EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0716*
HOUSE BILL 716
M3 2lr2040
CF SB 367
By: Delegates Lehman, Pena–Melnyk, Atterbeary, Bagnall, B. Barnes, Bhandari,
Brooks, Charkoudian, Feldmark, Forbes, Fraser–Hidalgo, Healey, Hill,
Holmes, R. Jones, Love, Moon, Ruth, Shetty, Solomon, Terrasa, Watson, and
Williams
Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2022
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Patuxent River Commission – Membership 2
FOR the purpose of adding the Patuxent Riverkeeper as a voting member of the Patuxent 3
River Commission; and generally relating to the Patuxent River Commission. 4
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 5
Article – State Finance and Procurement 6
Section 5–812 7
Annotated Code of Maryland 8
(2021 Replacement Volume) 9
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10
Article – State Finance and Procurement 11
Section 5–814 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2021 Replacement Volume) 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
Article – State Finance and Procurement 17
5–812. 18
There is a Patuxent River Commission in the Department. 19
5–814. 20
2 HOUSE BILL 716
(a) The Commission consists of the following [34] 35 voting members [appointed 1
by the Governor]: 2
(1) 7 individuals, 1 from each of the following 7 counties, APPOINTED BY 3
THE GOVERNOR on the recommendation of the governing body of that county: 4
(i) Anne Arundel County; 5
(ii) Calvert County; 6
(iii) Charles County; 7
(iv) Howard County; 8
(v) Montgomery County; 9
(vi) Prince George’s County; and 10
(vii) St. Mary’s County; 11
(2) 1 individual representing the Washington Suburban Sanitary 12
Commission, APPOINTED BY T HE GOVERNOR; 13
(3) 1 individual from each of the following regional planning agencies, 14
APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR: 15
(i) the Maryland–National Capital Park and Planning Commission, 16
Montgomery County; 17
(ii) the Maryland–National Capital Park and Planning Commission, 18
Prince George’s County; and 19
(iii) the Tri–County Council for Southern Maryland; 20
(4) 1 individual, representing a municipality in the watershed, 21
APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR on the recommendation of the corresponding governing 22
body of that municipality; 23
(5) 1 individual representing a large federal facility in the watershed, 24
APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR; 25
(6) as far as possible, the following individuals appointed by the Governor 26
with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall be selected to represent broad geographic, 27
economic, and social interests within the watershed: 28
(i) 2 individuals representing farming interests; 29 HOUSE BILL 716 3
(ii) 1 individual representing business interests; 1
(iii) 4 individuals representing environmental and citizen interests; 2
(iv) 2 individuals representing developer interests; 3
(v) 2 individuals representing academic interests; 4
(vi) 2 individuals, 1 each, representing 2 soil conservation districts; 5
(vii) 1 individual representing the Universi ty of Maryland 6
Cooperative Extension Service; and 7
(viii) 1 individual representing watermen interests; [and] 8
(7) THE PATUXENT RIVERKEEPER; AND 9
(8) as ex officio members: 10
(i) the Secretary of Agriculture or a designee; 11
(ii) the Secretary of the Environment or a designee; 12
(iii) the Secretary of Natural Resources or a designee; 13
(iv) the Secretary of Planning or a designee; 14
(v) the Secretary of Transportation or a designee; and 15
(vi) the Chief of the Planning Division, U.S. Army Corps of 16
Engineers, Baltimore District or a designee. 17
(b) (1) The term of a member appointed under subsection (a)(1) through (6) of 18
this section is 4 years. 19
(2) At the end of a term, a member appointed under subsection (a)(1) 20
through (6) of this section continues to serve until a successor is appointed and qualifies. 21
(3) A member who is appointed under subsection (a)(1) through (6) of this 22
section after a term has begun serves only for the rest of the term and until a successor is 23
appointed and qualifies. 24
(4) The terms of the members are staggered as required by the terms 25
provided for members of the Commission on October 1, 1995. 26
(c) (1) The Commission may establish and abolish nonvoting memberships. 27 4 HOUSE BILL 716
(2) A nonvoting member shall be appointed by the Commission for a term 1
set by the Commission. 2
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Patuxent Riverkeeper 3
shall become a full voting member of the Patuxent River Commission on June 1, 2022. 4
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 5
1, 2022. 6