HB 506 Maryland House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act

HB 506, the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act, creates the Maryland Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF) Program to reduce nutrients in the Chesapeake Bay watershed through voluntary farm conservation practices. The bill establishes a special fund for the program, redefines "healthy soils" for existing soil programs, and exempts certain fishing license holders from needing food establishment licenses. Key provisions include tiered recognition for farms adopting conservation practices, requirements for the Department of Environment to authorize water quality trading credits, and new rules for fisheries management and aquaculture leases. The bill directly affects Maryland farmers, state environmental agencies, and fishing industry participants by changing how conservation incentives and regulations are implemented.

Issues: ✓ Environment

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Jan 22, 2025 Signed May 13, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Third - Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act → Enrolled - Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act · 3 edits · May 13, 2025

MINOR

The bill was finalized into an Enrolled version, which includes standard procedural text required for the Governor's signature. Substantively, the bill's scope was reorganized to move the Water Quality Monitoring Program and Agriculture Leases sections from the Natural Resources Article to the Agriculture Article, while the core definitions and program requirements for the LEEF Program and fisheries management remained unchanged.

Scope change

The bill's scope was technically altered by reassigning the Water Quality Monitoring Program and Agriculture Leases to the Agriculture Article, whereas previously they were located under the Natural Resources Article.

TECHNICAL

The bill was converted from a House Bill to an Enrolled Bill, adding standard text for the Governor's approval and removing the original committee report.

The summary of the bill's contents was reordered to list fisheries management and lease provisions before the water quality trading and watershed sections.

The Water Quality Monitoring Program and Agriculture Leases sections were moved from the Natural Resources Article to the Agriculture Article.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 15, 2025 · House of Delegates Mar 20, 2025

How they voted

45–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 46

Mar 15, 2025

D Democratic33

32 Yea 1

96% Yea

R Republican13

13 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 13, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 430

executive

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Enrolled

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Introduced

House Concurs Senate Amendments

lower

Apr 2, 2025

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Apr 1, 2025

Introduced

Floor Amendment {

upper

Apr 1, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable Adopted

upper

Mar 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Motion Special Order until 3/31 (Senator Hershey) Adopted

upper

Mar 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable

upper

Mar 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

Mar 20, 2025

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (115-21-3)

house of delegates

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 15, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (45-0-1)

senate

Jan 22, 2025

Committee

First Reading Environment and Transportation

lower

33 primary · 0 co-sponsors