EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXIS TING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0433*
SENATE BILL 433
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By: Senator King
Introduced and read first time: January 19, 2024
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
State Department of Education – Soccer Opportunities Program – 2
Establishment 3
FOR the purpose of establishing the Soccer Opportunities Program in the State 4
Department of Education to increase opportunities for minority students to 5
participate in soccer in their communities; and generally relating to the Soccer 6
Opportunities Program. 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Education 9
Section 2–305.1 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Education 15
2–305.1. 16
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 17
INDICATED. 18
(2) “AGENCY” MEANS A LOCAL EDUCAT ION AGENCY SERVING A 19
POPULATION OF STUDEN TS AT LEAST 80% OF WHICH ARE MINORIT Y STUDENTS. 20
(3) “MINORITY STUDENT ” HAS THE ME ANING STATED IN 21
REGULATIONS ADOPTED BY THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT . 22
2 SENATE BILL 433
(4) “YOUTH SOCCER NONPROFI T ORGANIZATION ” MEANS A 1
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATI ON THAT: 2
(I) IS LOCATED IN A COUNT Y WITH AN AGENCY ; 3
(II) PROVIDES SOCCER OPPOR TUNITIES FOR CHILDRE N UNDER 4
THE AGE OF 18 YEARS; AND 5
(III) IS RECOGNIZED BY US YOUTH SOCCER AS A MEMBER OF 6
THE MARYLAND STATE YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION. 7
(B) (1) THERE IS A SOCCER OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM IN THE 8
DEPARTMENT . 9
(2) THE PURPOSE OF THE SOCCER OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM IS TO 10
INCREASE OPPORTUNITI ES FOR MINORITY STUD ENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN SOCCER 11
IN THEIR COMMUNITIES . 12
(C) THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT SHALL DEVELOP AND ADMINIST ER THE 13
SOCCER OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM. 14
(D) (1) AN AGENCY OR A YOUTH SOCCER NONPROFIT ORG ANIZATION MAY 15
SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO THE DEPARTMENT TO RECEIVE A GRANT FOR A 16
PROGRAM THAT IS IN F URTHERANCE OF THE PU RPOSE OF THE SOCCER 17
OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM. 18
(2) AN APPLICATION SHALL INCLUDE: 19
(I) A DESCRIPTION OF THE S COPE AND PURPOSE OF THE 20
PROPOSED PROGRAM ; 21
(II) A BUSINESS PLAN THAT I NCLUDES THE ESTIMATE D TOTAL 22
COST OF THE PROPOSED PROGRAM; AND 23
(III) ANY OTHER INFORMATION REQUIRED BY THE 24
DEPARTMENT . 25
(E) IN AWARDING A GRANT U NDER THE SOCCER OPPORTUNITIES 26
PROGRAM, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL : 27
(1) REQUIRE THE GRANTEE TO PROVIDE M ATCHING FUNDS FROM 28
ANY COMBINATION OF F EDERAL, COUNTY, MUNICIPAL, OR PRIVATE SOURCES ; AND 29
SENATE BILL 433 3
(2) ENSURE THAT THE GRANT DOES NOT EXCEED 50% OF THE TOTAL 1
ANNUAL COST OF THE G RANTEE’S PROGRAM. 2
(F) THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OR THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT ’S 3
DESIGNEE SHALL : 4
(1) REVIEW GRANT APPLICAT IONS SUBMITTED IN AC CORDANCE 5
WITH SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION; AND 6
(2) TO THE EXTENT FUNDS A RE AVAILABLE , PROVIDE GRANTS TO 7
AGENCIES AND YOUTH S OCCER NONPROFIT ORGA NIZATIONS THAT MEET THE 8
REQUIREMENTS FOR A GRAN T UNDER THIS SECTION . 9
(G) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 AND EACH FISCAL YEAR THEREAFTER , THE 10
GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUD E IN THE ANNUAL BUDG ET BILL AN APPROPRIA TION OF 11
AT LEAST $80,000 FOR THE SOCCER OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM. 12
(H) THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY 13
OUT THIS SECTION . 14
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 15
1, 2024. 16