SB0821 • 2026

Abandoned Sears Building - Acquisition by the Department of General Services

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Senator Smith
Last action: 2026-02-11
Official status: In the Senate - Hearing 3/04 at 1:00 p.m.
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Abandoned Sears Building - Acquisition by the Department of General Services

Requiring the Department of General Services to initiate proceedings for the acquisition of the property known as the Abandoned Sears Building on or before December 31, 2026.

What This Bill Does

Requiring the Department of General Services to initiate proceedings for the acquisition of the property known as the Abandoned Sears Building on or before December 31, 2026.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-02-11 Senate
Hearing 3/04 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-02-06 Senate
First Reading Budget and Taxation
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Abandoned Sears Building - Acquisition by the Department of General Services

Official Summary Text

Requiring the Department of General Services to initiate proceedings for the acquisition of the property known as the Abandoned Sears Building on or before December 31, 2026.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0821*

SENATE BILL 821
P1, P2 6lr0752

By: Senator Smith
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
Assigned to: Budget and Taxation

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Abandoned Sears Building – Acquisition by the Department of General Services 2

FOR the purpose of requiring the Department of General Services to initiate proceedings 3
for the acquisition of a certain property on or before a certain date ; and generally 4
relating to the acquisition of the property known as the Abandoned Sears Building 5
by the Department of General Services. 6

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 7
That: 8

(a) On or before December 31, 202 6, the Department of General Services shall 9
initiate proceedings to acquire the property located at 11255 New Hampshire Avenue, 10
Silver Spring, Maryland, 20904, otherwise known as the Abandoned Sears Building. 11

(b) The Department of General Services shall a cquire the property as quickly as 12
is practicable: 13

(1) by purchase or, in accordance with Title 12 of the Real Property Article 14
of the Annotated Code of Maryland, condemnation; and 15

(2) for a public purpose. 16

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 17
1, 2026. 18