| 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 | - | Underlining indicates amendments to bill. | |
| 6 | - | Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by | |
| 7 | - | amendment. | |
| 8 | 5 | *hb1181* | |
| 9 | 6 | ||
| 10 | 7 | HOUSE BILL 1181 | |
| 11 | 8 | M1 5lr3111 | |
| 12 | 9 | CF SB 781 | |
| 13 | - | By: Delegate Baker | |
| 10 | + | By: Delegate Baker | |
| 14 | 11 | Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2025 | |
| 15 | 12 | Assigned to: Environment and Transportation | |
| 16 | - | Committee Report: Favorable with amendments | |
| 17 | - | House action: Adopted | |
| 18 | - | Read second time: February 27, 2025 | |
| 19 | 13 | ||
| 20 | - | ||
| 14 | + | A BILL ENTITLED | |
| 21 | 15 | ||
| 22 | 16 | AN ACT concerning 1 | |
| 23 | 17 | ||
| 24 | 18 | Task Force on the Establishment of a State Park Dedicated to Veterans’ Care 2 | |
| 25 | 19 | ||
| 26 | 20 | FOR the purpose of establishing the Task Force on the Establishment of a State Park 3 | |
| 27 | 21 | Dedicated to Veterans’ Care to study issues and estimate costs related to the 4 | |
| 28 | 22 | establishment of a State park dedicated to providing recreational opportunities and 5 | |
| 29 | 23 | therapeutic services to veterans; and generally relating to the Task Force on the 6 | |
| 30 | 24 | Establishment of a State Park Dedicated to Veterans’ Care. 7 | |
| 31 | 25 | ||
| 32 | 26 | SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 8 | |
| 33 | 27 | That: 9 | |
| 34 | 28 | ||
| 35 | 29 | (a) There is a Task Force on the Establishment of a State Park Dedicated to 10 | |
| 36 | 30 | Veterans’ Care. 11 | |
| 37 | 31 | ||
| 38 | 32 | (b) (1) The Task Force shall include the following members: 12 | |
| 39 | 33 | ||
| 40 | 34 | (i) one member of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the 13 | |
| 41 | 35 | President of the Senate; 14 | |
| 42 | 36 | ||
| 43 | 37 | (ii) one member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker 15 | |
| 44 | 38 | of the House; 16 | |
| 45 | 39 | ||
| 46 | 40 | (iii) the Secretary of Natural Resources, or the Secretary’s designee; 17 | |
| 41 | + | ||
| 42 | + | (iv) the Secretary of Veterans and Military Families, or the 18 | |
| 43 | + | Secretary’s designee; 19 | |
| 44 | + | ||
| 45 | + | (v) the Director of the Maryland Park Service, or the Director’s 20 | |
| 46 | + | designee; 21 | |
| 47 | 47 | 2 HOUSE BILL 1181 | |
| 48 | 48 | ||
| 49 | 49 | ||
| 50 | - | ( | |
| 51 | - | ||
| 50 | + | (vi) one county commissioner of Washington County, appointed by 1 | |
| 51 | + | the President of the Washington County Board of Commissioners; 2 | |
| 52 | 52 | ||
| 53 | - | ( | |
| 54 | - | designee; 4 | |
| 53 | + | (vii) the County Administrator of Washington County, or the County 3 | |
| 54 | + | Administrator’s designee; 4 | |
| 55 | 55 | ||
| 56 | - | ( | |
| 57 | - | ||
| 56 | + | (viii) the following members, appointed by the Secretary of Natural 5 | |
| 57 | + | Resources: 6 | |
| 58 | 58 | ||
| 59 | - | | |
| 60 | - | ||
| 59 | + | 1. one representative of the Hagerstown –Washington 7 | |
| 60 | + | County Convention and Visitors Bureau; 8 | |
| 61 | 61 | ||
| 62 | - | | |
| 63 | - | ||
| 62 | + | 2. one representative of an organization that provides 9 | |
| 63 | + | therapeutic services to veterans; and 10 | |
| 64 | 64 | ||
| 65 | - | 1. one representative of the Hagerstown –Washington 11 | |
| 66 | - | County Convention and Visitors Bureau; 12 | |
| 65 | + | 3. the owner of land located in the Southern portion of 11 | |
| 66 | + | Washington County that has been proposed for transfer to the State for the purpose of 12 | |
| 67 | + | establishing a State park dedicated to veterans’ care; and 13 | |
| 67 | 68 | ||
| 68 | - | 2. one representative of an organization that provides 13 | |
| 69 | - | therapeutic services to veterans; and 14 | |
| 69 | + | (ix) one resident from legislative district 2 in Washington County. 14 | |
| 70 | 70 | ||
| 71 | - | | |
| 72 | - | ||
| 73 | - | ||
| 71 | + | (2) In addition to the members specified under paragraph (1) of this 15 | |
| 72 | + | subsection, the Secretary of Natural Resources may invite a representative of the National 16 | |
| 73 | + | Park Service and any other relevant stakeholders to serve as members of the Task Force. 17 | |
| 74 | 74 | ||
| 75 | - | (ix) one resident from legislative district 2 in Washington County, 18 | |
| 76 | - | designated by a majority of the members of the Washington County Delegation to the 19 | |
| 77 | - | General Assembly. 20 | |
| 75 | + | (c) The Secretary of Natural Resources shall designate the chair of the Task 18 | |
| 76 | + | Force. 19 | |
| 78 | 77 | ||
| 79 | - | (2) In addition to the members specified under paragraph (1) of this 21 | |
| 80 | - | subsection, the Secretary of Natural Resources may invite a representative of the National 22 | |
| 81 | - | Park Service and any other relevant stakeholders to serve as members of the Task Force. 23 | |
| 78 | + | (d) The Department of Natural Resources shall provide staff for the Task Force. 20 | |
| 82 | 79 | ||
| 83 | - | (c) The Secretary of Natural Resources shall designate the chair of the Task 24 | |
| 84 | - | Force. 25 | |
| 80 | + | (e) A member of the Task Force: 21 | |
| 85 | 81 | ||
| 86 | - | ( | |
| 82 | + | (1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Task Force; but 22 | |
| 87 | 83 | ||
| 88 | - | (e) A member of the Task Force: 27 | |
| 84 | + | (2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 23 | |
| 85 | + | Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 24 | |
| 89 | 86 | ||
| 90 | - | ( | |
| 87 | + | (f) The Task Force shall: 25 | |
| 91 | 88 | ||
| 92 | - | ( | |
| 93 | - | ||
| 89 | + | (1) study issues and estimate costs related to the establishment of a State 26 | |
| 90 | + | park dedicated to providing recreational opportunities and therapeutic services to veterans; 27 | |
| 94 | 91 | ||
| 95 | - | (f) The Task Force shall: 31 | |
| 92 | + | (2) make recommendations regarding: 28 | |
| 93 | + | ||
| 94 | + | (i) services and amenities to be provided by the park; 29 | |
| 96 | 95 | HOUSE BILL 1181 3 | |
| 97 | 96 | ||
| 98 | 97 | ||
| 99 | - | (1) study issues and estimate costs related to the establishment of a State 1 | |
| 100 | - | park dedicated to providing recreational opportunities and therapeutic services to veterans; 2 | |
| 98 | + | (ii) operational models for the park, including how operational and 1 | |
| 99 | + | maintenance responsibilities could be shared between the Maryland Park Service and 2 | |
| 100 | + | partner organizations; 3 | |
| 101 | 101 | ||
| 102 | - | (2) make recommendations regarding: 3 | |
| 102 | + | (iii) options for funding the initial start–up costs of the park, 4 | |
| 103 | + | including infrastructure and capital costs; and 5 | |
| 103 | 104 | ||
| 104 | - | (i) services and amenities to be provided by the park; 4 | |
| 105 | + | (iv) self–sustaining funding models for the ongoing operational costs 6 | |
| 106 | + | of the park; and 7 | |
| 105 | 107 | ||
| 106 | - | (ii) operational models for the park, including how operational and 5 | |
| 107 | - | maintenance responsibilities could be shared between the Maryland Park Service and 6 | |
| 108 | - | partner organizations; 7 | |
| 108 | + | (3) develop an action plan identifying next steps for the establishment of 8 | |
| 109 | + | the park. 9 | |
| 109 | 110 | ||
| 110 | - | (iii) options for funding the initial start–up costs of the park, 8 | |
| 111 | - | including infrastructure and capital costs; and 9 | |
| 111 | + | (g) On or before December 1, 2026, the Task Force shall report its findings and 10 | |
| 112 | + | recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State 11 | |
| 113 | + | Government Article, the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee and 12 | |
| 114 | + | the House Environment and Transportation Committee. 13 | |
| 112 | 115 | ||
| 113 | - | (iv) self–sustaining funding models for the ongoing operational costs 10 | |
| 114 | - | of the park; and 11 | |
| 116 | + | SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 14 | |
| 117 | + | 1, 2025. It shall remain effective for a period of 2 years and, at the end of June 30, 2027, 15 | |
| 118 | + | this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and 16 | |
| 119 | + | of no further force and effect. 17 | |
| 115 | 120 | ||
| 116 | - | (3) develop an action plan identifying next steps for the establishment of 12 | |
| 117 | - | the park. 13 | |
| 118 | - | ||
| 119 | - | (g) On or before December 1, 2026, the Task Force shall report its findings and 14 | |
| 120 | - | recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State 15 | |
| 121 | - | Government Article, the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee and 16 | |
| 122 | - | the House Environment and Transportation Committee. 17 | |
| 123 | - | ||
| 124 | - | SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 18 | |
| 125 | - | 1, 2025. It shall remain effective for a period of 2 years and, at the end of June 30, 2027, 19 | |
| 126 | - | this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and 20 | |
| 127 | - | of no further force and effect. 21 | |
| 128 | - | ||
| 129 | - | ||
| 130 | - | ||
| 131 | - | ||
| 132 | - | Approved: | |
| 133 | - | ________________________________________________________________________________ | |
| 134 | - | Governor. | |
| 135 | - | ________________________________________________________________________________ | |
| 136 | - | Speaker of the House of Delegates. | |
| 137 | - | ________________________________________________________________________________ | |
| 138 | - | President of the Senate. |