MARYLAND – Legislation that would have imposed stricter requirements on homeless shelters has been voted down. Senate Bill 234 and House Bill 93 sought to create a certification program requiring shelters to be licensed under the Department of Housing, a move that some shelters argued would infringe on their rights. Maryland has two main homeless shelters, HALO (Hope and Life Outreach) and the Christian Shelter. Shelter leaders raised concerns that the proposed regulations could pose security risks and disrupt their ability to assist individuals recovering from addiction. Faith-based shelters also criticized the way the legislation was introduced, saying it failed to include input from non-government-funded facilities. While the bills failed this time, some believe the effort to impose regulations on shelters is not over. Advocates for the shelters say they are prepared to push back against any future attempts to reintroduce similar legislation
