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HB 286 Maryland House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Local Comprehensive Planning and State Economic Growth, Resource Protection, and Planning Policy - Planning Principles

HB 286 replaces 12 existing "planning visions" in Maryland law with 8 new "planning principles" for local comprehensive planning and state policy. The bill requires local planning commissions to implement these principles - including land productivity, transportation access, housing options, economic adaptation, equity, resilience, community spaces, and environmental protection - when developing community plans. It also updates legal references in Maryland’s code to align with these new principles. This change directly affects Maryland’s local planning commissions and state policy documents, focusing on guiding sustainable growth without introducing new regulations or funding.
Issues: ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill explicitly requires 'environmental protection' as a mandatory planning principle for local commissions, mandating its inclusion in community planning processes.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingMandates 'housing options' as a core planning principle, requiring local commissions to integrate housing diversity into community plans, advancing housing development.85% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationMandates 'transportation access' as a core planning principle for local community plans, directly advancing transportation considerations in development.95% confidence
Sub-Topics: Land Use
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Oct 2024
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House of Delegates Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
Apr 2025
Introduced Oct 6, 2024 Signed Apr 8, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Local Comprehensive Planning and State Economic Growth, Resource Protection, and Planning Policy - Planning Principles → Third - Local Comprehensive Planning and State Economic Growth, Resource Protection, and Planning Policy - Planning Principles · 4 edits
MODERATE
The bill was amended to add a preamble clarifying that planning principles are intended to accomplish specific goals and that residents should be active partners in planning. The substantive planning principles for both local comprehensive planning and state policy remain largely unchanged, though some wording was adjusted in the state finance section to emphasize optimizing land productivity of working landscapes. These changes provide clearer legislative intent without altering the core planning requirements.
Scope change
No change to the scope or applicability of the bill; it continues to apply to local comprehensive planning and state economic growth policy.
DEFINITION

Added preamble clarifying that planning principles are intended to accomplish certain goals and that residents should be active partners in planning and implementation.

Modified state planning principles to change 'LAND: OPTIMIZE LAND PRODUCTIVITY WITHIN POPULATION CENTERS' to 'LAND: OPTIMIZE LAND PRODUCTIVITY OF WORKING LANDSCAPES, INCLUDING FARMS AND FORESTS, AND FISHERIES, AND PRIORITIZE DEVELOPMENT WITHIN POPULATION CENTERS'.

TECHNICAL

Added committee report and house action status information to the bill header.

Reformatted bill header information including pre-filed status and committee details.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 15, 2025 · House of Delegates Feb 28, 2025

How they voted

36–10
Passed
Total votes 46
Mar 15, 2025
D Democratic33
33 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican13
3 Yea 10 Nay
76% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
17
Key actions
11
Committee
6
Apr 8, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 63
executive
Apr 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
Returned Passed
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Upper · Passed
Third Reading Passed
upper
Apr 1, 2025
Upper · Passed
Favorable Adopted
upper
Mar 31, 2025
Upper · Passed
Favorable Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment
upper
Mar 15, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (36-10)
senate
Mar 12, 2025
Committee
Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment
upper
Mar 11, 2025
Lower · Passed
Third Reading Passed
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
Motion Special Order until 03/05 (Delegate Ghrist) Adopted
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments {
lower
Mar 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments Report by Environment and Transportation
lower
Feb 28, 2025
House Of Delegates · Passed
House of Delegates Vote: pass (95-39-6)
house of delegates
Jan 8, 2025
Committee
First Reading Environment and Transportation
lower
Oct 6, 2024
Introduced
Pre-filed
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.