EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb0953*
SENATE BILL 953
P1 2lr3220
CF HB 1048
By: Senator McCray
Introduced and read first time: February 14, 2022
Assigned to: Rules
Re–referred to: Budget and Taxation, March 7, 2022
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 16, 2022
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Commission on African American History and Culture – Alterations 2
(Senator Verda Welcome Act) 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Historical Trust to provide certain support to 4
capital projects that received funding from the African American Heritage 5
Preservation Program; establishing the Commission on African American History 6
and Culture as an independent agency; requiring the Governor to include certain 7
appropriations a certain appropriation in the annual State budget bill; and generally 8
relating to the Commission on African American History and Culture. 9
BY renumbering 10
Article – State Government 11
Section 9.5–401 through 9.5–408, respectively, and the subtitle “Subtitle 4. 12
Commission on African American History and Culture” 13
to be Section 9–3501 through 9–3508, respectively, and the subtitle “Subtitle 35. 14
Commission on African American History and Culture” 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2021 Replacement Volume) 17
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 18
Article – State Finance and Procurement 19
Section 5A–301(a) and (m) 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21
(2021 Replacement Volume) 22 2 SENATE BILL 953
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 1
Article – State Finance and Procurement 2
Section 5A–330(b) and (c)(6) 3
Annotated Code of Maryland 4
(2021 Replacement Volume) 5
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 6
Article – State Government 7
Section 9–3502, 9–3506(c), and 9–3508 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2021 Replacement Volume) 10
(As enacted by Section 1 of this Act) 11
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
Article – State Government 13
Section 9.5–101(b) 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2021 Replacement Volume) 16
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
That Section(s) 9.5–401 through 9.5–408, respectively, and the subtitle “Subtitle 4. 18
Commission on African American History and Culture” of Article – State Government of 19
the Annotated Code of Maryland be renumbered to be Section(s) 9–3501 through 9–3508, 20
respectively, and the subtitle “Subtitle 35. Commission on African American History and 21
Culture”. 22
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Laws of Maryland read 23
as follows: 24
Article – State Finance and Procurement 25
5A–301. 26
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 27
(m) “Trust” means the Maryland Historical Trust. 28
5A–330. 29
(b) (1) There is an African American Heritage Preservation Program in the 30
Trust. 31
(2) The purpose of the Program is to identify and preserve buildings, 32
communities, and sites of historical and cultural importance to the African American 33
experience in the State. 34
SENATE BILL 953 3
(3) The Trust shall develop and administer the Program in partnership 1
with the Commission. 2
(4) THE TRUST SHALL PROVIDE O PERATIONAL AND PROGR AM 3
SUPPORT FOR ALL CAPI TAL PROJECTS THAT RE CEIVED FUNDING FROM THE 4
PROGRAM. 5
(c) (6) For each fiscal year, the Governor shall include in the annual operating 6
or capital budget an appropriation of [$1,000,000] $5,000,000 to the AAHP Grant Fund. 7
Article – State Government 8
9–3502. 9
(A) There is a Commission on African American History and Culture [in the 10
Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives]. 11
(B) THE COMMISSION IS AN INDE PENDENT UNIT IN THE EXECUTIVE 12
BRANCH OF STATE GOVERNMENT . 13
9–3506. 14
(c) Subject to the rules and policies adopted by the Commission [and the 15
administrative supervision of the Governor in accordance with Title 8, Subtitle 3 of this 16
article], the director shall: 17
(1) administer the activities of the Commission; and 18
(2) supervise the appointment and removal of Commission personnel. 19
9–3508. 20
(a) (1) The Commission may seek money from the federal government, 21
foundations, and private sources in addition to State financing. 22
(2) The Commission may accept gifts, grants, donations, bequests, or 23
endowments for any of its purposes. 24
(b) Money received under subsection (a) of this section, income from the operation 25
of the Banneker–Douglass Museum, and money from educational materials and activities 26
of the Commission are not subject to § 7–302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article. 27
(c) (1) FOR EACH FISCAL YEAR , THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUD E IN THE 28
ANNUAL BUDGET BILL A N APPROPRIATION OF $1,600,000 FOR THE COMMISSION. 29
4 SENATE BILL 953
(2) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024, THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUD E IN THE 1
ANNUAL BUDGET BILL A N APPROPRIATION OF $3,000,000 FOR CAPITAL REPAIRS AT 2
THE BANNEKER–DOUGLASS MUSEUM INCLUDING REPA IRS TO THE HEATING A ND 3
COOLING SYSTEMS , ELEVATOR REPAIRS , TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES , RESTORATION 4
OF THE ORIGINAL FLOO RING, AND THE UPDATE OF PE RMANENT EXHIBITS TO 5
INCLUDE ADDITIONAL MARYLAND BLACK HISTOR Y MILESTONES. 6
(D) Money maintained under this section is subject to audit by the State, including 7
the Legislative Auditor. 8
9.5–101. 9
(b) The Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives shall include the following 10
units: 11
(1) the Governor’s Office on Service and Volunteerism, under Subtitle 2 of 12
this title; 13
(2) the Commission on Indian Affairs, under Subtitle 3 of this title; 14
(3) [the Commission on African American History and Culture, under 15
Subtitle 4 of this title; 16
(4)] the Commission on LGBTQ Affairs, under Subtitle 5 of this title; and 17
[(5)] (4) any other unit as authorized by law or executive order. 18
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 19
1, 2022. 20
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.