HB 255 updates the purpose of Maryland's Pamela J. Kelly Tree-Mendous Maryland Program to explicitly advance forest health and resilience by promoting and maintaining native trees and shrubs on public lands, community spaces, school grounds, and rights-of-way. The bill amends the existing law (Section 5-435 of the Natural Resources article) to clarify that the program’s core focus is on native species, rather than general tree planting. It directly affects the Department of Natural Resources, which administers the program, and ensures future efforts align with this specific goal. The change is procedural, updating the program’s stated purpose without creating new funding or requirements. The bill is scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2026.
SB 164 amends Maryland's Pamela J. Kelly Tree-Mendous Maryland Program to explicitly prioritize advancing forest health and resilience through the promotion and maintenance of native trees and shrubs. The bill directly affects the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (which administers the program), public land managers, community spaces, school grounds, and rights-of-way where tree planting occurs. Key provisions change the program's stated purpose in state law to require native species for all planting and maintenance efforts on public lands. This policy shift focuses on using locally adapted plants to strengthen ecosystems rather than non-native species. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026, pending final legislative approval.
HB 734 extends the deadline for community solar energy systems to qualify for agricultural property tax assessment from 2025 to December 31, 2030. It applies to systems placed in service after June 30, 2022, and approved by the Public Service Commission by the new deadline. The bill ensures land used for qualifying community solar projects is assessed as actively farmed agricultural land, allowing property owners to receive lower tax rates. This directly affects landowners operating community solar systems that meet these criteria.
SB 841 changes how Maryland uses fees paid by utilities to fund renewable energy projects. Instead of direct grants, it requires the Maryland Energy Administration to run annual competitive auctions where developers bid to build renewable energy projects. The bill sets specific targets for project capacity, deadlines for completion, and eligibility rules for bidders, including prioritizing projects benefiting low-income or overburdened communities. It redirects existing compliance fees - previously used for solar grants - into this auction system to accelerate renewable energy development.
SB 559 requires recreational anglers in Maryland with a Chesapeake Bay and coastal sport fishing license or registration to report their striped bass catches to the Department of Natural Resources. The bill mandates the Department to create regulations allowing multiple reporting methods, including a mobile app (to be prioritized where feasible) and alternatives for people without internet access. It directly affects all licensed recreational fishermen targeting striped bass in Maryland’s coastal waters and the Chesapeake Bay. The key provision is establishing a mandatory reporting system to improve catch data collection, with specific requirements for accessible and technologically flexible reporting options. The law takes effect January 1, 2027.
SB 754 authorizes Maryland local jurisdictions (cities and counties) to adopt local laws preserving natural resources like land, water, forests, wetlands, and floodplains. The bill adds specific preservation tools to local zoning authority, including transfer of development rights, conservation easements, open space programs, cluster subdivisions, and riparian/wetland buffer protections. It updates existing land use law (Section 7-101) to explicitly list these mechanisms as approved methods for protecting natural resources while facilitating development. The bill does not create statewide mandates but gives local governments additional legal options to implement conservation measures.
SB 225 designates specific watersheds - including Gwynns Falls, Jones Falls, Herring Run (covering Baltimore City and Baltimore County), and the Patapsco River (spanning Baltimore, Howard, Carroll, Anne Arundel, and Frederick counties) - as "interjurisdictional flood hazard watersheds" requiring coordinated flood management planning across municipal and county boundaries. It mandates that local subdivisions develop unified flood management plans for these areas, which must be reviewed and approved by Maryland’s Department of the Environment to ensure consistency with flood control standards. The bill specifies that management techniques (like dams, levees, zoning, and stormwater systems) must be included in these plans, with disapproval limited to flood management concerns only. This policy change aims to streamline flood planning for watersheds crossing jurisdictional lines, taking effect October 1, 2026.
