MD
Maryland Senate Bill SB645

Maryland 2024 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB645 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.
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33 EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
44 [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
55 *sb0645*
66
77 SENATE BILL 645
88 R2, M1 4lr1983
99 CF HB 530
1010 By: Senator Elfreth
1111 Introduced and read first time: January 29, 2024
1212 Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
1313
1414 A BILL ENTITLED
1515
1616 AN ACT concerning 1
1717
1818 Maryland Trails Advisory Committee and the Maryland Office of Trails – 2
1919 Establishment 3
2020 (Great Maryland Trails Act) 4
2121
2222 FOR the purpose of establishing the Maryland Office of Trails in the Department of 5
2323 Transportation to develop and maintain the Maryland Trails Network, advance the 6
2424 development, maintenance, and use of trails in the State, develop a certain inventory 7
2525 and database, and collect certain information regarding trails; authorizing the Office 8
2626 to develop a program to recognize and promote trail towns in the State; establishing 9
2727 a Director of the Maryland Office of Trails to oversee the Office and collaborate with 10
2828 the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee; establishing the Maryland Trails 11
2929 Advisory Commission in the Department of Transportation to provide guidance to 12
3030 State agencies regarding certain items related to trails; requiring the Commission to 13
3131 designate a member of the Commission to serve as a liaison to the Bicycle and 14
3232 Pedestrian Advisory Committee; requiring the Department of Natural Resources 15
3333 and the Department of Planning to identify certain employe es from their 16
3434 departments to transfer to the Maryland Office of Trails; and generally relating to 17
3535 the Maryland Office of Trails and the Maryland Trails Advisory Commission. 18
3636
3737 BY adding to 19
3838 Article – Transportation 20
3939 Section 2–901 through 2–904 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 9. Maryland 21
4040 Office of Trails and Maryland Trails Advisory Commission” 22
4141 Annotated Code of Maryland 23
4242 (2020 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 24
4343
4444 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 25
4545 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 26
4646
4747 Article – Transportation 27
4848 2 SENATE BILL 645
4949
5050
5151 SUBTITLE 9. MARYLAND OFFICE OF TRAILS AND MARYLAND TRAILS ADVISORY 1
5252 COMMISSION. 2
5353
5454 2–901. 3
5555
5656 (A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANI NGS 4
5757 INDICATED. 5
5858
5959 (B) “COMMISSION” MEANS THE MARYLAND TRAILS ADVISORY 6
6060 COMMISSION. 7
6161
6262 (C) “DIRECTOR” MEANS THE DIRECTOR OF THE MARYLAND OFFICE OF 8
6363 TRAILS. 9
6464
6565 (D) “MARYLAND TRAILS NETWORK” MEANS A DESIGNATED S YSTEM OF 10
6666 CONNECTED TRAILS THR OUGHOUT THE STATE. 11
6767
6868 (E) “MARYLAND TRAILS PLAN” MEANS A STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPING , 12
6969 CONSTRUCT ING, MAINTAINING, USING, AND PROMOT ING THE MARYLAND TRAILS 13
7070 NETWORK. 14
7171
7272 (F) “OFFICE” MEANS THE MARYLAND OFFICE OF TRAILS. 15
7373
7474 (G) “REGIONALLY SIGNIFICAN T TRAIL” MEANS A MULTICOUNTY TRAIL 16
7575 THAT: 17
7676
7777 (1) IS A MAIN CONNECTOR FOR OTHER TRAILS WITHIN THE 18
7878 MARYLAND TRAILS NETWORK; 19
7979
8080 (2) IS PRIMARILY USED FOR TRANSPORTATION , RECREATION , OR 20
8181 BOTH; 21
8282
8383 (3) SHOWCASES THE NATURAL VALUE OF THE STATE’S WILDLIFE 22
8484 AREAS, ECOLOGY, AND NATURAL RESOURCE S; 23
8585
8686 (4) ATTRACTS TOURISTS ; AND 24
8787
8888 (5) PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR EC ONOMIC AND ECOTOURIS M 25
8989 DEVELOPMENT . 26
9090
9191 (H) “TRAIL TOWN” MEANS A COMMUNITY LOCATED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO 27
9292 A LONG–DISTANCE NONMOTORIZED RECREATION TRAIL. 28
9393 SENATE BILL 645 3
9494
9595
9696 2–902. 1
9797
9898 (A) (1) THERE IS A MARYLAND OFFICE OF TRAILS IN THE DEPARTMENT . 2
9999
100100 (2) THE PHYSICAL LOCATION OF THE OFFICE SHALL BE WITHI N THE 3
101101 DEPARTMENT ’S HEADQUARTERS . 4
102102
103103 (B) THE OFFICE SHALL: 5
104104
105105 (1) DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN THE MARYLAND TRAILS PLAN TO 6
106106 FACILITATE THE DEVELOPMENT , CONSTRUCTION , MAINTENANCE , MANAGEMENT , 7
107107 USE, AND PROMOTION OF THE MARYLAND TRAILS NETWORK; 8
108108
109109 (2) COORDINATE WITH THE F OLLOWING PERSONS TO IDENTIFY OR 9
110110 ESTABLISH FUNDING SOURCES TO DEVELOP, CONSTRUCT , MAINTAIN, MANAGE, AND 10
111111 PROMOTE THE MARYLAND TRAILS NETWORK: 11
112112
113113 (I) THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE; 12
114114
115115 (II) THE DEPARTMENT OF DISABILITIES; 13
116116
117117 (III) THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION; 14
118118
119119 (IV) THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT ; 15
120120
121121 (V) THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH; 16
122122
123123 (VI) THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING; 17
124124
125125 (VII) THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES; 18
126126
127127 (VIII) THE MARYLAND STATE POLICE; 19
128128
129129 (IX) THE OFFICE OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ; 20
130130
131131 (X) RELEVANT FEDERAL AGENCIES ; 21
132132
133133 (XI) LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ; 22
134134
135135 (XII) THE DIRECTOR OF BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS; 23
136136
137137 (XIII) RELEVANT METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS ; 24
138138 AND 25 4 SENATE BILL 645
139139
140140
141141
142142 (XIV) RELEVANT ADVOCACY OR ADVISORY GROUPS ; 1
143143
144144 (3) IDENTIFY AND SECURE G RANTS TO DEVELOP , CONSTRUCT, 2
145145 MAINTAIN, MANAGE, AND PROMOTE THE MARYLAND TRAILS NETWORK; 3
146146
147147 (4) ESTABLISH CATEGORIES OF TRAILS , TAKING INTO 4
148148 CONSIDERATION : 5
149149
150150 (I) TRAIL SURFACE TYPE , SUCH AS PAVED AND NA TURAL 6
151151 SURFACE TRAILS ; 7
152152
153153 (II) TRAIL LOCATION , INCLUDING URBAN , SUBURBAN, AND 8
154154 RURAL LOCATIONS; 9
155155
156156 (III) WHETHER A TRAIL WILL BE USED FOR RECREATI ON, 10
157157 TRANSPORTATION , OR BOTH; 11
158158
159159 (IV) THE MULTIPLE USE S OF TRAILS, INCLUDING WALKING, 12
160160 RUNNING, HIKING, BIKING, MICROMOBILI TY, ASSISTIVE MOBILITY D EVICES, AND 13
161161 HORSE RIDING; 14
162162
163163 (V) GUIDELINES FOR TRAIL STANDARDS, SUCH AS ADEQUATE 15
164164 WIDTH FOR TWO –WAY USE AND THE GUID ELINES FOUND IN THE GUIDES OF THE 16
165165 AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF STATE HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS; 17
166166
167167 (VI) TRAIL OWNERSHIP AND MAINTENANCE ; 18
168168
169169 (VII) ACCESSIBILITY; AND 19
170170
171171 (VIII) ANY OTHER CHARACTERISTICS DETERMINED RELEVANT BY 20
172172 THE OFFICE; 21
173173
174174 (5) COORDINATE WITH EACH MODAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE 22
175175 DEPARTMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT S TO ADVANCE THE DEV ELOPMENT OF A 23
176176 ROBUST, MULTI–USE MARYLAND TRAILS NETWORK; 24
177177
178178 (6) ADVANCE THE DEVELOPME NT, MAINTENANCE , AND USE OF 25
179179 TRAILS IN THE STATE BY: 26
180180
181181 (I) DEVELOPING APPROPRIAT E POLICIES; AND 27
182182 SENATE BILL 645 5
183183
184184
185185 (II) PROVIDING INFORMATION TO AND COORDINATING THE 1
186186 INTERACTION OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVER NMENTS; 2
187187
188188 (7) DEVELOP A PUBLICLY AV AILABLE STATEWIDE INVENTORY AND 3
189189 DATABASE OF TRAILS IN THE STATE THAT INCLUDES : 4
190190
191191 (I) ACTIVE AND PROPOSED T RAILS IN THE STATE, INCLUDING 5
192192 TRAILS IN THE PLAN , DESIGN, OR CONSTRUCTION PHAS E; AND 6
193193
194194 (II) TRAIL MAPS, DIRECTORIES, DATABASES, AND OTHER 7
195195 RESOURCES THAT PROMO TE TRAILS AND TRAIL DEVELOPMENT ; 8
196196
197197 (8) MEASURE TRAIL USE AND THE EF FECT OF TRAIL USE ON: 9
198198
199199 (I) REDUCING TRAFFIC ; 10
200200
201201 (II) REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS; 11
202202
203203 (III) IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH ; 12
204204
205205 (IV) IMPROVING EQUITABLE A ND AFFORDABLE MOBILI TY 13
206206 ACROSS THE STATE; AND 14
207207
208208 (V) ANY OTHER FACTORS THE OFFICE DETERMINES REL EVANT; 15
209209
210210 (9) IDENTIFY UTILITY AND RAIL CORRIDORS THAT COULD BE USED A S 16
211211 PART OF THE MARYLAND TRAILS NETWORK; 17
212212
213213 (10) IDENTIFY TRAIL GAPS THAT SHOULD BE PRIOR ITIZED FOR TRAIL 18
214214 CONNECTION ; 19
215215
216216 (11) IDENTIFY REGIONALLY S IGNIFICANT TRAILS TH AT SHOULD BE 20
217217 PRIORITIZED FOR INCL USION IN THE MARYLAND TRAILS NETWORK, WITH 21
218218 CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO EQUITY AND ENVIRO NMENTAL IMPACTS ; AND 22
219219
220220 (12) IDENTIFY AND MAP OTHE R LAND AND WATERWAYS SUITABLE FOR 23
221221 INCLUSION WITHIN THE MARYLAND TRAILS NETWORK. 24
222222
223223 (C) THE MARYLAND TRAILS NETWORK MAY INCLUDE T RAILS CONNECTED 25
224224 BY SIDEWALK S OR ROADWAYS IF THE SIDEWALKS OR ROADWAYS ARE NOT SUB JECT 26
225225 TO HIGH LEVELS OF US E. 27
226226 6 SENATE BILL 645
227227
228228
229229 (D) THE OFFICE MAY DEVELOP A PROGRAM TO RECOGNIZE AND PROMOTE 1
230230 TRAIL TOWNS IN THE STATE. 2
231231
232232 (E) (1) THE OFFICE MAY NOT INCORPORATE PRIV ATE PROPERTY INTO 3
233233 ANY SEGMENT OF THE MARYLAND TRAILS NETWORK UNLESS THE OFFICE OBTAINS 4
234234 WRITTEN CONSENT FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER. 5
235235
236236 (2) IDENTIFICATION OR MAP PING OF LAND OR WATERWAYS DO ES 6
237237 NOT CONSTITUTE INCLU SION OF THE LAND OR WATER WAYS IN THE MARYLAND 7
238238 TRAILS NETWORK. 8
239239
240240 (F) STAFF FOR THE OFFICE SHALL HAVE EXPERTISE IN: 9
241241
242242 (1) TRAIL PLANNING AND DE VELOPMENT ; 10
243243
244244 (2) MAPPING AND GIS SOFTWARE; 11
245245
246246 (3) STATE AND LOCAL LAND USE AND ZONING LAWS AND 12
247247 REGULATIONS ; AND 13
248248
249249 (4) FINANCING AND BUDGET MANAGEMENT . 14
250250
251251 (G) FUNDING FOR THE OFFICE SHALL BE AS PR OVIDED IN THE STATE 15
252252 BUDGET. 16
253253
254254 2–903. 17
255255
256256 (A) THERE IS A DIRECTOR OF THE MARYLAND OFFICE OF TRAILS. 18
257257
258258 (B) (1) THE DIRECTOR SHALL BE APP OINTED BY THE COMMISSION. 19
259259
260260 (2) THE TERM OF THE DIRECTOR IS 6 YEARS, BEGINNING JULY 1 20
261261 AFTER THE APPOINTMEN T OF THE DIRECTOR. 21
262262
263263 (3) AT THE END OF A TERM , THE DIRECTOR SHALL CONTIN UE TO 22
264264 SERVE UNTIL A SUCCES SOR IS APPOINTED AND QUALIFIES. 23
265265
266266 (C) THE DIRECTOR MUST BE PROF ESSIONALLY QUALIFIED THROUGH 24
267267 EXPERIENCE OR EDUCAT ION IN AT LEAST ONE OF THE FOLLOWING ARE AS: 25
268268
269269 (1) ENVIRONMENT AL SCIENCE; 26
270270
271271 (2) FINANCIAL ANALYSIS ; 27 SENATE BILL 645 7
272272
273273
274274
275275 (3) LAW; 1
276276
277277 (4) NATURAL RESOURCES ; 2
278278
279279 (5) PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION ; OR 3
280280
281281 (6) TRANSPORTATION . 4
282282
283283 (D) THE DIRECTOR IS ENTITLED TO: 5
284284
285285 (1) THE SALARY PROVIDED I N THE STATE BUDGET ; AND 6
286286
287287 (2) REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRAVEL AND OTHER EXPENSES THAT ARE 7
288288 CONNECTED WITH THE D UTIES OF THE DIRECTOR. 8
289289
290290 (E) THE DIRECTOR SHALL : 9
291291
292292 (1) OVERSEE THE OFFICE; AND 10
293293
294294 (2) COLLABORATE WITH THE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY 11
295295 COMMITTEE TO COORDINATE THE WO RK OF THE OFFICE AND THE BICYCLE AND 12
296296 PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 13
297297
298298 2–904. 14
299299
300300 (A) THERE IS A MARYLAND TRAILS ADVISORY COMMISSION IN THE 15
301301 DEPARTMENT . 16
302302
303303 (B) (1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPHS (2) AND (3) OF THIS SUBSECTION , THE 17
304304 COMMISSION SHALL CONS IST OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS, APPOINTED BY THE 18
305305 GOVERNOR: 19
306306
307307 (I) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 20
308308 COMMERCE; 21
309309
310310 (II) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 22
311311 DISABILITIES; 23
312312
313313 (III) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE 24
314314 ENVIRONMENT ; 25
315315 8 SENATE BILL 645
316316
317317
318318 (IV) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT 1
319319 OF HEALTH; 2
320320
321321 (V) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 3
322322 PLANNING; 4
323323
324324 (VI) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL 5
325325 RESOURCES; 6
326326
327327 (VII) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 7
328328 TRANSPORTATION ; 8
329329
330330 (VIII) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE OFFICE OF TOURISM 9
331331 DEVELOPMENT ; 10
332332
333333 (IX) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MARYLAND–NATIONAL 11
334334 CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION; 12
335335
336336 (X) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF A METROPOLITAN PLANN ING 13
337337 ORGANIZATION ; 14
338338
339339 (XI) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF A RURAL REGIONAL PLA NNING 15
340340 COUNCIL FOR AN AREA THAT IS NOT PART OF A METROPOLITAN PLANN ING 16
341341 ORGANIZATION ; 17
342342
343343 (XII) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION 18
344344 OF COUNTIES; 19
345345
346346 (XIII) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MARYLAND MUNICIPAL 20
347347 LEAGUE; 21
348348
349349 (XIV) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF BIKE MARYLAND; 22
350350
351351 (XV) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF MID–ATLANTIC OFF–ROAD 23
352352 ENTHUSIASTS; 24
353353
354354 (XVI) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF A REGIONAL TRAIL COA LITION; 25
355355
356356 (XVII) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF A TRAIL ADVOCACY 26
357357 ORGANIZATION ; 27
358358
359359 (XVIII) ONE CITIZEN MEMBER FR OM THE EASTERN SHORE; 28
360360 SENATE BILL 645 9
361361
362362
363363 (XIX) ONE CITIZEN MEMBER FR OM WESTERN MARYLAND; 1
364364
365365 (XX) ONE CITIZEN MEMBER FR OM SOUTHERN MARYLAND; 2
366366
367367 (XXI) TWO CITIZEN MEMBERS F ROM THE BALTIMORE 3
368368 METROPOLITAN AREA ; 4
369369
370370 (XXII) TWO CITIZEN MEMBERS F ROM THE WASHINGTON 5
371371 METROPOLITAN AREA ; AND 6
372372
373373 (XXIII) UP TO SIX CITIZEN MEM BERS WHO REPRESENT THE 7
374374 INTERESTS OF BICYCLI STS, PEDESTRIANS , AND THE DISABLED COM MUNITY, 8
375375 INCLUDING: 9
376376
377377 1. ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE 10
378378 VISUALLY IMPAIRED ; AND 11
379379
380380 2. ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF IN DIVIDUALS WHO ARE 12
381381 MOBILITY IMPAIRED . 13
382382
383383 (2) ONE OF THE CITIZEN ME MBERS APPOINTED UNDE R PARAGRAPH 14
384384 (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION S HALL HAVE EXPERTISE IN BICYCLE AND PEDES TRIAN 15
385385 SAFETY. 16
386386
387387 (3) THE TOTAL MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMISSION MAY NOT EX CEED 17
388388 30 MEMBERS. 18
389389
390390 (C) THE GOVERNOR SHALL DESIGN ATE THE CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION. 19
391391
392392 (D) (1) THE TERM OF A MEMBER IS 4 YEARS. 20
393393
394394 (2) THE TERMS OF MEMBERS ARE STAGGERED . 21
395395
396396 (3) AT THE END OF A TERM , A MEMBER CONTINUES T O SERVE UNTIL 22
397397 A SUCCESSOR IS APPOI NTED AND QU ALIFIES. 23
398398
399399 (4) A MEMBER WHO IS APPOIN TED AFTER A TERM HAS BEGUN SHALL 24
400400 SERVE FOR THE REMAIN DER OF THE TERM OR U NTIL A SUCCESSOR IS APPOINTED 25
401401 AND QUALIFIES. 26
402402
403403 (E) THE COMMISSION MAY ADOPT PROCEDURES NECESSARY TO ENSURE 27
404404 THE ORDERLY TRANSACT ION OF BUSINESS. 28
405405 10 SENATE BILL 645
406406
407407
408408 (F) THE COMMISSION SHALL HOLD REGULAR MEETINGS AS IT CONSIDERS 1
409409 APPROPRIATE . 2
410410
411411 (G) A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION: 3
412412
413413 (1) MAY NOT RECEIVE COMPE NSATION AS A MEMBER OF THE 4
414414 COMMISSION; BUT 5
415415
416416 (2) IS ENTITLED TO REIMBU RSEMENT FOR EXPENSES UNDER THE 6
417417 STANDARD STATE TRAVEL REGULATIONS, AS PROVIDED IN THE STATE BUDGET . 7
418418
419419 (H) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL COOR DINATE WITH THE FOLL OWING 8
420420 ENTITIES TO PROVIDE STAFF, ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPO RT, AND OPERATING 9
421421 EXPENSES FOR THE COMMISSION IN ACCORDA NCE WITH THE STATE BUDGET : 10
422422
423423 (1) THE OFFICE; 11
424424
425425 (2) THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE; 12
426426
427427 (3) THE DEPARTMENT OF DISABILITIES; 13
428428
429429 (4) THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT ; 14
430430
431431 (5) THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH; 15
432432
433433 (6) THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING; AND 16
434434
435435 (7) THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES. 17
436436
437437 (I) THE COMMISSION SHALL PROV IDE GUIDANCE TO STATE AGENCIES 18
438438 REGARDING: 19
439439
440440 (1) THE FUNDING OF TRAIL –RELATED PROGRAMS ; 20
441441
442442 (2) THE DEVELOPMENT AND M AINTENANCE OF THE MARYLAND 21
443443 TRAILS PLAN; 22
444444
445445 (3) PUBLIC EDUCATION AND AWARENESS OF TRAIL–RELATED 23
446446 ACTIVITIES AND TRAIL SAFETY; 24
447447
448448 (4) POLICY AND LEGISLATIV E CHANGES NECESSARY FOR TRAIL 25
449449 DEVELOPMENT AND MAIN TENANCE; AND 26
450450 SENATE BILL 645 11
451451
452452
453453 (5) ANY OTHER ISSUE DIREC TLY RELATED TO TRAIL PLANNING, 1
454454 CONSTRUCTION , MAINTENANCE , OR USE. 2
455455
456456 (J) THE COMMISSION SHALL DESI GNATE A MEMBER OF TH E COMMISSION 3
457457 TO SERVE AS A LIAISO N TO THE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 4
458458
459459 (K) (1) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2024, AND EACH DECEMBER 1 5
460460 THEREAFTER , THE COMMISSION SHALL SUBM IT A TRAILS REPORT T O THE 6
461461 GOVERNOR AND , IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT 7
462462 ARTICLE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 8
463463
464464 (2) THE TRAILS REPORT SHA LL INCLUDE PLANS , PROGRESS, ISSUES, 9
465465 AND PRIORITIES FOR T HE OFFICE, THE MARYLAND TRAILS PLAN, AND THE 10
466466 MARYLAND TRAILS NETWORK. 11
467467
468468 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That : 12
469469
470470 (a) The Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Planning shall 13
471471 identify employees from their departments to transfer to the Maryland Office of Trails 14
472472 established under Section 1 of this Act to provide part or all of the staffing for the Office. 15
473473
474474 (b) Employees identified under subsection (a) of this section shall: 16
475475
476476 (1) have expertise in: 17
477477
478478 (i) trail planning and development; 18
479479
480480 (ii) mapping and GIS software; 19
481481
482482 (iii) State and local land use and zoning laws and regulations; or 20
483483
484484 (iv) financing and budget management; and 21
485485
486486 (2) be transferred to the Maryland Office of Trails on or before July 1, 2024. 22
487487
488488 (c) Employees transferred to the Maryland Office of Trails under this section 23
489489 shall be transferred without diminution of their rights, benefits, employment, or retirement 24
490490 status. 25
491491
492492 SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 26
493493 1, 2024. 27