The Maryland General Assembly is closer than ever to finally passing local enabling legislation for Good Cause Eviction (HB709/SB651), but key legislators need to hear from you to ensure they pass the bill without harmful amendments that would undermine other renter protections.

Unfortunately, the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee is considering amendments that would weaken the bill, including expanding the list of “good causes.” Another amendment would force counties to choose between strong rent stabilization laws or good cause eviction. This carve-out creates an impossible choice for local governments, and would strip counties like Montgomery and Prince Georges that have already passed rent stabilization with vacancy control of the ability to fully protect renters, undermining the progress they’ve made.

Corporate lobbyists were consulted about these amendments, but Renters United Maryland was not. We are adamantly opposed to these amendments.

Please help defeat these harmful amendments by calling Senate President Ferguson, Judicial Proceedings Committee Chair Will Smith, Vice Chair Waldstreicher, and other members of the committee to tell them to pass Good Cause Eviction legislation without harming other renters' rights.

Please sign up for only ONE 10 minute slot and make all your calls during that timeframe on Thursday, 3/6. If you are not able to make a call in one of the remaining empty timeslots, please call whenever you can - but, if possible, prioritize filling an empty timeslot. Read below for additional instructions on how to call your electeds.

INSTRUCTIONS

Use the phone numbers and script below as a guide, but feel free to share any personal reasons for why you support Good Cause Eviction legislation. If someone from the office does not pick up, please leave a message.

We ask that you sign up for ONE timeslot and make three calls: Senate President Ferguson, Judicial Proceedings Committee Chair Will Smith, Vice Chair Jeff Waldstreicher, and your own Senator if they serve on the committee. You can find your State Senator and their phone number here.

Senate President Bill Ferguson: 410-841-3600
(Chair) Senator Will Smith (District 20): 410-841-3634
(Vice Chair) Senator Jeff Waldstreicher (District 18): 410-841-3137
Senator Nick Charles (District 25): 410-841-3127
Senator William Folden (District 4): 410-841-3704
Senator Shaneka Henson (District 30): 410-841-3578
Senator Mary-Dulany James (District 34):410-841-3158
Senator Sara Love (District 16): 410-841-3124
Senator Mike McKay (District 1): 410-841-3565
Senator Charles Sydnor (District 44): 410-841-3612
Senator Chris West (District 42): 410-841-3648
(Bill sponsor) Senator Anthony Muse (District 26): 410-841-3092
Your Senator

After you make your calls, please fill out this form: https://jufj.org/mdga-outreach/. This will help us know if you talked to staff or left a voicemail, and any other important information from your call that we can share with coalition partners as we continue to strategize about how to pass this legislation.

Remember to thank the staff you talk to - they work hard and have fielded a lot of our calls!

CALL GUIDE

Please note that legislators' staff have told constituents that it sounds like they are reading from a script. We want you to be aware that this is a possible response you may receive, that you should feel free to personalize the script, and that the most important thing is to use your voice and make a call, regardless of whether you use the script or your own words!
If you call the bill sponsor, Senator Muse, please thank him for his continued leadership and for standing with renters to reject these harmful amendments.

Hello, my name is [Your Name] and I am a Maryland resident who is deeply concerned by efforts to amend SB 651, known as ‘good cause eviction.' This bill is critical to giving local counties the authority to protect renters from unjust evictions. The senate should pass a strong bill and reject any weakening amendments that undermine existing tenant protections. [Share any reasons why this is important to you].

I am urging Senator [Name] to publicly support the passage of SB 651 without harmful amendments, especially those that would undermine local rent stabilization laws.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing that Senator [Name] is standing up for renters by passing a clean bill.