Member of House of Delegates since January 8, 2003. Member, Environmental Matters Committee, 2007- (environment subcommittee, 2007-; housing & real property subcommittee, 2007-; natural resources subcommittee, 2007-; chair, ground rent work group, 2007-). Niemann was instrumental in legislation addressing consumer economic issues including the 2005 enactment of the Protection of Homeowners in Foreclosure Act (PHIFA) and the 2008 efforts to modernize Maryland's draconian foreclosure procedures. PHIFA was one of the very early attempts by a state to end what is commonly known as a
foreclosure rescue scheme (or fraud). PHIFA has been the model for other states fighting these frauds. In 2008, Delegate Niemann was once again a leader in the House in the successful fight to strengthen the standards for mortgage brokers, to make substantial changes to the Maryland procedures for foreclosures that protected consumers, and to improve PHIFA. Notably, these financial measures were taken months before most Americans were aware of the financial crisis that hit the nation in the fall of 2008.
Legislative notes • voted for the Clean Indoor Air Act of 2007 (HB359) • voted against slots in 2005 (HB1361) • voted for the Tax Reform Act of 2007 (HB2) • voted in favor of prohibiting ground rents in 2007(SB106) • voted in favor of in-state tuition for illegal immigrants in 2007 (HB6) ==Personal life and death==