SB937 Fair Chance Housing Act - Criminal History Screening Restrictions for Landlords
Maryland Legislative Events
Summary
Maryland Senate Bill 937, the Fair Chance Housing Act, passed the Senate on March 23, 2026 (32-10 vote). The bill prohibits landlords from requiring, requesting, or considering certain criminal history information when evaluating prospective residential tenants. Landlords may only consider criminal history information after extending a conditional offer of housing.
What changed
SB937 would prohibit landlords from requiring or requesting criminal history information from prospective tenants and from considering such information during tenant evaluation. Landlords may only obtain and consider criminal history information after extending a conditional offer of housing. The bill also requires landlords to consider information provided by prospective tenants regarding their criminal history records check.
Landlords and property management companies in Maryland should monitor this legislation as it advances through the House. If enacted, landlords will need to modify tenant screening procedures to delay criminal background inquiries until after conditional approval. Housing providers should review current application processes to identify and prepare for removal of criminal history questions from initial screening stages.
What to do next
- Monitor SB937 progress through Maryland House
- Prepare compliance procedures for criminal history screening restrictions if enacted
- Review tenant application processes for criminal history inquiry removal
Archived snapshot
Apr 12, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
ChangeBridge / Maryland / SB937 Passed SB937 Senate Bill Passed 2026-03-23
Landlord and Tenant - Residential Leases - Prospective Tenant Criminal History Records Check (Maryland Fair Chance Housing Act)
Prohibiting a landlord from requiring or requesting from a prospective tenant certain information relating to criminal history and prohibiting a landlord from considering certain information when evaluating the prospective tenant; permitting a landlord to consider certain criminal history information prior to extending a conditional offer to a prospective tenant and requiring the landlord to consider certain information provided by a prospective tenant relating to a criminal history records check; etc.
Bill Details
State Maryland
Session 2026 Regular Session
Chamber Senate
Official Source mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation...
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Sponsors
Shaneka Henson (Sen - D)
Action History
2026-04-11 H Second Reading Passed with Amendments 2026-04-11 H Favorable with Amendments {743728/1 Adopted 2026-04-11 H Favorable with Amendments Report by Economic Matters 2026-04-02 H Hearing 4/02 at 2:30 p.m. 2026-04-02 H Hearing canceled 2026-04-02 H Hearing 4/02 at 1:30 p.m. 2026-04-02 H Hearing canceled 2026-03-26 H Hearing 4/02 at 1:00 p.m. 2026-03-24 H Referred Economic Matters 2026-03-23 S Third Reading Passed (32-10) 2026-03-20 S Second Reading Passed with Amendments 2026-03-20 S Favorable with Amendments {973928/1 Adopted 2026-03-20 S Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings 2026-02-12 S Hearing 3/11 at 1:00 p.m. 2026-02-06 S First Reading Judicial Proceedings
Votes
2026-03-23 Third Reading Passed Yea: 32 Nay: 10
Committee Referrals
2026-02-06 S Judicial Proceedings 2026-03-24 H Economic Matters
Amendments
2026-03-20 Favorable with Amendments 973928/1 Adopted Adopted 2026-04-11 Favorable with Amendments 743728/1 Adopted Adopted
Bill Text Versions
2026-02-11 Introduced 2026-03-22 Engrossed
Subjects
Real Property Commercial Law - Consumer Protection Abduction Advertising Applicants and Applications Arson Assault Attorney General Burglary Children (4-12) Committees and Commissions complaints Controlled Dangerous Substances Criminal Background Investigations Data Demographics Discrimination Electronic Government Evidence Fraud Gender Housing and Community Development, Department of Housing Human Trafficking internet Landlords and Tenants Leases and Rent Murder Notices Penalties and Sentences Pornography Privacy Racial Matters Registration Residential Property Rules and Regulations Safety Sexual Offenses Standards and Best Practices studies Time Age Appeals Civil Offenses Disclosure Ex-Offenders Fees Fines Forms Open Government Records Transfer of Goods Unfair Trade Practices Counties Crimes and Punishments Federal Government Laws and Ordinances Perjury Legislative data powered by LegiScan (CC BY 4.0)
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