Maryland 2022 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB727 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	4	[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5	5	hb0727
6	6
7	7	HOUSE BILL 727
8	8	M1, B5 2lr1781
9	9	CF SB 541
10	10	By: Delegates Luedtke, D. Barnes, Barve, Beitzel, Belcastro, Bhandari, Boyce,
11	11	Brooks, Buckel, Cardin, Carr, Charkoudian, Clippinger, Crosby, Ebersole,
12	12	Feldmark, Forbes, Fraser–Hidalgo, Guyton, Henson, Hornberger, Jackson,
13	13	D. Jones, R. Jones, Kaiser, Lehman, J. Lewis, Lierman, Love, McIntosh,
14	14	McKay, Moon, Palakovich Carr, Qi, Reznik, Ruth, Solomon, Stein, Watson,
15	15	and Wilkins
16	16	Introduced and read first time: February 3, 2022
17	17	Assigned to: Environment and Transportation and Appropriations
18	18
19	19	A BILL ENTITLED
20	20
21	21	AN ACT concerning 1
22	22
23	23	Natural Resources – Maryland Park Service and State Parks – Alterations 2
24	24	(Great Maryland Outdoors Act) 3
25	25
26	26	FOR the purpose of repealing the Park Advisory Commission in the Department of Natural 4
27	27	Resources and establishing the Parks and Recreation Commission in the 5
28	28	Department of Natural Resources to provide oversight of the Maryland Park Service; 6
29	29	addressing infrastructure, capacity, and accessibility needs within the Maryland 7
30	30	Park Service and State parks, including establishing systems and processes for 8
31	31	surveying infrastructure and critical maintenance needs, increasing the number of 9
32	32	Maryland Park Service full–time employees, requiring the Department of Budget 10
33	33	and Management to conduct certain staff reviews, requiring the Department of 11
34	34	Natural Resources to develop a certain capital improvement plan and a 12
35	35	comprehensive long–range strategic plan for the Park Service, requiring the 13
36	36	Department of Legislative Services to hire an independent consultant to study 14
37	37	certain aspects of the Maryland Park Service and State parks, requiring the 15
38	38	Department of Natural Resources to adopt certain design principles and make 16
39	39	certain considerations relating to the accessibility, inclusivity, and location of State 17
40	40	parks, and establishing the Freedman’s State Historical Park; establishing the Park 18
41	41	System Critical Maintenance Fund as a special, nonlapsing fund to provide funding 19
42	42	for certain critical maintenance projects; requiring interest earnings of the Park 20
43	43	System Critical Maintenance Fund to be credited to the Fund; establishing the Park 21
44	44	System Capital Improvements and Acquisition Fund as a special, nonlapsing fund 22
45	45	to provide funding for certain capital improvement projects and the acquisition of 23
46	46	certain land; requiring interest earnings of the Park System Capital Improvements 24
47	47	and Acquisition Fund to be credited to the Fund; requiring the Governor, for a certain 25
48	48	fiscal year, to include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of a certain amount 26 2 HOUSE BILL 727
49	49
50	50
51	51	to the Rural Legacy Program, the Park System Critical Maintenance Fund, the Park 1
52	52	System Capital Improvements and Acquisition Fund, the Maryland Agricultural 2
53	53	Land Preservation Fund, and the Maryland Agricultural and Resource –Based 3
54	54	Industry Development Corporation; and generally relating to the Maryland Park 4
55	55	Service. 5
56	56
57	57	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 6
58	58	Article – Natural Resources 7
59	59	Section 5–204 and 5–9A–01 8
60	60	Annotated Code of Maryland 9
61	61	(2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 10
62	62
63	63	BY adding to 11
64	64	Article – Natural Resources 12
65	65	Section 5–210.1, 5–220, and 5–221; 5–2A–01 through 5–2A–05 to the under the new 13
66	66	subtitle “Subtitle 2A. Maryland Park Service”; and 5–1012 14
67	67	Annotated Code of Maryland 15
68	68	(2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 16
69	69
70	70	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 17
71	71	Article – Agriculture 18
72	72	Section 2–505(a) and (b) 19
73	73	Annotated Code of Maryland 20
74	74	(2016 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 21
75	75
76	76	BY adding to 22
77	77	Article – Agriculture 23
78	78	Section 2–505(i) 24
79	79	Annotated Code of Maryland 25
80	80	(2016 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 26
81	81
82	82	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 27
83	83	Article – Economic Development 28
84	84	Section 10–501(a) and (f) 29
85	85	Annotated Code of Maryland 30
86	86	(2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 31
87	87
88	88	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 32
89	89	Article – Economic Development 33
90	90	Section 10–523(a) 34
91	91	Annotated Code of Maryland 35
92	92	(2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 36
93	93
94	94	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 37
95	95	Article – State Finance and Procurement 38
96	96	Section 6–226(a)(2)(i) 39
97	97	Annotated Code of Maryland 40 HOUSE BILL 727 3
98	98
99	99
100	100	(2021 Replacement Volume) 1
101	101
102	102	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 2
103	103	Article – State Finance and Procurement 3
104	104	Section 6–226(a)(2)(ii)144. and 145. and 13–109 4
105	105	Annotated Code of Maryland 5
106	106	(2021 Replacement Volume) 6
107	107
108	108	BY adding to 7
109	109	Article – State Finance and Procurement 8
110	110	Section 6–226(a)(2)(ii)146. and 147. 9
111	111	Annotated Code of Maryland 10
112	112	(2021 Replacement Volume) 11
113	113
114	114	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
115	115	Article – Tax – Property 13
116	116	Section 13–209(g) 14
117	117	Annotated Code of Maryland 15
118	118	(2019 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 16
119	119
120	120	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 17
121	121	Article – Labor and Employment 18
122	122	Section 9–207 and 9–503 19
123	123	Annotated Code of Maryland 20
124	124	(2016 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 21
125	125
126	126	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 22
127	127	Article – Tax – General 23
128	128	Section 10–209 24
129	129	Annotated Code of Maryland 25
130	130	(2016 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 26
131	131
132	132	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 27
133	133	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 28
134	134
135	135	Article – Natural Resources 29
136	136
137	137	5–204. 30
138	138
139	139	(a) (1) There is a Sustainable Forestry Council in the Department. 31
140	140
141	141	(2) The purpose of the Council is to advise the Department on all matters 32
142	142	related to: 33
143	143
144	144	(i) Sustainable forestry management in the State; 34
145	145	4 HOUSE BILL 727
146	146
147	147
148	148	(ii) The expenditure of funds from the Mel Noland Woodland 1
149	149	Incentives Fund under § 5–307 of this title; 2
150	150
151	151	(iii) Existing regulatory and statutory policies that are perceived as 3
152	152	economic barriers to a viable forest products industry; 4
153	153
154	154	(iv) New markets to enhance forest health, including renewable 5
155	155	energy development through biomass energy, to offset fossil fuel consumption and reduce 6
156	156	greenhouse gas emissions; 7
157	157
158	158	(v) Creative strategies to help privately owned forest lands better 8
159	159	compete with real estate market values that are driving forest conversion and 9
160	160	fragmentation; 10
161	161
162	162	(vi) The means to promote forest–based economies and processing 11
163	163	capability that contribute to economic and employment growth; and 12
164	164
165	165	(vii) Assigning a nutrient efficiency benefit to forest stewardship 13
166	166	plans and other forest conservation management plans that can be measurably tracked and 14
167	167	reported by the number of forested acres covered by the plans. 15
168	168
169	169	(b) [There is a Park Advisory Commission in the Department. 16
170	170
171	171	(c)] (1) The Sustainable Forestry Council shall have 9 members. 17
172	172
173	173	(2) Members of the Council shall be appointed by the Governor, with the 18
174	174	advice of the Secretary, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor. 19
175	175
176	176	[(d) (1) The Park Advisory Commission shall have 12 members. 20
177	177
178	178	(2) Members of the Park Advisory Commission shall be appointed by the 21
179	179	Governor, with the advice of the Secretary, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor.] 22
180	180
181	181	5–210.1. 23
182	182
183	183	(A) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL COOR DINATE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF 24
184	184	GENERAL SERVICES TO: 25
185	185
186	186	(1) DEVELOP AN ELECTRONIC ASSET MANAGEMENT SYS TEM FOR ITS 26
187	187	INFRASTRUCTURE , INCLUDING: 27
188	188
189	189	(I) A LIST OF MAINTENANCE PROJECTS AT EACH SIT E; AND 28
190	190
191	191	(II) THE STATUS OF EACH MAINTENANCE PRO JECT; 29
192	192	HOUSE BILL 727 5
193	193
194	194
195	195	(2) DEVELOP A FACILITY CO NDITION INDEX ASSESS MENT PROCESS 1
196	196	FOR ALL PARK SERVICE SITES, MODELED AFTER THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE’S 2
197	197	FACILITY CONDITION I NDEX; AND 3
198	198
199	199	(3) ESTABLISH A DEDICATED ASSET EVALUATION TEA M TO: 4
200	200
201	201	(I) ASSESS THE CONDITION OF MARYLAND PARK SERVICE 5
202	202	SITES; AND 6
203	203
204	204	(II) UPDATE INDIVIDUAL FAC ILITY CONDITION IND ICES ON AN 7
205	205	ONGOING BASIS . 8
206	206
207	207	(B) WHEN DETERMINING WHET HER TO REPAIR OR REP LACE 9
208	208	INFRASTRUCTURE WITH SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLO GY, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL 10
209	209	CONSIDER HOW THE REPLACEMENT VALUE OF AN ASSET WI LL CHANGE IF ONLY 11
210	210	SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY IS USED , INCLUDING ANY ONGOIN G COST SAVINGS. 12
211	211
212	212	(C) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL : 13
213	213
214	214	(I) TAKE INVENTORY OF ALL STATE LAND MANAGED BY THE 14
215	215	DEPARTMENT , INCLUDING: 15
216	216
217	217	1. ACREAGE; 16
218	218
219	219	2. ANY STRUCTURES ON EAC H PROPERTY; AND 17
220	220
221	221	3. THE USE OF EACH PROPE RTY; 18
222	222
223	223	(II) DEVELOP A MAINTENANCE PROJECT PRIORITIZATI ON 19
224	224	PROCESS MODELED AFTE R THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE’S ASSET PRIORITY 20
225	225	INDEX; AND 21
226	226
227	227	(III) DEVELOP AND PUBLISH O N ITS WEBSITE A LIST OF 22
228	228	MAINTENANCE PROJECTS IN EVERY UNIT OF THE STATE PARK SYSTEM THA T ARE 23
229	229	EXPECTED TO COST MOR E THAN $25,000. 24
230	230
231	231	(2) (I) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL COND UCT A SYSTEMWIDE 25
232	232	SURVEY OF HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL RESOURC ES, INCLUDING AN ESTIMAT ION 26
233	233	OF RESTORATION AND MAINTENANCE COSTS . 27
234	234
235	235	(II) THE DEPARTMENT MAY NOT DE LAY THE PRESERVATION 28
236	236	AND RESTORATION OF H ISTORICAL AND CULTUR AL RESOURCES WHILE 29
237	237	CONDUCTING THE S YSTEMWIDE SURVEY. 30 6 HOUSE BILL 727
238	238
239	239
240	240
241	241	5–220. 1
242	242
243	243	(A) IN THIS SECTION , “FUND” MEANS THE PARK SYSTEM CRITICAL 2
244	244	MAINTENANCE FUND. 3
245	245
246	246	(B) THERE IS A PARK SYSTEM CRITICAL MAINTENANCE FUND. 4
247	247
248	248	(C) THE PURPOSE OF THE FUND IS TO PROVIDE FU NDING FOR COMPLETING 5
249	249	STATE PROJECTS THAT A DDRESS CRITICAL MAIN TENANCE CONCERNS ON LANDS 6
250	250	MANAGED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES. 7
251	251
252	252	(D) THE SECRETARY S HALL ADMINISTER THE FUND. 8
253	253
254	254	(E) (1) THE FUND IS A SPECIAL , NONLAPSING FUND THAT IS NOT 9
255	255	SUBJECT TO § 7–302 OF THE STATE FINANCE AND PROCUREMENT ARTICLE. 10
256	256
257	257	(2) THE STATE TREASURER SHALL HOLD THE FUND SEPARATELY , 11
258	258	AND THE COMPTROLLER SHALL ACC OUNT FOR THE FUND. 12
259	259
260	260	(F) THE FUND CONSISTS OF : 13
261	261
262	262	(1) REVENUE DISTRIBUTED T O THE FUND UNDER § 13–209(G) OF THE 14
263	263	TAX – PROPERTY ARTICLE; 15
264	264
265	265	(2) MONEY APPROPRIATED IN THE STATE BUDGET TO THE FUND; 16
266	266
267	267	(3) INTEREST EARNINGS ; AND 17
268	268
269	269	(4) ANY OTHER MONEY FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE ACCEPTED FOR 18
270	270	THE BENEFIT OF THE FUND. 19
271	271
272	272	(G) THE FUND MAY BE USED ONLY FOR STATE PROJECTS THAT A DDRESS 20
273	273	CRITICAL MAINTENANCE CONCERNS ON LANDS MA NAGED BY THE DEPARTMENT 21
274	274	FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES . 22
275	275
276	276	(H) (1) THE STATE TREASURER SHALL INVES T THE MONEY OF THE FUND 23
277	277	IN THE SAME MANNER AS O THER STATE MONEY MAY BE IN VESTED. 24
278	278
279	279	(2) ANY INTEREST EARNINGS OF THE FUND SHALL BE CREDITE D TO 25
280	280	THE FUND. 26
281	281	HOUSE BILL 727 7
282	282
283	283
284	284	(I) EXPENDITURES FROM THE FUND MAY BE MADE ONLY IN ACCORDANCE 1
285	285	WITH THE STATE BUDGET . 2
286	286
287	287	(J) MONEY EXPENDED FROM T HE FUND FOR CRIT ICAL MAINTENANCE IN 3
288	288	THE STATE’S PARKS IS SUPPLEMEN TAL TO AND IS NOT IN TENDED TO TAKE THE 4
289	289	PLACE OF FUNDING THA T OTHERWISE WOULD BE APPROPRIATED FOR CRI TICAL 5
290	290	MAINTENANCE IN THE STATE’S PARKS. 6
291	291
292	292	(K) (1) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 ONLY, THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUD E IN 7
293	293	THE ANNUAL BUDGET BI LL A GENERAL FUND APPROPRIATION IN THE AMOUNT OF 8
294	294	$80,000,000 TO THE FUND FOR STATE PROJECTS THAT A DDRESS CRITICAL 9
295	295	MAINTENANCE CONCERNS ON LANDS MANAGED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR PUBLIC 10
296	296	PURPOSES. 11
297	297
298	298	(2) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL EXPE ND THE FUND S ALLOCATED 12
299	299	UNDER THIS SUBSECTION BEFORE JULY 1, 2026. 13
300	300
301	301	5–221. 14
302	302
303	303	(A) IN THIS SECTION , “FUND” MEANS THE PARK SYSTEM CAPITAL 15
304	304	IMPROVEMENTS AND ACQUISITION FUND. 16
305	305
306	306	(B) THERE IS A PARK SYSTEM CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND ACQUISITION 17
307	307	FUND. 18
308	308
309	309	(C) THE PURPOSE OF THE FUND IS TO PROVIDE FU NDING FOR: 19
310	310
311	311	(1) COMPLETING STATE PROJECTS RELATE D TO CAPITAL 20
312	312	IMPROVEMENTS ON LAND S MANAGED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES; 21
313	313	AND 22
314	314
315	315	(2) ACQUIRING LAND TO BE MANAGED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR 23
316	316	PUBLIC PURPOSES . 24
317	317
318	318	(D) THE SECRETARY SHALL ADMIN ISTER THE FUND. 25
319	319
320	320	(E) (1) THE FUND IS A SPECIAL , NONLAPSING FUND THAT IS NOT 26
321	321	SUBJECT TO § 7–302 OF THE STATE FINANCE AND PROCUREMENT ARTICLE. 27
322	322
323	323	(2) THE STATE TREASURER SHALL HOLD THE FUND SEPARATELY , 28
324	324	AND THE COMPTROLLER SHALL AC COUNT FOR THE FUND. 29
325	325
326	326	(F) THE FUND CONSISTS OF : 30 8 HOUSE BILL 727
327	327
328	328
329	329
330	330	(1) MONEY APPROPRIATED IN THE STATE BUDGET TO THE FUND; 1
331	331
332	332	(2) INTEREST EARNINGS ; AND 2
333	333
334	334	(3) ANY OTHER MONEY FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE ACC EPTED FOR 3
335	335	THE BENEFIT OF THE FUND. 4
336	336
337	337	(G) THE FUND MAY BE USED ONLY FOR: 5
338	338
339	339	(1) COMPLETING STATE PROJECTS RELATE D TO CAPITAL 6
340	340	IMPROVEMENTS ON LAND S MANAGED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES; 7
341	341	AND 8
342	342
343	343	(2) ACQUIRING LAND TO BE MANAGED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR 9
344	344	PUBLIC PURPOSES . 10
345	345
346	346	(H) (1) THE STATE TREASURER SHALL INVEST THE MONEY OF THE FUND 11
347	347	IN THE SAME MANNER A S OTHER STATE MONEY MAY BE IN VESTED. 12
348	348
349	349	(2) ANY INTEREST EARNINGS OF THE FUND SHALL BE CREDITE D TO 13
350	350	THE FUND. 14
351	351
352	352	(I) EXPENDITURES FROM THE FUND MAY BE MADE ONLY IN ACCORDANCE 15
353	353	WITH THE STATE BUDGET . 16
354	354
355	355	(J) MONEY EXPENDED FROM T HE FUND FOR CAPITAL IMPR OVEMENTS IN 17
356	356	THE STATE’S PARKS IS SUPPLEMEN TAL TO AND IS NOT IN TENDED TO TAKE THE 18
357	357	PLACE OF FUNDING THA T OTHERWISE WOULD BE APPROPRIATED FOR CAP ITAL 19
358	358	IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STATE’S PARKS AND THE ACQU ISITION OF LAND BY THE 20
359	359	DEPARTMENT THAT WILL BE MANAGED FOR PUBLI C PURPOSES. 21
360	360
361	361	(K) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 ONLY, THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUD E IN THE 22
362	362	ANNUAL BUDGET BILL A GENERAL FUND APPROPRIATION IN THE AMOUNT OF 23
363	363	$70,000,000 TO THE FUND TO BE USED AS FO LLOWS: 24
364	364
365	365	(1) $5,000,000 FOR INFRASTRUCTURE P ROJECTS THAT MITIGAT E 25
366	366	THE EFFECTS OF CLIMA TE CHANGE, INCLUDING: 26
367	367
368	368	(I) FLOOD BARRIERS ; 27
369	369
370	370	(II) FOREST BUFFERS ; 28
371	371	HOUSE BILL 727 9
372	372
373	373
374	374	(III) GREEN SPACES; 1
375	375
376	376	(IV) BUILDING ELEVATION ; 2
377	377
378	378	(V) STORMWATER INFRASTRUC TURE; AND 3
379	379
380	380	(VI) WETLANDS RESTORATION ; 4
381	381
382	382	(2) $5,000,000 FOR HISTORIC PRESERV ATION; 5
383	383
384	384	(3) $20,000,000 FOR TRANSPORTATION I MPROVEMENTS , 6
385	385	INCLUDING: 7
386	386
387	387	(I) IMPROVING BIKE LANES AND TRAILS , INCREASING 8
388	388	WALKABILITY, AND EXPANDING PARKIN G AVAILABILITY; AND 9
389	389
390	390	(II) TARGETING TRANSPORTATION INVES TMENTS TO AVOID 10
391	391	CAPACITY SHUTDOWNS ; 11
392	392
393	393	(4) $10,000,000 FOR INCREASING WATER ACCESS, INCLUDING KAYAK 12
394	394	AND BOAT LAUNCHES AN D AREAS FOR PICNICKING NEAR WATE R AND SWIMMING ; 13
395	395	AND 14
396	396
397	397	(5) $30,000,000 FOR LAND ACQUISITION , INCLUDING: 15
398	398
399	399	(I) AREAS IN THE CENTRAL A ND SOUTHERN REGIONS OF THE 16
400	400	STATE THAT WILL: 17
401	401
402	402	1. RELIEVE OVERCROWDING AT EXISTING STATE 18
403	403	PARKS; AND 19
404	404
405	405	2. EXPAND PUBLIC ACCESS TO STATE PARKS AND 20
406	406	OUTDOOR RECREATION ; 21
407	407
408	408	(II) SITES WITH HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE TO MINO RITY 22
409	409	COMMUNIT IES; AND 23
410	410
411	411	(III) BEACHFRONT OR WATERFR ONT PROPERTY FOR PUB LIC 24
412	412	ACCESS. 25
413	413
414	414	SUBTITLE 2A. MARYLAND PARK SERVICE. 26
415	415
416	416	5–2A–01. 27 10 HOUSE BILL 727
417	417
418	418
419	419
420	420	(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 1
421	421	INDICATED. 2
422	422
423	423	(B) “COMMISSION” MEANS THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION. 3
424	424
425	425	(C) “PARK SERVICE” MEANS THE MARYLAND PARK SERVICE. 4
426	426
427	427	5–2A–02. 5
428	428
429	429	(A) (1) ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2024, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL 6
430	430	INCREASE THE NUMBER OF FULL–TIME EMPLOYEES IN TH E PARK SERVICE BY 100 7
431	431	PERMANENT , CLASSIFIED POSITIONS . 8
432	432
433	433	(2) EACH STAFF POSITION REQUIRED UNDER PARAG RAPH (1) OF 9
434	434	THIS SUBSECTION SHAL L BE ACCOMPANIED BY A SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGE T 10
435	435	ALLOCATION TO PROVID E ADEQUATE SUPPORT F OR EACH EMPLOYEE . 11
436	436
437	437	(3) THE STAFF POSITIONS REQU IRED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 12
438	438	SUBSECTION SHALL INC LUDE: 13
439	439
440	440	(I) FIVE P OSITIONS IN THE ENGINEERING AND 14
441	441	CONSTRUCTION UNIT; 15
442	442
443	443	(II) FIVE POSITIONS IN THE LAND ACQUISITION AND PLANNING 16
444	444	UNIT; AND 17
445	445
446	446	(III) ONE VOLUNTEER MANAGEM ENT PROGRAM COORDINA TOR. 18
447	447
448	448	(B) (1) THE DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SHALL : 19
449	449
450	450	(I) CONDUCT A STA FF ADEQUACY REVIEW O F THE PARK 20
451	451	SERVICE EVERY 2 YEARS; AND 21
452	452
453	453	(II) REPORT ITS FINDINGS T O THE COMMISSION AND , IN 22
454	454	ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE GENERAL 23
455	455	ASSEMBLY. 24
456	456
457	457	(2) AS A PART OF THE REPO RT UNDER PARAGRAPH (1)(II) OF THIS 25
458	458	SUBSECTION, THE DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SHALL CONS IDER 26
459	459	STAFFING GOALS FOR T HE PARK SERVICE. 27
460	460
461	461	(C) (1) THE DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SHALL : 28 HOUSE BILL 727 11
462	462
463	463
464	464
465	465	(I) CONDUCT A STAFF SALAR Y REVIEW OF THE PARK SERVICE 1
466	466	EVERY 3 YEARS; AND 2
467	467
468	468	(II) REPORT ITS FINDINGS T O THE COMMISSION AND , IN 3
469	469	ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE GENERAL 4
470	470	ASSEMBLY. 5
471	471
472	472	(2) THE SALARY REVIEW REQ UIRED UNDER PARAGRAP H (1)(I) OF 6
473	473	THIS SUBSECTION SHAL L FOCUS ON THE GOALS OF IMPROVING : 7
474	474
475	475	(I) HIRING BY COMPENSATING PARK SERVICE EMPLOYEES AT 8
476	476	A LEVEL COMMENSURATE WITH: 9
477	477
478	478	1. LOCAL PARK SYSTEMS ; 10
479	479
480	480	2. THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE; AND 11
481	481
482	482	3. FOR PARK SERVICE MAINTENANCE P ERSONNEL WHO 12
483	483	PERFORM SKILLED AND LICENSED TRADE FUNCT IONS, THE PRIVATE SECTOR; AND 13
484	484
485	485	(II) RETENTION BY PROMOTIN G UPWARD MOBILITY WI THIN A 14
486	486	JOB SERIES. 15
487	487
488	488	(D) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL RECO GNIZE PARK SERVICE ASSOCIATES AN D 16
489	489	FOREST RANGERS, PARK RANGERS, AND WILDLIFE RANGERS AS EMERGENCY 17
490	490	SERVICES PERSONNEL . 18
491	491
492	492	(E) (1) (I) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL I MPLEMENT A VOLUNTEER 19
493	493	MANAGEMENT PROGRAM T O STRATEGICALLY MANA GE VOLUNTEER SERVICE S 20
494	494	PROVIDED BY INDIVIDU ALS AND STATE PARKS FRIENDS G ROUPS. 21
495	495
496	496	(II) THE VOLUNTEER MANAGEM ENT PROGRAM IMPLEMEN TED 22
497	497	UNDER SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH SH ALL BE MODELED ON T HE 23
498	498	NATIONAL PARK SERVICE’S VOLUNTEERS–IN–PARKS PROGRAM . 24
499	499
500	500	(2) THE VOLUNTEER MANAGEM ENT PROGRAM SHALL BE MANAGED 25
501	501	BY A VOLUNTEER PROGR AM MANAGER DEDICATED TO OVERSEEING THE 26
502	502	VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. 27
503	503
504	504	(3) THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM MANAGER SHALL : 28
505	505
506	506	(I) CONDUCT ANNUAL TRAINI NG FOR STAFF AND VOL UNTEERS; 29 12 HOUSE BILL 727
507	507
508	508
509	509
510	510	(II) DEVELOP AND PROMOTE V OLUNTEER OPPORTUNITI ES; 1
511	511
512	512	(III) PERFORM AUDITS , EVALUATIONS , AND MONITORING TO 2
513	513	DETERMINE THE EFFICA CY OF THE VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ; AND 3
514	514
515	515	(IV) DEVELOP AN ANNUAL REPORT ON VOLUNTEER STATISTICS 4
516	516	AND IMPACTS. 5
517	517
518	518	(F) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL EXPA ND ITS WORK WITH PAR K–FOCUSED 6
519	519	ORGANIZATIONS TO LEV ERAGE CHARITABLE FUN DING FOR PARK ENHANC EMENTS. 7
520	520
521	521	5–2A–03. 8
522	522
523	523	(A) (1) THERE IS A PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION IN THE 9
524	524	DEPARTMENT . 10
525	525
526	526	(2) THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMISSION IS TO PROV IDE OVERSIGHT 11
527	527	OF THE PARK SERVICE. 12
528	528
529	529	(B) THE COMMISSION SHALL CONS IST OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS: 13
530	530
531	531	(1) A CHAIR, APPOINTED JOINTLY BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE 14
532	532	SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE; 15
533	533
534	534	(2) TWO MEMBERS OF THE SENATE OF MARYLAND, APPOINTED BY 16
535	535	THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE; 17
536	536
537	537	(3) TWO MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES, APPOINTED BY 18
538	538	THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE; AND 19
539	539
540	540	(4) FOUR MEMBERS , APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR, WHO REFLECT 20
541	541	THE RACIAL, GENDER, ETHNIC, AND GEOGRAPHIC DIVER SITY OF THE STATE. 21
542	542
543	543	(C) THE DEPARTMENT OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES SHALL PROVID E STAFF 22
544	544	FOR THE COMMISSION. 23
545	545
546	546	(D) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ANNU ALLY PROVIDE THE COMMISSION WITH 24
547	547	A BRIEFING ON THE ST ATUS OF THE PARK SERVICE AND PARK SYST EM, INCLUDING: 25
548	548
549	549	(1) THE NUMBER OF ANNUAL CAPACITY CLOSURES , LISTED BY 26
550	550	LOCATION; 27
551	551	HOUSE BILL 727 13
552	552
553	553
554	554	(2) THE CRITICAL MAINTENA NCE BACKLOG ; 1
555	555
556	556	(3) VACANT STAFF POSITION S; AND 2
557	557
558	558	(4) ANY OTHER INFOR MATION: 3
559	559
560	560	(I) RELATED TO THE FUNCTI ONING OF THE PARK SERVICE; OR 4
561	561
562	562	(II) REQUESTED BY THE MEMB ERS OF THE COMMISSION. 5
563	563
564	564	(E) THE COMMISSION SHALL MEET QUARTERLY TO REVIEW THE STATUS OF 6
565	565	THE PARK SERVICE. 7
566	566
567	567	(F) (1) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2024, AND EACH DECEMBER 1 8
568	568	THEREAFTER , THE COMMISSION SHALL SUBM IT A REPORT TO THE SENATE BUDGET 9
569	569	AND TAXATION COMMITTEE, THE SENATE EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND 10
570	570	ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS 11
571	571	COMMITTEE, AND THE HOUSE ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 12
572	572	IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE. 13
573	573
574	574	(2) THE REPORT SUBMITTED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 14
575	575	SUBSECTION SHALL INC LUDE THE COMMISSION’S: 15
576	576
577	577	(I) FINDINGS ON THE STATU S OF THE PARK SERVICE; AND 16
578	578
579	579	(II) RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 17
580	580	CAN SUPPORT THE PARK SERVICE. 18
581	581
582	582	5–2A–04. 19
583	583
584	584	(A) (1) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2023, AND EVERY 5 YEARS 20
585	585	THEREAFTER , THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVE LOP AND PUBLISH A 5–YEAR CAPITAL 21
586	586	IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR THE PARK SERVICE. 22
587	587
588	588	(2) IN DEVELOPING T HE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, THE 23
589	589	DEPARTMENT SHALL , IN COORDINATION WITH THE COMMISSION, ANNUALLY HOLD 24
590	590	AT LEAST ONE PUBLIC HEARING WITH THE OPP ORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. 25
591	591
592	592	(3) THE 5–YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN SHALL INCLUDE : 26
593	593
594	594	(I) A LIST OF ALL OUTSTANDING CRITICAL MAINTENANCE 27
595	595	PROJECTS AND THE PRO JECTED COST OF EACH PROJECT; 28
596	596	14 HOUSE BILL 727
597	597
598	598
599	599	(II) A PRIORITIZATION OF CR ITICAL MAINTENANCE P ROJECTS 1
600	600	AND AN EXPLANATION O F THE PROCESS FOR PR IORITIZING THE PROJE CTS; AND 2
601	601
602	602	(III) SCORING AND RANKING F OR EACH CRITICA L MAINTENANCE 3
603	603	PROJECT, AS DETERMINED BY THE PRIORITIZATION PROCE SS. 4
604	604
605	605	(4) THE 5–YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN SHALL INCLUDE TH E 5
606	606	INFORMATION REQUIRED UNDER PARAGRAPH (3) OF THIS SUBSECTION 6
607	607	DISAGGREGATED BY REG ION. 7
608	608
609	609	(B) (1) THE DEPARTMENT OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES SHALL HIRE A N 8
610	610	INDEPENDENT CONSULTA NT TO CONDUCT AN IND EPENDENT STUDY OF : 9
611	611
612	612	(I) WHETHER THE PARK SERVICE IS PRODUCING OUTCOMES 10
613	613	CONSISTENT WITH ITS MISSION; 11
614	614
615	615	(II) THE VISITOR EXPERIENC E FOR STATE PARKS, INCLUDING: 12
616	616
617	617	1. PARKING AVAILABILITY ; 13
618	618
619	619	2. CLEANLINESS; AND 14
620	620
621	621	3. WHETHER FACILITIES , AMENITIES, OR AREAS ARE 15
622	622	CLOSED, INCLUDING WHETHER TH E CLOSURES ARE DUE T O DEFERRED 16
623	623	MAINTENANCE ; AND 17
624	624
625	625	(III) HOW FUNDING CAN BE US ED TO ENABLE THE PARK 18
626	626	SERVICE TO PRODUCE OU TCOMES CONSISTENT WI TH ITS MISSION. 19
627	627
628	628	(2) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2023, THE INDEPENDENT 20
629	629	CONSULTANT SHALL SUB MIT A REPORT ON ITS FINDINGS AND RECOMME NDATIONS 21
630	630	TO THE COMMISSION. 22
631	631
632	632	(C) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL: 23
633	633
634	634	(1) RECOGNIZE AS A FORMAL POLICY THAT THE STATE’S FORESTS, 24
635	635	TREES, AND WETLANDS ARE A MAJOR TOOL FOR ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE 25
636	636	WITH REGARD TO MITIG ATION, ADAPTATION, AND RESILIENCY ; AND 26
637	637
638	638	(2) REQUIRE ALL PARK SERVICE PROJECTS TO C ONTRIBUTE, TO THE 27
639	639	EXTENT POSSIBLE , TO THE IMPROVEMENT O F LOCAL WATER QUALIT Y. 28
640	640	HOUSE BILL 727 15
641	641
642	642
643	643	(D) (1) THE PARK SERVICE SHALL ADOPT U NIVERSAL DESIGN 1
644	644	PRINCIPLES IN ITS PR OGRAMMING AND AMENIT IES TO ENSURE MAXIMU M ACCESS 2
645	645	BY ALL PEOPLE, INCLUDING PEOPLE WIT H DISABILITIES AND S ENIORS. 3
646	646
647	647	(2) TO ENSURE ACCESSIBILI TY FOR INDIVIDUALS W HO ARE DEAF , 4
648	648	BLIND, OR BOTH, THE PARK SERVICE WEBSITE AND A LL OTHER DIGITAL OUT REACH 5
649	649	PLATFORMS SHALL ADHE RE TO WEB CONTENT ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES 2.1 6
650	650	AND SECTION 508 OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. 7
651	651
652	652	(E) (1) THE DEPARTMENT ’S DECISIONS RELATED TO THE LOCATION AND 8
653	653	ESTABLISHMENT OF NE W STATE PARKS OR AMENIT IES SHALL TARGET ARE AS: 9
654	654
655	655	(I) IDENTIFIED BY THE DEPARTMENT ’S PARK EQUITY TOOL A S 10
656	656	IN NEED OF RECREATIO NAL OPPORTUNITIES ; OR 11
657	657
658	658	(II) THAT WOULD RELIEVE OV ERCROWDING IN EXISTI NG STATE 12
659	659	PARKS THAT HAVE CONS ISTENTLY HAD TO CLOS E TO THE PUBLIC DUE TO CAPACI TY 13
660	660	RESTRICTIONS . 14
661	661
662	662	(2) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL CONS IDER THE CULTURAL AN D 15
663	663	ECOLOGICAL CARRYING CAPACITIES OF STATE PARK AREAS WHEN EXAMINING THE 16
664	664	DEVELOPMENT OF NEW A MENITIES IN EXISTING STATE PARKS. 17
665	665
666	666	(3) THE DEPARTMENT ’S DECISIONS RELATED TO THE 18
667	667	ESTABLISHMENT OF STATE HISTORICAL PARK S OR OTHER UNITS THA T PRESERVE 19
668	668	AND INTERPRET THE ST ORY OF HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED , MINORITY, AND 20
669	669	OTHER UNDERREPRESENT ED COMMUNITIES SHALL BE MADE: 21
670	670
671	671	(I) IN COORDINATION WITH THE COMMISSION; AND 22
672	672
673	673	(II) WITH INPUT FROM GROUP S ACTIVE IN THE PRES ERVATION 23
674	674	OF HISTORICAL SITES OF UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES . 24
675	675
676	676	5–2A–05. 25
677	677
678	678	(A) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL : 26
679	679
680	680	(1) DEVELOP AND PUBLISH A COMPREHENSIVE LONG–RANGE 27
681	681	STRATEGIC PLAN BY DECEMBER 1, 2023; AND 28
682	682
683	683	(2) UPDATE THE COMPREHENSIVE LONG–RANGE STRATEGIC PLAN 29
684	684	EVERY 5 YEARS TO REFLECT MAJ OR GOALS AND PROGRES S TOWARD MEETING 30
685	685	THOSE GOALS. 31 16 HOUSE BILL 727
686	686
687	687
688	688
689	689	(B) THE COMPREHENSIVE LONG–RANGE STRATEGIC PLAN SHALL 1
690	690	INCLUDE: 2
691	691
692	692	(1) THE FEASIBILITY OF: 3
693	693
694	694	(I) ESTABLISHING NEW STATE PARKS; AND 4
695	695
696	696	(II) DEVELOPING NEW AMENIT IES IN CURRENT STATE PARKS, 5
697	697	INCLUDING: 6
698	698
699	699	1. TRAILS; 7
700	700
701	701	2. WATER ACCESS; 8
702	702
703	703	3. PARKING AREAS ; AND 9
704	704
705	705	4. OTHER CAPITAL IMPROVE MENTS THAT INCREASE 10
706	706	PARK CAPACITY ; 11
707	707
708	708	(2) NEW STATE HISTORICAL PARK S OR OTHER UNITS THA T 12
709	709	PRESERVE AND INTERPR ET THE STORY OF MINO RITIES AND OTHER 13
710	710	UNDERREPRESENTED COM MUNITIES; 14
711	711
712	712	(3) A MULTILATERAL , WHOLE–SYSTEM PLAN FOR OUTD OOR 15
713	713	RECREATION IN THE STATE, INCLUDING: 16
714	714
715	715	(I) THE RESULTS OF ANY CO ORDINATION BETWEEN T HE 17
716	716	DEPARTMENT AND COUNTY , MUNICIPAL, AND FEDERAL PARK SYS TEMS TO 18
717	717	INCREASE TRAIL CONNE CTIVITY BETWEEN PARK SYSTEMS; AND 19
718	718
719	719	(II) AN ECONOMIC PLAN DEVE LOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT IN 20
720	720	CONSULTATION WITH : 21
721	721
722	722	1. THE OFFICE OF OUTDOOR RECREATION; 22
723	723
724	724	2. THE PARK SERVICE’S BUSINESS MANAGER ; 23
725	725
726	726	3. COUNTY TOURISM ENTITI ES AND ECONOMIC 24
727	727	DEVELOPMENT OFFICES ; 25
728	728
729	729	4. THE MARYLAND MUNICIPAL LEAGUE; 26
730	730	HOUSE BILL 727 17
731	731
732	732
733	733	5. THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES; AND 1
734	734
735	735	6. THE OUTDOOR RECREATION ROUNDTABLE ; 2
736	736
737	737	(4) THE FEASIBILITY OF EX PANDING THE DAY –USE RESERVATION 3
738	738	SYSTEM BEYOND THE FALLING BRANCH AREA OF ROCKS STATE PARK TO ALL 4
739	739	PARKS EXPERIENCING C APACITY SHUTDOWNS , INCLUDING CONSIDERAT IONS ON 5
740	740	HOW THE EXPANSION OF THE DAY–USE RESERVATION SYST EM MAY IMPACT STATE 6
741	741	PARK VISITORS IN TER MS OF EQUITY AND ACC ESS; 7
742	742
743	743	(5) AN ANALYSIS OF HOW TH E DEPARTMENT CAN INTEGR ATE 8
744	744	INFRASTRUCTURE MESSA GING WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND LOCAL 9
745	745	GOVERNMENTS , INCLUDING THE DEVELO PMENT AND MAINTENANC E OF A 10
746	746	COORDINATED WEBSITE AND DIGITAL APPLICAT ION THAT PROVIDES IN FORMATION 11
747	747	ON: 12
748	748
749	749	(I) WHERE PARKS AND OPEN SPACES ARE LOCATED ; 13
750	750
751	751	(II) AVAILABLE AMENITIES ; AND 14
752	752
753	753	(III) REAL–TIME INFORMATION ON THE OPERATIONAL STAT US 15
754	754	OF A PARK, INCLUDING CAPACITY ; 16
755	755
756	756	(6) LONG–TERM MEASURES TO : 17
757	757
758	758	(I) RECRUIT AND RETAIN PE OPLE OF COLOR AND BI LINGUAL 18
759	759	STAFF INTO PARK SERVICE POSITIONS ; AND 19
760	760
761	761	(II) PROVIDE ONGOING UPDAT ES ON EFFORTS TO REC RUIT AND 20
762	762	RETAIN A DIVERSE PARK SERVICE WORKFORCE ; 21
763	763
764	764	(7) DETAILS AND UPDATES O N THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAMS IN 22
765	765	COLLABORATION WITH THE STATE’S HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND 23
766	766	UNIVERSITIES THAT ARE : 24
767	767
768	768	(I) MODELED ON THE CADET PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED BY 25
769	769	THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE; AND 26
770	770
771	771	(II) FOCUSED ON CREATING A PIPELINE OF NEW RANG ERS AND 27
772	772	OTHER FULL–TIME STAFF FROM AMONG VOLUNTEERS , THE STATE FOSTER YOUTH 28
773	773	SYSTEM, AND HISTORICALLY UND ERSERVED COMMUNITIES ; AND 29
774	774
775	775	(8) THE RESULTS OF: 30 18 HOUSE BILL 727
776	776
777	777
778	778
779	779	(I) IMPLEMENTING A VOLUNT EER MANAGEMENT PROGR AM 1
780	780	UNDER § 5–2A–02(E) OF THIS SUBTITLE; 2
781	781
782	782	(II) LEVERAGING CHARITABLE FUNDING FOR PARK 3
783	783	ENHANCEMENTS UNDER § 5–2A–02(F) OF THIS SUBTITLE; AND 4
784	784
785	785	(III) ANY COLLABORATION BET WEEN THE DEPARTMENT AND 5
786	786	THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND LO CAL TRANSPORTATION A GENCIES 6
787	787	TO IMPROVE BICYCLE , SIDEWALK, AND TRAIL ACCESS TO STATE PARKS. 7
788	788
789	789	5–9A–01. 8
790	790
791	791	(a) The General Assembly declares that: 9
792	792
793	793	(1) Sprawl development and other modifications to the landscape in 10
794	794	Maryland continue at an alarming rate, consuming land rich in natural resource, 11
795	795	agricultural, and forestry value, adversely affecting water quality, wetlands and habitat, 12
796	796	threatening resource–based economies and cultural assets, and rending the fabric of rural 13
797	797	life; 14
798	798
799	799	(2) Current State, county, and local land conservation programs help to 15
800	800	limit the effect of sprawl development but lack sufficient funding and focus to preserve key 16
801	801	areas before escalating land values make their protection impossible or the land is lost to 17
802	802	development; and 18
803	803
804	804	(3) A grant program that leverages available funding, focuses on 19
805	805	preservation of strategic resources, including those resources threatened by sprawl 20
806	806	development, streamlines real property acquisition procedures to expedite land 21
807	807	preservation, takes advantage of innovative preservation techniques such as transferable 22
808	808	development rights and the purchase of development rights, and promotes a greater level 23
809	809	of natural and environmental resources protection than is provided by existing efforts, will 24
810	810	establish a rural legacy for future generations. 25
811	811
812	812	(b) (1) A Rural Legacy Program is established to enhance natural resource, 26
813	813	agricultural, forestry, and environmental protection as provided in subsection (a) of this 27
814	814	section while maintaining the viability of resource–based land usage and proper 28
815	815	management of tillable and wooded areas through accepted agricultural and silvicultural 29
816	816	practices for farm production and timber harvests. 30
817	817
818	818	(2) The Program provides funds to the local governments and land trusts 31
819	819	to purchase interests in real property from willing sellers, including easements, 32
820	820	transferable development rights, and fee estates, focused in designated Rural Legacy 33
821	821	Areas. 34
822	822	HOUSE BILL 727 19
823	823
824	824
825	825	(3) The Program shall encourage partnerships among the federal, State, 1
826	826	and local governments, and nonprofit land trust organizations and encourage local land 2
827	827	conservation initiatives. 3
828	828
829	829	(4) The Program is administered by a Rural Legacy Board in the 4
830	830	Department of Natural Resources, an advisory committee, and existing State staff. 5
831	831
832	832	(c) The Program is funded: 6
833	833
834	834	(1) Pursuant to § 13–209 of the Tax – Property Article and § 5–903(a)(2)(iii) 7
835	835	of this title; [and] 8
836	836
837	837	(2) By the proceeds from the sale of general obligation bonds as provided 9
838	838	in § 5–9A–09 of this subtitle; AND 10
839	839
840	840	(3) BY MONEY APPROPRIATED IN THE STATE BUDGET TO THE 11
841	841	PROGRAM. 12
842	842
843	843	(d) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024, THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUD E IN THE 13
844	844	ANNUAL BUDGET BILL AN APPROPRIATION OF $5,444,127 TO THE PROGRAM. 14
845	845
846	846	(E) When negotiating and awarding grants, the Board shall encourage sponsors 15
847	847	to utilize zero coupon bonds in the implementation of the Rural Legacy Plan in order to 16
848	848	reduce the utilization of general obligation bonds in funding the grants. 17
849	849
850	850	5–1012. 18
851	851
852	852	(A) IN THIS SECTION, “PARTNERSHIP PARK ” MEANS A UNIT OF THE STATE 19
853	853	PARK SYSTEM MANAGED BY THE DEPARTMENT IN PARTNER SHIP WITH A LOCAL 20
854	854	GOVERNMENT , A BICOUNTY AGENCY , OR A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATI ON. 21
855	855
856	856	(B) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTA BLISH THE FREEDMAN’S STATE 22
857	857	HISTORICAL PARK AS A PARTNERSHIP PARK T HAT SEEKS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC 23
858	858	ABOUT AND PRESERVE AND INT ERPRET THE LIVES AND EXPERI ENCES OF BLACK 24
859	859	AMERICANS BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER THE ABOLIT ION OF SLAVERY. 25
860	860
861	861	(2) FREEDMAN’S STATE HISTORICAL PARK SHALL BE HELD BY THE 26
862	862	STATE AS A STATE PARK UNDER THE PROTECTION AND ADMIN ISTRATION OF THE 27
863	863	DEPARTMENT . 28
864	864
865	865	(C) THE PARK SHALL CONSIST OF PROPERTIES IN NORTHEASTERN 29
866	866	MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN OR NEAR THE COMMUNITIES OF BROOKEVILLE, OLNEY, 30
867	867	SANDY SPRING, ZION, AND LAYTONSVILLE THAT ARE: 31
868	868	20 HOUSE BILL 727
869	869
870	870
871	871	(1) OWNED BY THE STATE AND DESIGNATED BY THE DEPARTMENT AS 1
872	872	PART OF THE PARK ; AND 2
873	873
874	874	(2) (I) OWNED BY A LOCAL GOVERNMENT , A BICOUNTY AGENCY , 3
875	875	OR A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATI ON; AND 4
876	876
877	877	(II) DESIGNATED AS PART OF THE PARK BY A PARTNERSHIP 5
878	878	AGREEMENT BETWEEN TH E OWNER OF THE PROPERTY AND THE STATE. 6
879	879
880	880	(D) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTA BLISH A STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY 7
881	881	COMMITTEE TO ADVI SE THE DEPARTMENT ON THE SCO PE AND MANAGEMENT OF 8
882	882	THE PARK. 9
883	883
884	884	(2) THE STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY COMMITTEE SHALL CONSIST OF 10
885	885	THE FOLLOWING MEMBER S: 11
886	886
887	887	(I) A REPRESENTATIVE OF MONTGOMERY PARKS, 12
888	888	DESIGNATED BY MONTGOMERY PARKS’ DIRECTOR OF PARKS; 13
889	889
890	890	(II) A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HERITAGE TOURISM 14
891	891	ALLIANCE OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, DESIGNATED BY THE ALLIANCE’S 15
892	892	EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR; 16
893	893
894	894	(III) A REPRESENTATIVE OF TH E SANDY SPRING SLAVE 17
895	895	MUSEUM, DESIGNATED BY THE MUSEUM’S DIRECTOR; 18
896	896
897	897	(IV) A REPRESENTATIVE OF TH E SANDY SPRING MUSEUM, 19
898	898	DESIGNATED BY THE MUSEUM’S PRESIDENT; AND 20
899	899
900	900	(V) ANY OTHER MEMBERS AS DETERMINED BY THE 21
901	901	DEPARTMENT . 22
902	902
903	903	(3) TO THE EXTENT PRACTIC ABLE, THE STAKEHOLDER ADVIS ORY 23
904	904	COMMITTEE SHALL REFL ECT THE DIVERSITY OF NORTHEASTERN MONTGOMERY 24
905	905	COUNTY. 25
906	906
907	907	(E) ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2023, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SUBM IT A 26
908	908	REPORT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE 27
909	909	STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, ON: 28
910	910
911	911	(1) PROPERTY OWNED BY THE STATE IN NORTHEASTERN 29
912	912	MONTGOMERY COUNTY THAT IS SUITABLE FOR INCLUSI ON IN FREEDMAN’S STATE 30
913	913	HISTORICAL PARK; 31 HOUSE BILL 727 21
914	914
915	915
916	916
917	917	(2) PROPERTY OWNED BY A LOCAL GOVERNMENT , A BICOUNTY 1
918	918	AGENCY, OR A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATI ON IN NORTHEASTERN MONTGOMERY 2
919	919	COUNTY THAT IS SUITABLE FOR INCLUSI ON IN THE PARK AND FOR WHICH THE 3
920	920	LANDOWNERS ARE WILLI NG TO ENTER INTO A PARTNERSHI P AGREEMENT ; AND 4
921	921
922	922	(3) THE FUNDING NE EDED TO ESTABLISH AN D PROMOTE THE PARK . 5
923	923
924	924	Article – Agriculture 6
925	925
926	926	2–505. 7
927	927
928	928	(a) The Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Fund is created and continued 8
929	929	for the purposes specified in this subtitle. 9
930	930
931	931	(b) The Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Fund shall comprise: 10
932	932
933	933	(1) Any money made available to the Fund by general or special fund 11
934	934	appropriations; 12
935	935
936	936	(2) Any money made available to the Fund by grants or transfers from 13
937	937	governmental or private sources; and 14
938	938
939	939	(3) Any money received under § 2–513(c) of this subtitle. 15
940	940
941	941	(I) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024, THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUD E IN THE 16
942	942	ANNUAL BUDGET BILL A N APPROPRIATION OF $18,564,469 TO THE FUND. 17
943	943
944	944	Article – Economic Development 18
945	945
946	946	10–501. 19
947	947
948	948	(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 20
949	949
950	950	(f) “Corporation” means the Maryland Agricultural and Resource –Based 21
951	951	Industry Development Corporation. 22
952	952
953	953	10–523. 23
954	954
955	955	(a) (1) The Corporation may receive annual funding through an appropriation 24
956	956	in the State budget. 25
957	957
958	958	(2) The Corporation may also receive money for projects included in the 26
959	959	budgets of State units. 27
960	960	22 HOUSE BILL 727
961	961
962	962
963	963	(3) (i) To assist the Corporation in complying with subsection (c) of this 1
964	964	section, the Governor shall include each year in the State budget bill an appropriation to 2
965	965	the Corporation for rural business development and assistance as follows: 3
966	966
967	967	1. for fiscal year 2021, $2,875,000; and 4
968	968
969	969	2. for each of the fiscal years 2022 through 2025, $2,735,000. 5
970	970
971	971	(ii) 1. [In] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSUBPARAGRAPH 2 6
972	972	OF THIS SUBPARAGRAPH , IN addition to any money provided under subparagraph (i) of 7
973	973	this paragraph, the Governor may include each year in the State budget bill an 8
974	974	appropriation to the Corporation in an amount not exceeding $5,000,000 for rural land 9
975	975	acquisition and easement programs, including programs to assist young and beginning 10
976	976	farmers. 11
977	977
978	978	2. FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024, THE GOVERNOR SHALL 12
979	979	INCLUDE IN THE ANNUA L BUDGET BILL A GENERAL FUND APPROPRIATION IN THE 13
980	980	AMOUNT OF $10,000,000 TO THE CORPORATION FOR THE NEXT GENERATION 14
981	981	FARMLAND ACQUISITION PROGRAM. 15
982	982
983	983	Article – State Finance and Procurement 16
984	984
985	985	6–226. 17
986	986
987	987	(a) (2) (i) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and unless 18
988	988	inconsistent with a federal law, grant agreement, or other federal requirement or with the 19
989	989	terms of a gift or settlement agreement, net interest on all State money allocated by the 20
990	990	State Treasurer under this section to special funds or accounts, and otherwise entitled to 21
991	991	receive interest earnings, as accounted for by the Comptroller, shall accrue to the General 22
992	992	Fund of the State. 23
993	993
994	994	(ii) The provisions of subparagraph (i) of this paragraph do not apply 24
995	995	to the following funds: 25
996	996
997	997	144. the Health Equity Resource Community Reserve Fund; 26
998	998	[and] 27
999	999
1000	1000	145. the Access to Counsel in Evictions Special Fund; 28
1001	1001
1002	1002	146. THE PARK SYSTEM CRITICAL MAINTENANCE FUND; 29
1003	1003	AND 30
1004	1004
1005	1005	147. THE PARK SYSTEM CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND 31
1006	1006	ACQUISITION FUND. 32
1007	1007
1008	1008	13–109. 33 HOUSE BILL 727 23
1009	1009
1010	1010
1011	1011
1012	1012	(a) In this section, “small procurement” means a procurement for which: 1
1013	1013
1014	1014	(1) a unit spends $50,000 or less; 2
1015	1015
1016	1016	(2) a contractor provides services subject to § 11–202(3) of this article for 3
1017	1017	expected annual revenues of $50,000 or less; 4
1018	1018
1019	1019	(3) the Department of General Services or the Department of 5
1020	1020	Transportation is seeking to award a procurement contract for a construction with a value 6
1021	1021	that is $100,000 or less; [or] 7
1022	1022
1023	1023	(4) THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES IS SEEKING TO 8
1024	1024	AWARD A PROCUREMENT CONTRACT FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS OR MAINTENA NCE 9
1025	1025	WITH A VALUE THAT IS $100,000 OR LESS; OR 10
1026	1026
1027	1027	(5) for purposes of administering Title 29, Subtitle 1 of the State Personnel 11
1028	1028	and Pensions Article, the State Retirement Agency spends $50,000 or less during a fiscal 12
1029	1029	year for: 13
1030	1030
1031	1031	(i) expenses related to independent medical evaluations by a 14
1032	1032	physician; and 15
1033	1033
1034	1034	(ii) any expenses related to testimony by the physician at 16
1035	1035	administrative hearings on behalf of the Agency. 17
1036	1036
1037	1037	(b) A unit may make small procurements in accordance with the regulations of 18
1038	1038	primary procurement units. 19
1039	1039
1040	1040	(c) A primary procurement unit may not create a small procurement by artificial 20
1041	1041	division of a procurement. 21
1042	1042
1043	1043	(d) Any regulation of a primary procurement unit to govern small procurements: 22
1044	1044
1045	1045	(1) shall provide for a simplified administrative procedure; 23
1046	1046
1047	1047	(2) shall be consistent with the basic intent of this Division II; and 24
1048	1048
1049	1049	(3) may not be disadvantageous economically to the State. 25
1050	1050
1051	1051	(e) At least every 3 years, the Board shall: 26
1052	1052
1053	1053	(1) review the prevailing costs of labor and materials; and 27
1054	1054
1055	1055	(2) if warranted by changes in cost, recommend to the General Assembly 28
1056	1056	appropriate adjustments in the ceiling for a small procurement. 29 24 HOUSE BILL 727
1057	1057
1058	1058
1059	1059
1060	1060	Article – Tax – Property 1
1061	1061
1062	1062	13–209. 2
1063	1063
1064	1064	(g) (1) [(i) For each of fiscal years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, the 3
1065	1065	Governor shall include in the budget bill a General Fund appropriation in the amount of 4
1066	1066	$2,500,000 to the Maryland Agricultural and Resource–Based Industry Development 5
1067	1067	Corporation for the Next Generation Farmland Acquisition Program authorized under § 6
1068	1068	10–523(a)(3)(ii) of the Economic Development Article. 7
1069	1069
1070	1070	(ii) The appropriation required under subparagraph (i) of this 8
1071	1071	paragraph: 9
1072	1072
1073	1073	1. represents reimbursement for 13.9% of the cumulative 10
1074	1074	amount appropriated or transferred from the special fund to the General Fund for fiscal 11
1075	1075	year 2006; and 12
1076	1076
1077	1077	2. is not subject to the provisions of subsections (a) through 13
1078	1078	(f) of this section. 14
1079	1079
1080	1080	(2) (i) 1. The Governor shall include in the annual budget bill for 15
1081	1081	fiscal year 2021 a General Fund appropriation to the special fund in the amount of 16
1082	1082	$5,690,501.] 17
1083	1083
1084	1084	[2.] (I) The Governor shall include in [each of] the annual 18
1085	1085	budget [bills] BILL for fiscal [years 2022 and] YEAR 2023 a General Fund appropriation to 19
1086	1086	the special fund in the amount of $12,500,000. 20
1087	1087
1088	1088	[3. The Governor shall include in the annual budget bill for 21
1089	1089	fiscal year 2024 a General Fund appropriation to the special fund in the amount of 22
1090	1090	$6,809,499.] 23
1091	1091
1092	1092	(ii) The [appropriations] APPROPRIATION required under 24
1093	1093	subparagraph (i) of this paragraph: 25
1094	1094
1095	1095	1. [are] IS not subject to the provisions of subsections (a), (b), 26
1096	1096	(c), and (f) of this section; 27
1097	1097
1098	1098	2. shall be allocated as provided in subsection (d) of this 28
1099	1099	section and § 5–903 of the Natural Resources Article; and 29
1100	1100
1101	1101	3. shall be reduced by the amount of any appropriation from 30
1102	1102	the General Fund to the special fund that: 31
1103	1103	HOUSE BILL 727 25
1104	1104
1105	1105
1106	1106	A. exceeds the required appropriation under this paragraph; 1
1107	1107	and 2
1108	1108
1109	1109	B. is identified as an appropriation for reimbursement under 3
1110	1110	this paragraph. 4
1111	1111
1112	1112	[(3)] (2) (i) [1.] The Governor shall include in [each of] the annual 5
1113	1113	budget [bills] BILL for fiscal year [2019 and fiscal years] 2023 [through 2026] a General 6
1114	1114	Fund appropriation to the special fund in the amount of $6,000,000 [and for fiscal year 7
1115	1115	2027 a General Fund appropriation to the special fund in the amount of $4,000,000] for 8
1116	1116	park development and the critical maintenance of State projects located on lands managed 9
1117	1117	by the Department of Natural Resources for public purposes. 10
1118	1118
1119	1119	[2. The Governor shall include in the annual budget bill for 11
1120	1120	fiscal year 2022 only a General Fund appropriation to the special fund in the amount of 12
1121	1121	$21,930,475 for the critical maintenance of State projects located on lands managed by the 13
1122	1122	Department of Natural Resources for public purposes.] 14
1123	1123
1124	1124	(ii) The [appropriations] APPROPRIATION required under 15
1125	1125	subparagraph (i) of this paragraph: 16
1126	1126
1127	1127	1. [are] IS not subject to the provisions of subsections (a), (b), 17
1128	1128	(c), and (f) of this section; AND 18
1129	1129
1130	1130	2. [shall be made until the cumulative total amount 19
1131	1131	appropriated under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph is equal to $55,930,475; and 20
1132	1132
1133	1133	3.] shall be reduced by the amount of any appropriation from 21
1134	1134	the General Fund to the special fund that: 22
1135	1135
1136	1136	A. exceeds the required appropriation under this paragraph; 23
1137	1137
1138	1138	B. is identified as an appropriation for reimbursement under 24
1139	1139	this paragraph; and 25
1140	1140
1141	1141	C. supplements rather than supplants the Department of 26
1142	1142	Natural Resources funding for the critical maintenance of State projects on State lands, 27
1143	1143	based on the average critical maintenance budget of the 10 years preceding the 28
1144	1144	appropriation. 29
1145	1145
1146	1146	[(4)] (3) (i) 1. [Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, the 30
1147	1147	Governor shall appropriate from the General Fund to the special fund $119,800,225, which 31
1148	1148	equals the cumulative amount of the appropriations or transfers from the special fund to 32
1149	1149	the General Fund for fiscal years 2016, 2017, and 2018, less $104,365,475. 33
1150	1150	26 HOUSE BILL 727
1151	1151
1152	1152
1153	1153	2. For fiscal year 2022 only, the Governor shall include in the 1
1154	1154	annual budget bill a General Fund appropriation in the amount of $1,200,000 to the State 2
1155	1155	Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund established under § 8–205 of the Natural Resources 3
1156	1156	Article to be used only to fund a pilot dredging project at Deep Creek Lake, which is not 4
1157	1157	required to be matched by local funds. 5
1158	1158
1159	1159	3.] For [each of] fiscal [years] YEAR 2023, [2024, 2025, 2026, 6
1160	1160	and 2027,] the Governor shall include in the annual budget bill a General Fund 7
1161	1161	appropriation in the amount of $2,500,000 to the Maryland Agricultural and 8
1162	1162	Resource–Based Industry Development Corporation for the Next Generation Farmland 9
1163	1163	Acquisition Program authorized under § 10–523(a)(3)(ii) of the Economic Development 10
1164	1164	Article. 11
1165	1165
1166	1166	[4.] 2. For fiscal year 2025 only, the Governor shall include in 12
1167	1167	the annual budget bill a General Fund appropriation in the amount of $2,735,000 to the 13
1168	1168	Maryland Agricultural and Resource –Based Industry Development Corporation 14
1169	1169	established under Title 10, Subtitle 5 of the Economic Development Article to be used as 15
1170	1170	follows: 16
1171	1171
1172	1172	A. $2,300,000 to support the Corporation’s rural business 17
1173	1173	loan programs and small matching grant programs; and 18
1174	1174
1175	1175	B. $435,000 for grants and near–equity investments to: 19
1176	1176
1177	1177	I. support the creation or expansion of agricultural product 20
1178	1178	aggregation and storage sites; and 21
1179	1179
1180	1180	II. facilitate participation in the Certified Local Farm 22
1181	1181	Enterprise Program. 23
1182	1182
1183	1183	(ii) [The Governor shall appropriate at least: 24
1184	1184
1185	1185	1. $8,230,475 on or before June 30, 2022; 25
1186	1186
1187	1187	2. an additional $37,986,900 on or before June 30, 2026; 26
1188	1188
1189	1189	3. an additional $48,221,900 on or before June 30, 2030; and 27
1190	1190
1191	1191	4. an additional $25,360,950 on or before June 30, 2031. 28
1192	1192
1193	1193	(iii)] The appropriations required under [subparagraphs] 29
1194	1194	SUBPARAGRAPH (i) [and (ii)] of this paragraph: 30
1195	1195
1196	1196	1. [represent reimbursement for the cumulative amount of 31
1197	1197	any appropriation or transfer from the special fund to the General Fund for fiscal years 32
1198	1198	2016, 2017, and 2018, less $104,365,475; 33 HOUSE BILL 727 27
1199	1199
1200	1200
1201	1201
1202	1202	2.] are not subject to the provisions of subsections (a), (b), (c), 1
1203	1203	and (f) of this section; 2
1204	1204
1205	1205	[3.] 2. Shall be allocated as provided in subsection (d) of this 3
1206	1206	section and § 5–903 of the Natural Resources Article; AND 4
1207	1207
1208	1208	[4. Shall be made until the cumulative total appropriated 5
1209	1209	under subparagraphs (i) and (ii) of this paragraph is equal to the cumulative amount of any 6
1210	1210	appropriation or transfer from the special fund to the General Fund for fiscal years 2016, 7
1211	1211	2017, and 2018, less $104,365,475; and] 8
1212	1212
1213	1213	[5.] 3. shall be reduced by the amount of any appropriation 9
1214	1214	from the General Fund to the special fund that: 10
1215	1215
1216	1216	A. exceeds the required appropriation under this paragraph; 11
1217	1217	and 12
1218	1218
1219	1219	B. is identified as an appropriation for reimbursement under 13
1220	1220	this paragraph. 14
1221	1221
1222	1222	Article – Labor and Employment 15
1223	1223
1224	1224	9–207. 16
1225	1225
1226	1226	(a) A PARK SERVICES ASSOCI ATE, A FOREST RANGER, A PARK RANGER, A 17
1227	1227	WILDLIFE RANGER , A registered crew member, a paid law enforcement employee, or an 18
1228	1228	individual engaged for fire fighting by the Department of Natural Resources is a covered 19
1229	1229	employee. 20
1230	1230
1231	1231	(b) Notwithstanding § 9–203 of this subtitle, an individual engaged for fire 21
1232	1232	fighting who otherwise would be a covered employee under subsection (a) of this section is 22
1233	1233	a covered employee even if the fire fighting takes place outside of the State. 23
1234	1234
1235	1235	(c) Notwithstanding § 9–205 of this subtitle, an individual who otherwise would 24
1236	1236	be a covered employee under subsection (a) of this section is a covered employee even if 25
1237	1237	engaged temporarily or part time. 26
1238	1238
1239	1239	(d) For the purpose of this title, the Department of Natural Resources is the 27
1240	1240	employer of an individual who is a covered employee under this section. 28
1241	1241
1242	1242	9–503. 29
1243	1243
1244	1244	(a) A PARK SERVICES ASSOCI ATE, FOREST RANGER, PARK RANGER, 30
1245	1245	WILDLIFE RANGER , paid firefighter, paid fire fighting instructor, paid rescue squad 31
1246	1246	member, paid advanced life support unit member, or sworn member of the Office of the 32 28 HOUSE BILL 727
1247	1247
1248	1248
1249	1249	State Fire Marshal employed by an airport authority, a county, a fire control district, a 1
1250	1250	municipality, or the State or a volunteer firefighter, volunteer fire fighting instructor, 2
1251	1251	volunteer rescue squad member, or volunteer advanced life support unit member who is a 3
1252	1252	covered employee under § 9–234 of this title is presumed to have an occupational disease 4
1253	1253	that was suffered in the line of duty and is compensable under this title if: 5
1254	1254
1255	1255	(1) the individual has heart disease, hypertension, or lung disease; 6
1256	1256
1257	1257	(2) the heart disease, hypertension, or lung disease results in partial or 7
1258	1258	total disability or death; and 8
1259	1259
1260	1260	(3) in the case of a volunteer firefighter, volunteer fire fighting instructor, 9
1261	1261	volunteer rescue squad member, or volunteer advanced life support unit member, the 10
1262	1262	individual has met a suitable standard of physical examination before becoming a 11
1263	1263	firefighter, fire fighting instructor, rescue squad member, or advanced life support unit 12
1264	1264	member. 13
1265	1265
1266	1266	(b) (1) A paid police officer employed by an airport authority, a county, the 14
1267	1267	Maryland–National Capital Park and Planning Commission, a municipality, or the State, 15
1268	1268	a deputy sheriff of Montgomery County, or, subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, a 16
1269	1269	deputy sheriff of Anne Arundel County, Anne Arundel County detention officer, deputy 17
1270	1270	sheriff of Baltimore City, Montgomery County correctional officer, Prince George’s County 18
1271	1271	deputy sheriff, Prince George’s County correctional officer, or deputy sheriff of Allegany 19
1272	1272	County is presumed to be suffering from an occupational disease that was suffered in the 20
1273	1273	line of duty and is compensable under this title if: 21
1274	1274
1275	1275	(i) the police officer, deputy sheriff, or correctional officer is 22
1276	1276	suffering from heart disease or hypertension; and 23
1277	1277
1278	1278	(ii) the heart disease or hypertension results in partial or total 24
1279	1279	disability or death. 25
1280	1280
1281	1281	(2) (i) A deputy sheriff of Anne Arundel County, Anne Arundel County 26
1282	1282	detention officer, deputy sheriff of Baltimore City, Montgomery County correctional officer, 27
1283	1283	Prince George’s County deputy sheriff, or Prince George’s County correctional officer is 28
1284	1284	entitled to the presumption under this subsection only to the extent that the individual 29
1285	1285	suffers from heart disease or hypertension that is more severe than the individual’s heart 30
1286	1286	disease or hypertension condition existing prior to the individual’s employment as a deputy 31
1287	1287	sheriff of Anne Arundel County, Anne Arundel County detention officer, deputy sheriff of 32
1288	1288	Baltimore City, Montgomery County correctional officer, Prince George’s County deputy 33
1289	1289	sheriff, or Prince George’s County correctional officer. 34
1290	1290
1291	1291	(ii) To be eligible for the presumption under this subsection, a deputy 35
1292	1292	sheriff of Anne Arundel County, Anne Arundel County detention officer, deputy sheriff of 36
1293	1293	Baltimore City, Montgomery County correctional officer, Prince George’s County deputy 37
1294	1294	sheriff, or Prince George’s County correctional officer, as a condition of employment, shall 38
1295	1295	submit to a medical examination to determine any heart disease or hypertension condition 39 HOUSE BILL 727 29
1296	1296
1297	1297
1298	1298	existing prior to the individual’s employment as a deputy sheriff of Anne Arundel County, 1
1299	1299	Anne Arundel County detention officer, deputy sheriff of Baltimore City, Montgomery 2
1300	1300	County correctional officer, Prince George’s County deputy sheriff, or Prince George’s 3
1301	1301	County correctional officer. 4
1302	1302
1303	1303	(c) A PARK SERVICES ASSOCI ATE, FOREST RANGER, PARK RANGER, 5
1304	1304	WILDLIFE RANGER , paid firefighter, paid fire fighting instructor, paid rescue squad 6
1305	1305	member, paid advanced life support unit member, or a sworn member of the Office of the 7
1306	1306	State Fire Marshal employed by an airport authority, a county, a fire control district, a 8
1307	1307	municipality, or the State or a volunteer firefighter, volunteer fire fighting instructor, 9
1308	1308	volunteer rescue squad member, or volunteer advanced life support unit member who is a 10
1309	1309	covered employee under § 9–234 of this title is presumed to be suffering from an 11
1310	1310	occupational disease that was suffered in the line of duty and is compensable under this 12
1311	1311	title if: 13
1312	1312
1313	1313	(1) the individual has leukemia or prostate, rectal, throat, multiple 14
1314	1314	myeloma, non–Hodgkin’s lymphoma, brain, testicular, bladder, kidney or renal cell, or 15
1315	1315	breast cancer that is caused by contact with a toxic substance that the individual has 16
1316	1316	encountered in the line of duty; 17
1317	1317
1318	1318	(2) the individual has completed at least 10 years of cumulative service 18
1319	1319	within the State as a firefighter, a fire fighting instructor, a rescue squad member, or an 19
1320	1320	advanced life support unit member or in a combination of those jobs; 20
1321	1321
1322	1322	(3) the cancer or leukemia results in partial or total disability or death; and 21
1323	1323
1324	1324	(4) in the case of a volunteer firefighter, volunteer fire fighting instructor, 22
1325	1325	volunteer rescue squad member, or volunteer advanced life support unit member, the 23
1326	1326	individual has met a suitable standard of physical examination before becoming a 24
1327	1327	firefighter, fire fighting instructor, rescue squad member, or advanced life support unit 25
1328	1328	member. 26
1329	1329
1330	1330	(d) (1) A PARK SERVICES ASSOCI ATE, FOREST RANGER, PARK RANGER, 27
1331	1331	WILDLIFE RANGER , paid law enforcement employee of the Department of Natural 28
1332	1332	Resources who is a covered employee under § 9–207 of this title, and a park police officer of 29
1333	1333	the Maryland–National Capital Park and Planning Commission is presumed to have an 30
1334	1334	occupational disease that was suffered in the line of duty and is compensable under this 31
1335	1335	title if the [employee] INDIVIDUAL: 32
1336	1336
1337	1337	(i) is suffering from Lyme disease; and 33
1338	1338
1339	1339	(ii) was not suffering from Lyme disease before assignment to a 34
1340	1340	position that regularly places the employee in an outdoor wooded environment. 35
1341	1341
1342	1342	(2) The presumption under this subsection for a park police officer of the 36
1343	1343	Maryland–National Capital Park and Planning Commission shall only apply: 37 30 HOUSE BILL 727
1344	1344
1345	1345
1346	1346
1347	1347	(i) during the time that the park police officer is assigned to a 1
1348	1348	position that regularly places the park police officer in an outdoor wooded environment; 2
1349	1349	and 3
1350	1350
1351	1351	(ii) for 3 years after the last date that the park police officer was 4
1352	1352	assigned by the Maryland–National Capital Park and Planning Commission to a position 5
1353	1353	that regularly placed the officer in an outdoor wooded environment. 6
1354	1354
1355	1355	(e) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, any paid 7
1356	1356	firefighter, paid fire fighting instructor, sworn member of the Office of the State Fire 8
1357	1357	Marshal, paid police officer, PARK SERVICES ASSOCI ATE, FOREST RANGER, PARK 9
1358	1358	RANGER, WILDLIFE RANGER , paid law enforcement employee of the Department of 10
1359	1359	Natural Resources, deputy sheriff of Anne Arundel County, Anne Arundel County 11
1360	1360	detention officer, park police officer of the Maryland–National Capital Park and Planning 12
1361	1361	Commission, deputy sheriff of Montgomery County, deputy sheriff of Baltimore City, 13
1362	1362	Montgomery County correctional officer, deputy sheriff of Prince George’s County, or Prince 14
1363	1363	George’s County correctional officer who is eligible for benefits under subsection (a), (b), (c), 15
1364	1364	or (d) of this section or the dependents of those individuals shall receive the benefits in 16
1365	1365	addition to any benefits that the individual or the dependents of the individual are entitled 17
1366	1366	to receive under the retirement system in which the individual was a participant at the 18
1367	1367	time of the claim. 19
1368	1368
1369	1369	(2) The benefits received under this title shall be adjusted so that the 20
1370	1370	weekly total of those benefits and retirement benefits does not exceed the weekly salary 21
1371	1371	that was paid to [the paid law enforcement employee of the Department of Natural 22
1372	1372	Resources, a park police officer of the Maryland–National Capital Park and Planning 23
1373	1373	Commission, firefighter, fire fighting instructor, sworn member of the Office of the State 24
1374	1374	Fire Marshal, police officer, deputy sheriff, Prince George’s County or Montgomery County 25
1375	1375	correctional officer, or Anne Arundel County detention officer] AN INDIVIDUAL SPECIF IED 26
1376	1376	UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION . 27
1377	1377
1378	1378	Article – Tax – General 28
1379	1379
1380	1380	10–209. 29
1381	1381
1382	1382	(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 30
1383	1383
1384	1384	(2) “Correctional officer” means an individual who: 31
1385	1385
1386	1386	(i) was employed in: 32
1387	1387
1388	1388	1. a State correctional facility, as defined in § 1–101 of the 33
1389	1389	Correctional Services Article; 34
1390	1390
1391	1391	2. a local correctional facility, as defined in § 1–101 of the 35
1392	1392	Correctional Services Article; 36 HOUSE BILL 727 31
1393	1393
1394	1394
1395	1395
1396	1396	3. a juvenile facility included in § 9–226 of the Human 1
1397	1397	Services Article; or 2
1398	1398
1399	1399	4. a facility of the United States that is equivalent to a State 3
1400	1400	or local correctional facility or a juvenile facility included in § 9–226 of the Human Services 4
1401	1401	Article; and 5
1402	1402
1403	1403	(ii) is eligible to receive retirement income attributable to the 6
1404	1404	individual’s employment under item (i) of this paragraph. 7
1405	1405
1406	1406	(3) “Emergency services personnel” means emergency medical technicians 8
1407	1407	or paramedics. 9
1408	1408
1409	1409	(4) (i) “Employee retirement system” means a plan: 10
1410	1410
1411	1411	1. established and maintained by an employer for the benefit 11
1412	1412	of its employees; and 12
1413	1413
1414	1414	2. qualified under § 401(a), § 403, or § 457(b) of the Internal 13
1415	1415	Revenue Code. 14
1416	1416
1417	1417	(ii) “Employee retirement system” does not include: 15
1418	1418
1419	1419	1. an individual retirement account or annuity under § 408 16
1420	1420	of the Internal Revenue Code; 17
1421	1421
1422	1422	2. a Roth individual retirement account under § 408A of the 18
1423	1423	Internal Revenue Code; 19
1424	1424
1425	1425	3. a rollover individual retirement account; 20
1426	1426
1427	1427	4. a simplified employee pension under Internal Revenue 21
1428	1428	Code § 408(k); or 22
1429	1429
1430	1430	5. an ineligible deferred compensation plan under § 457(f) of 23
1431	1431	the Internal Revenue Code. 24
1432	1432
1433	1433	(b) Subject to subsections (d) and (e) of this section, to determine Maryland 25
1434	1434	adjusted gross income, if, on the last day of the taxable year, a resident is at least 65 years 26
1435	1435	old or is totally disabled or the resident’s spouse is totally disabled, or the resident is at 27
1436	1436	least 55 years old and is a retired PARK SERVICES ASSOCI ATE, FOREST RANGER, PARK 28
1437	1437	RANGER, WILDLIFE RANGER , correctional officer, law enforcement officer, or fire, rescue, 29
1438	1438	or emergency services personnel of the United States, the State, or a political subdivision 30
1439	1439	of the State, an amount is subtracted from federal adjusted gross income equal to the lesser 31
1440	1440	of: 32
1441	1441	32 HOUSE BILL 727
1442	1442
1443	1443
1444	1444	(1) the cumulative or total annuity, pension, or endowment income from an 1
1445	1445	employee retirement system included in federal adjusted gross income; or 2
1446	1446
1447	1447	(2) the maximum annual benefit under the Social Security Act computed 3
1448	1448	under subsection (c) of this section, less any payment received as old age, survivors, or 4
1449	1449	disability benefits under the Social Security Act, the Railroad Retirement Act, or both. 5
1450	1450
1451	1451	(c) For purposes of subsection (b)(2) of this section, the Comptroller: 6
1452	1452
1453	1453	(1) shall determine the maximum annual benefit under the Social Security 7
1454	1454	Act allowed for an individual who retired at age 65 for the prior calendar year; and 8
1455	1455
1456	1456	(2) may allow the subtraction to the nearest $100. 9
1457	1457
1458	1458	(d) Military retirement income that is included in the subtraction under § 10
1459	1459	10–207(q) of this subtitle may not be taken into account for purposes of the subtraction 11
1460	1460	under this section. 12
1461	1461
1462	1462	(e) In the case of a retired PARK SERVICES ASSOCI ATE, FOREST RANGER , 13
1463	1463	PARK RANGER , WILDLIFE RANGER , correctional officer, law enforcement officer, or fire, 14
1464	1464	rescue, or emergency services personnel of the United States, the State, or a political 15
1465	1465	subdivision of the State, the amount included under subsection (b)(1) of this section is 16
1466	1466	limited to the first $15,000 of retirement income that is attributable to the resident’s 17
1467	1467	employment as a PARK SERVICES ASSOCI ATE, FOREST RANGER, PARK RANGER, 18
1468	1468	WILDLIFE RANGER , correctional officer, [a] law enforcement officer, or fire, rescue, or 19
1469	1469	emergency services personnel of the United States, the State, or a political subdivision of 20
1470	1470	the State unless: 21
1471	1471
1472	1472	(1) the resident is at least 65 years old or is totally disabled; or 22
1473	1473
1474	1474	(2) the resident’s spouse is totally disabled. 23
1475	1475
1476	1476	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That , notwithstanding any other 24
1477	1477	provision of law, on or before June 30, 2022, the Governor may transfer to the Park System 25
1478	1478	Capital Improvements and Acquisition Fund established in § 5–221 of the Natural 26
1479	1479	Resources Article, as enacted by Section 1 of this Act, $60,000,000 of the funds for State 27
1480	1480	land acquisition under Program Open Space in the special fund established under § 13–209 28
1481	1481	of the Tax – Property Article. A transfer of funds from the special fund established under § 29
1482	1482	13–209 of the Tax – Property Article to the Park System Capital Improvements and 30
1483	1483	Acquisition Fund under this section may not be taken into account for purposes of 31
1484	1484	determining any allocation or appropriation required under § 13–209(f) or (g) of the Tax – 32
1485	1485	Property Article. 33
1486	1486
1487	1487	SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Parks and Recreation 34
1488	1488	Commission established in § 5–2A–03 of the Natural Resources Article, as enacted by 35
1489	1489	Section 1 of this Act, shall provide oversight to the Maryland Park Service on the 36
1490	1490	implementation of this Act. 37 HOUSE BILL 727 33
1491	1491
1492	1492
1493	1493
1494	1494	SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 1
1495	1495	1, 2022. 2