“These are creative ways to fund the law,” said a witness in support of my two bills.

As you may recall, the General Assembly enacted legislation last year providing access to counsel for tenants in rent court.

The companion bill to pay for those attorneys died in the final hour of the session.

Today was the hearing on the two bills I’ve introduced to provide some of that funding.

House Bill 712 would require the Governor to use the maximum amount permitted of federal rental assistance money for this purpose.

I asked one of our budget analysts how best to do this.

House Bill 571 would require that money received from a violation of the housing provisions of Maryland’s Consumer Protection Act also be used for this purpose.

Attorney General Brian Frosh sued Westminster Properties under that act.  An administrative law judge found that the company’s violations were “widespread and numerous.”  A final order is pending.

I sponsored the bills that created special funds for the money Maryland received from legal  settlements with the tobacco and opioid industries.

My bills may be creative.  They are also based on precedent.