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*hb0810*
HOUSE BILL 810
N1 (6lr2846)
ENROLLED BILL
— Economic Matters/Budget and Taxation —
Introduced by Delegates Taylor, Boafo, Coley, Phillips, Roberson, Roberts, Taveras,
Turner, Wims, and Woods
Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this
_______ day of _______________ at ________________________ o’clock, ________M.
______________________________________________
Speaker.
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
State Department of Assessments and Taxation – Study to Evaluate 2
Blockchain–Based Real Property Lease and Title Pilot Program – Establishment 3
Recordation and Verification 4
FOR the purpose of establishing the Blockchain–Based Real Property Title Pilot Program 5
in requiring the State Department of Assessments and Taxation , in coordination 6
with certain entities, to explore evaluate the use of blockchain technology for 7
securely recording and verifying real property ownership and leases and to assess its 8
potential for use by la w enforcement and courts in resolving certain real property 9
disputes; and generally relating to the Blockchain–Based Real Property Title Pilot 10
Program study to evaluate blockchain –based real property lease and title 11
recordation and verification. 12
2 HOUSE BILL 810
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That: 2
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 3
(2) “Blockchain” means a distributed ledger technology that provides a 4
secure, immutable, and transparent method of recording and storing data. 5
(3) “Digital title” means a cryptographically secured token or smart 6
contract that represents ownership of real property in the State. 7
(4) “Pilot jurisdictions” means not more than three counties in the State 8
selected by t he State Department of Assessments and Taxation to implement the Pilot 9
Program. 10
(5) “Pilot Program” means the Blockchain–Based Real Property Title Pilot 11
Program. 12
(6) (3) “Squatting” means the unauthorized occupation of real property by an 13
individual who does not have legal title, a lease, or the right of possession. 14
(b) (1) There is a Blockchain–Based Real Property Title Pilot Program in the 15
The State Department of Assessments and Taxation , in coordination with the Maryland 16
Judiciary, the Maryland State Police, local law enforcement agencies, the Office of the 17
Attorney General, Maryland Legal Aid, the Public Justice Center, the Maryland Blockchain 18
Association, and third–party technology vendors, shall conduct a study to evaluate the use 19
of blockchain–based real property lease and title recordation and verification. 20
(2) (c) The purpose of the Pilot Program is to study shall: 21
(i) (1) explore evaluate the use of blockchain technology for 22
securely recording and verifying real property ownership and leases; and 23
(ii) (2) assess the potential for the use of blockchain technology to 24
assist law enforcement and courts in resolving real property disputes involving squatting. 25
(c) (1) The State Department of Assessments and Taxation shall administer 26
the Pilot Program. 27
(2) The Pilot Program shall begin on or before January 1, 2027. 28
(d) The State Department of Assessments and Taxation shall coordinate with the 29
Maryland Judiciary, the Maryland State Police, local law enforcement agencies, and the 30
Office of the Attorney General to: 31
(1) create a blockchain registry to record and verify digital titles; 32
HOUSE BILL 810 3
(2) authorize property owners in pilot jurisdictions to opt in to having their 1
property titles mirrored on the blockchain as digital titles; 2
(3) provide a secure application programming interface for law 3
enforcement and courts to validate the status of digital titles in real time; 4
(4) test smart contract capabilities for title transfers and escrow functions; 5
and 6
(5) educate consumers, law enforcement, and courts on how to use the 7
blockchain registry. 8
(e) (1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, the State 9
Department of Assessments and Taxation may contract with third –party technology 10
vendors to create the blockchain registry required under subsection (d) of this section. 11
(2) If the State Department of Assessments and Taxation contracts with a 12
technology vendor under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Department shall use a 13
competitive procurement process in accordance with Division II of the State Finance and 14
Procurement Article. 15
(3) A technology vendor under this subsection shall: 16
(i) comply with cybersecurity standards; and 17
(ii) ensure data privacy and interoperability with existing State 18
systems. 19
(f) (d) On or before December 31, 2028 2026, the State Department of Asses sments 20
and Taxation, in coordination with the Maryland Judiciary, the Maryland State Police, 21
local law enforcement agencies, and the Office of the Attorney General, Maryland Legal 22
Aid, the Public Justice Center, the Maryland Blockchain Association, and thi rd–party 23
technology vendors, shall report the results of the Pilot Program and recommendations for 24
statewide adoption study to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State 25
Government Article, the General Assembly. 26
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTH ER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 27
October June 1, 2026. It shall remain effective for a period of 2 years and 9 months and, at 28
the end of June 30, 2029, this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, 29
shall be abrogated and of no further force and effect. 30