EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0522*
SENATE BILL 522
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By: Senators Hettleman and Elfreth
Introduced and read first time: January 28, 2022
Assigned to: Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
State and Local Parks – Child Safe Zone Program – Establishment 2
(Equitable Access to Safe Parks Act) 3
FOR the purpose of establishing the Child Safe Zone Program in the Department of Natural 4
Resources; establishing the Child Safe Zone Fund as a special, nonlapsing fund, to 5
provide funding for capital and operating expenses associated with enhancing public 6
safety in State and local parks; and generally relating to public safety at State and 7
local parks. 8
BY adding to 9
Article – Natural Resources 10
Section 5–2001 through 5–2003 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 20. Child Safe 11
Zone Program” 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 14
Preamble 15
WHEREAS, Enhancing access to public parks improves the physical and mental 16
health of children and families; and 17
WHEREAS, Children who witness violence are more likely to suffer adverse health 18
and social impacts; and 19
WHEREAS, Children and families are entitled to an expectation of safety in public 20
spaces such as parks; and 21
WHEREAS, It is in the interest of children, their families, and all Marylanders for 22
the State to encourage the safe and healthy utilization of parks on a regular basis; and 23
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WHEREAS, The designation of State and local parks as Child Safe Zones will 1
communicate to the public that parks are intended to serve as safe community gathering 2
spaces and thereby provide safe havens for children; now, therefore, 3
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY TH E GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 4
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 5
Article – Natural Resources 6
SUBTITLE 20. CHILD SAFE ZONE PROGRAM. 7
5–2001. 8
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 9
INDICATED. 10
(B) “CHILD SAFE ZONE” MEANS A DESIGNATION THAT COM MUNICATES THE 11
EXPECTATION THAT AN AREA IS SAFE FOR CHI LDREN AND THEIR FAMI LIES. 12
(C) “FUND” MEANS THE CHILD SAFE ZONE FUND ESTABLISHED UNDE R § 13
5–2003 OF THIS SUBTITLE . 14
(D) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE CHILD SAFE ZONE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED 15
UNDER § 5–2002 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 16
5–2002. 17
(A) THERE IS A CHILD SAFE ZONE PROGRAM IN THE DEPARTMENT . 18
(B) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO: 19
(1) IMPROVE AND ENHANCE P UBLIC SAFETY AT STATE AND LOCAL 20
PARKS THROUGH MEASUR ES FUNDED UNDER § 5–2003 OF THIS SUBTITLE; 21
(2) INSTALL SIGNAGE IN PR OMINENT AREAS OF EAC H STATE PARK 22
IDENTIFYING THE PARKS AS CHILD SAFE ZONES; AND 23
(3) FACILITATE COLLABORAT ION WITH LOCAL JURIS DICTIONS TO 24
DESIGNATE LOCAL PARKS AS CHILD SAFE ZONES. 25
(C) A CHILD SAFE ZONE DESIGNATED UNDER THIS SECTION S HALL 26
INCLUDE THE AREA SURROUNDING THE PARK, WITHIN 50 FEET OF THE PARK ’S 27
BOUNDARIES . 28
SENATE BILL 522 3
(D) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL COMM UNICATE THE IDENTIFI CATION OF 1
STATE PARKS AS CHILD SAFE ZONES TO THE PUBLIC I N ITS MARKETING 2
MATERIALS. 3
5–2003. 4
(A) THERE IS A CHILD SAFE ZONE FUND. 5
(B) THE PURPOSE OF THE FUND IS TO PROVIDE FUNDING F OR CAPITAL AND 6
OPERATING EXPENSES A SSOCIATED WITH ENHAN CING PUBLIC SAFETY I N STATE 7
AND LOCAL PARKS . 8
(C) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADMINISTER THE FUND. 9
(D) (1) THE FUND IS A SPECIAL, NONLAPSING FUND THAT IS NOT 10
SUBJECT TO § 7–302 OF THE STATE FINANCE AND PROCUREMENT ARTICLE. 11
(2) THE STATE TREASURER SHALL HOLD THE FUND SEPARATELY , 12
AND THE COMPTROLLER SHALL ACC OUNT FOR THE FUND. 13
(E) THE FUND CONSISTS OF : 14
(1) MONEY APPROPRIATED IN THE STATE BUDGET TO THE FUND; 15
AND 16
(2) ANY OTHER MONEY FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE ACC EPTED FOR 17
THE BENEFIT OF THE FUND. 18
(F) (1) THE FUND MAY BE USED ONLY FOR: 19
(I) CAPITAL AND OPERATING EXPENSES OF THE DEPARTMENT 20
ASSOCIATED WITH ENHA NCING PUBLIC SAFETY IN STATE PARKS; AND 21
(II) GRANTS TO LOCAL GOVER NMENTS FOR CAPITAL AND 22
OPERATING EXPENSES A SSOCIATED WITH ENHAN CING PUBLIC SAFETY I N LOCAL 23
PARKS. 24
(2) PUBLIC SAFETY MEASURES ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING UNDER THIS 25
SECTION INCLUDE : 26
(I) INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROV EMENTS THAT ENHANCE PUBLIC 27
SAFETY, SUCH AS ENHANCED LIG HTING, SECURITY AND SURVEIL LANCE CAMERAS , 28
LANDSCAPING , IMPROVED ACCESS , TRASH RECEPTACLES , AND OTHER 29 4 SENATE BILL 522
IMPROVEMENTS IDENTIF IED BY THE DEPARTMENT BASED ON N ATIONAL INDUSTRY 1
BEST PRACTICES ; AND 2
(II) INCREASED STAFFING FOR GENERAL OPERATIONS, 3
INCLUDING APPROPRIAT E SECURITY AND LAW E NFORCEMENT PERSONNEL . 4
(G) (1) THE STATE TREASURER SHALL INVES T THE MONEY OF THE FUND 5
IN THE SAME MANNER A S OTHER STATE MONEY MAY BE IN VESTED. 6
(2) ANY INTEREST EARNINGS OF THE FUND SHALL BE CREDITE D TO 7
THE GENERAL FUND OF THE STATE. 8
(H) EXPENDITURES FROM THE FUND MAY BE MADE ONLY IN ACCORDANCE 9
WITH THE STATE BUDGET . 10
(I) MONEY EXPENDED FROM T HE FUND IS SUPPLEMENTAL TO AND IS NOT 11
INTENDED TO TAKE THE PLACE OF FUNDING THA T OTHERWISE WOULD BE 12
APPROPRIATED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY MEASUR ES IN STATE AND LOCAL PARKS . 13
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That for fiscal year 2024, the 14
Governor shall include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of at least $1,000,000 to 15
the Child Safe Zone Fund. 16
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 17
October 1, 2022. 18