HB 56 Maryland House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Procurement - State Department of Education - Local Food Purchasing Program

HB 56 allows the Maryland State Department of Education to directly manage master contracts for purchasing local food for schools, including food grown within 200 miles of schools, from certified local farms, and certified Chesapeake invasive species. This change removes the need for the Department to seek approval from other state procurement units for these specific purchases. The bill also requires the Department to coordinate with the Maryland Department of Agriculture and report annually to the legislature on the value and number of these contracts. The policy directly affects school meal programs, local farmers, and Chesapeake invasive species providers in Maryland.

Bill status vetoed 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Oct 2024

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Vetoed

May 2025

Introduced Oct 3, 2024 Vetoed May 16, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Procurement - State Department of Education - Control Authority - Local Food Purchasing → Third - Procurement - State Department of Education - Local Food Purchasing Program · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to rename the program from 'Local Food Purchasing' to 'Local Food Purchasing Program' and expanded the geographic radius for local food procurement from 200 to 250 miles. The bill also added new reporting requirements for procurement contracts and modified the list of exempt units in state procurement law.

Scope change

The bill now explicitly establishes a formal 'Local Food Purchasing Program' and expands the geographic scope for local food procurement from 200 to 250 miles from schools.

SCOPE

Changed the bill title from 'Local Food Purchasing' to 'Local Food Purchasing Program' to formalize the initiative.

REQUIREMENT

Added new reporting requirements to include the number of procurement contracts with certified local farms and certified Chesapeake invasive species providers.

Added a new subsection requiring the Department of General Services to coordinate with the State Department of Education to procure local food for local school systems.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded the geographic radius for local food procurement from 200 miles to 250 miles from elementary or secondary schools.

TECHNICAL

Updated the list of sections repealed and reenacted in the State Finance and Procurement Article to include additional sections (12-107(b)(2)(ix), 14-407, and 14-702).

Floor votes · Senate Mar 15, 2025 · House of Delegates Feb 27, 2025

How they voted

44–0

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 46

Mar 15, 2025

D Democratic33

31 Yea 2

93% 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

May 16, 2025

Vetoed

Vetoed by the Governor (Policy)

executive

Apr 2, 2025

Lower · Passed

Returned Passed

lower

Apr 2, 2025

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Mar 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable Adopted

upper

Mar 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable Report by Budget and Taxation

upper

Mar 15, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (44-0-2)

senate

Mar 7, 2025

Committee

Referred Budget and Taxation

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

lower

Mar 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Health and Government Operations

lower

Feb 27, 2025

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (133-1-5)

house of delegates

Jan 8, 2025

Committee

First Reading Health and Government Operations

lower

Oct 3, 2024

Introduced

Pre-filed

lower

19 primary · 0 co-sponsors