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HB 1124 Maryland House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Dorchester County - Well and On-Site Sewage Disposal Activities - Privatization Program

HB 1124 authorizes Dorchester County to request the Maryland Department of the Environment to establish a privatization program for approving well and on-site sewage disposal system activities. The program would allow licensed private environmental health specialists (with relevant experience) to perform these tasks under state oversight, replacing direct county or local health department approvals. Key provisions require the Department to set program duration, specify covered activities, mandate annual audits, establish reporting rules, and include consumer protections like fee caps. The program applies only to Dorchester County and expires automatically on June 30, 2028, after a 3-year term. It directly affects Dorchester County residents relying on these systems and the county government managing local approvals.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House of Delegates Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Feb 5, 2025 Signed May 6, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Dorchester County - Well and On-Site Sewage Disposal Activities - Privatization Program → Third - Dorchester County - Well and On-Site Sewage Disposal Activities - Privatization Program · 7 edits
MODERATE
The bill was amended to add committee approval status and house action dates, reorganize the statute sections for better flow, and expand requirements for privatization programs to include insurance, ethics policies, record transfers, and quality assurance measures. These changes strengthen consumer protections and oversight for the privatization of well and sewage disposal activities in Dorchester County.
REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for privatization program participants to carry appropriate insurance and provide financial assurances including indemnification of the state.

Added requirement for privatization programs to establish ethics policies including conflict of interest standards.

Added requirement for privatization program participants to transfer all records to the delegated approval authority where they become public records.

Modified third eligibility requirement to allow delegated approval authority to request additional requirements to ensure work quality.

Added requirement that privatization programs comply with applicable procurement laws.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified eligibility requirement to require demonstrated satisfactory experience rather than just demonstrated experience.

TECHNICAL

Reorganized statute sections and added formatting elements including committee report status and house action dates.

Floor votes · House of Delegates Mar 8, 2025

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate. No roll call record of that vote is available.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
13
Key actions
9
Committee
6
May 6, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 425
executive
Apr 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
Returned Passed
lower
Apr 3, 2025
Upper · Passed
Third Reading Passed
upper
Apr 2, 2025
Upper · Passed
Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed
upper
Mar 31, 2025
Upper · Passed
Favorable Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment
upper
Mar 17, 2025
Committee
Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment
upper
Mar 17, 2025
Lower · Passed
Third Reading Passed
lower
Mar 15, 2025
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments {
lower
Mar 15, 2025
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments Report by Environment and Transportation
lower
Mar 8, 2025
House Of Delegates · Passed
House of Delegates Vote: pass (137-0-3)
house of delegates
Feb 5, 2025
Committee
First Reading Environment and Transportation
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.