Montgomery County MD Bill 8-26 algorithmic rent ban
Montgomery County, MD — Bill 8-26 to Ban Algorithmic Rent-Setting Devices and Rental Price Coordination (Committee Recommends Passage Oct. 5, 2026)
Montgomery County, MD · Montgomery County, MD, Bill 8-26 (algorithmic rent-setting ban; committee recommendation Oct. 5, 2026)
- Status
- Proposed / pending
- Applies to
- Residential landlords and rent-setting software providers in Montgomery County, MD
- Enforced by
- Montgomery County Council; county consumer/housing agencies (not established)
Montgomery County, Maryland's Bill 8-26 would ban landlords from using algorithmic devices to set rents or other lease terms and would prohibit rental price coordination. A council committee amended it and unanimously recommended passage on Oct. 5, 2026. The full County Council is expected to vote later in the fall.
Who is protected: Renters in Montgomery County, MD
Legal detail
Montgomery County (MD) Bill 8-26 (lead sponsor Jawando; cosponsors Evans, Mink): prohibits use of algorithmic devices to establish rents or rental terms and prohibits price coordination involving rental housing. Planning, Housing and Parks Committee amended it to align with the City of Rockville's recently adopted law and unanimously recommended passage Monday Oct. 5, 2026. Office of Legislative Oversight flagged limited/mixed research and enforcement challenges. NOT ESTABLISHED: introduction date; full Council vote date.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Montgomery County, MD |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Citation | Montgomery County, MD, Bill 8-26 (algorithmic rent-setting ban; committee recommendation Oct. 5, 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Topics | housing and credit decisions · automated decision-making · consumer protection |
| News report | Montgomery County Committee Backs Ban on Algorithmic Rent Pricing — The MoCo Show (Oct. 5, 2026) |
More AI rules in Montgomery County, MD
- Montgomery County MD 18-month data center moratorium · In effect
- Montgomery County MD Police Directive FC 0627 · In effect
- Montgomery County MD AI Governance Framework · In effect
- Montgomery County Police Department Drone as First Responder · In effect
Related housing and credit decisions rules elsewhere
- Connecticut algorithmic rent ban — HB 8002 (eff. Jan 1, 2026) · In effect
- San Diego algorithmic rent price-fixing ban (Ord. O-21955, May 2025) · In effect
- Minneapolis algorithmic rent ban (Ord. 2025-010, eff. Mar 1, 2026) · In effect
- Seattle algorithmic rent-fixing ban (Ord. 127241 / SMC 7.34, July 2025) · In effect
- NJ Forbidding the Algorithmic Inflation of Rent (FAIR) Act · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Hoboken Algorithmic Rent-Fixing Ban · In effect
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