Legislation would alter authorized uses of compliance fee revenue in the Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Fund. It requires electric companies to issue refunds to governing bodies of co-ops and condominium boards for distribution to members/owners. MVF supports this bill.

SB633/HB1211 – Condominiums – Unit Owner Responsibility for Damage or Destruction: This bill would hold a condominium unit owner responsible for the full cost of repair, replacement, and under certain circumstances, restoration of certain portions of a condominium if the cause of the damage or destruction originates from the owner’s unit. Along with a few other bills, this attempts to bring more responsibility to the individual unit owner, rather than on the condominium’s insurance, which is a burden for all residents to undertake. MVF supports this bill.

SB919 – Homeowners Associations – Reserve Funding, Meeting Notices, Voting, and Records: If passed, this legislation would require that books and records kept by or on behalf of certain homeowners associations be posted online for 5 years, along with other records and documents that undermine the resale disclosure process. It also duplicates a service whereby records are already kept in a repository. In addition, it clarifies that a homeowners association board of directors may secure a line of credit or loan to fund Reserves and that associations provide notice of a meeting by electronic transmission. MVF opposes this bill.