DISSINTER

HB 1198 — Maryland

Civil Actions - Coerced Debt - Debtor Protections

Providing that a debtor may provide certain notice to a creditor and request that the creditor cease debt collection activity relating to a coerced debt; authorizing a debtor, after providing a creditor with certain notice, to bring an action against the creditor seeking certain relief; authorizing a debtor to bring a certain action against a certain individual; and establishing a certain affirmative defense.

Latest action: Hearing 3/11 at 2:00 p.m. · Mar 11, 2026

In committeeAbuseAttorneys' FeesCivil ActionsCivil Actions and ProceduresCounselors and TherapistsCourt CostsCourt OrdersDamagesDebt CollectionDomestic ViolenceEvidenceExpungement and Shielded RecordsFamily LawFraudHarassmentHealth OccupationsHuman TraffickingJudgmentsLaw EnforcementNoticesPersonal Identifying InformationPetitionsRecordsSocial WorkersThreats

Synopsis written by the legislature's own staff, as published on the official bill page. Status label is derived from the recorded actions. The full text below is the record.

Committees: Judiciary (House of Delegates)

Updated Mar 17, 2026

Timeline

  1. First Reading Judiciary

    Feb 11, 2026 · House of Delegates

  2. Hearing 3/11 at 1:00 p.m.

    Feb 11, 2026 · House of Delegates

  3. Hearing canceled

    Mar 11, 2026 · House of Delegates

  4. Hearing 3/11 at 1:30 p.m.

    Mar 11, 2026 · House of Delegates

  5. Hearing canceled

    Mar 11, 2026 · House of Delegates

  6. Hearing 3/11 at 2:00 p.m.

    Mar 11, 2026 · House of Delegates

Sponsored by Lesley Lopez, Lorig Charkoudian, Elizabeth Embry, Emily Shetty

No recorded floor votes yet.

Fiscal and Policy Note — official analysis by legislative staff (PDF) Bill text (First reading) — Maryland General Assembly (PDF) Official record — Maryland General Assembly bill page

Official records. Maryland legislators, bills and roll-call votes from the Maryland General Assembly, imported through Open States on Oct 27, 2026 (partial import — not yet the full session). Accuracy review against the official site is still under way. Campaign-finance records for Maryland are not imported yet.