MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                        681

City," subtitle "Landlord and Tenant," to follow immediately after
Section 459A thereof, as enacted by Chapter 459 of the Acts of
1968, to read as follows:

459B.

(a)  Findings and Purposes.

(1)  It is found and declared that there exist in the City of Balti-
more structures used for human habitation which are, or may become
in the future, substandard with respect to structure, equipment, or
maintenance; and that such conditions constitute a menace to the
health, safety, welfare, and reasonable comfort of its citizens.

(2)  It is further declared that the State of Maryland and the
City of Baltimore have enacted laws and ordinances to enforce cer-
tain standards to assure that such conditions do not persist or develop.

(3)  It is further declared that in order to assure that dwellings
meet these minimum requirements as established in these laws and
ordinances, tenants must have the free unencumbered right of com-
plaint to their landlords, the courts, and governmental agencies.

(4) It is further declared that retaliation, without cause, by land-
lords through eviction, rental increases, or other action, and tenant's
fear of such retaliation, have restricted the exercise of these rights.

(5) Therefore, it is declared that it is against public policy to
allow landlords to engage in such retaliatory acts.

(b)  Protection of the Tenant's Rights.

(1) No action or proceeding to recover possession of any leased
premises shall be maintainable by the landlord against the tenant,

nor shall an action of distress for rent be maintainable, nor shall

the landlord cause the rent to be increased, nor may the services
which by law are to be supplied by the landlord to or for the benefit
of the tenant be decreased, if the action, rent increase, or reduction
of services by the landlord is in retaliation for the request by the

tenant to the landlord that violations of law with respect to the

leased premises be corrected, the filing of a complaint with respect
to the leased premises with any Federal, State, or Municipal agency,

the issuance of any notices of violation against the premises, the

exercise of rights under Section 459A of the Code of the Public

Local Laws of Baltimore City (1949 Edition, as enacted by Chapter

459 of the Acts of 1968), or the exercise of any other legal right.
(2) If notice of eviction, increase in rent, or decrease in services

was given within twelve months after the exercise by the tenant of

any of the actions enumerated in subsection (b) hereof, there shall

be a presumption that the landlord acted in retaliation.

(1) NO ACTION OR PROCEEDING TO RECOVER POSSES-
SION OF ANY LEASED P