Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB540 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 *hb0540*
66
77 HOUSE BILL 540
88 F1 5lr1223
99
1010 By: Delegate Wolek
1111 Introduced and read first time: January 22, 2025
1212 Assigned to: Ways and Means
1313
1414 A BILL ENTITLED
1515
1616 AN ACT concerning 1
1717
1818 Maryland Green Schools – Website, Outreach, and Designations 2
1919 (Green Schools Stewardship Act) 3
2020
2121 FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Association of Environmental and Outdoor 4
2222 Education to update, by a certain date, and maintain a certain website; requiring the 5
2323 Association to conduct certain outreach efforts with a certain frequency; requiring 6
2424 the Department of Natural Resources, in collaboration with the State Department of 7
2525 Education and in consultation with other relevant parties, to establish criteria for 8
2626 designating green schools in the State as green schools mentor schools; requiring 9
2727 county boards of education to prominently display a link to a certain website on the 10
2828 county board’s website and circulate certain information; and generally relating to 11
2929 green schools. 12
3030
3131 BY adding to 13
3232 Article – Education 14
3333 Section 7–117.1 15
3434 Annotated Code of Maryland 16
3535 (2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 17
3636
3737 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
3838 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19
3939
4040 Article – Education 20
4141
4242 7–117.1. 21
4343
4444 (A) (1) THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUD E IN THE ANNUAL BUDG ET BILL 22
4545 AN APPROPRIATION IN THE FOLLOWING AMO UNTS TO THE MARYLAND 23
4646 ASSOCIATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND OUTDOOR EDUCATION: 24
4747 2 HOUSE BILL 540
4848
4949
5050 (I) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027, $70,000; AND 1
5151
5252 (II) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2028, $40,000. 2
5353
5454 (2) THE APPROPRIATIONS MA DE UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 3
5555 SUBSECTION MAY BE US ED BY THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL 4
5656 AND OUTDOOR EDUCATION ONLY TO: 5
5757
5858 (I) UPDATE AND MAINTAIN ITS MARYLAND GREEN SCHOOLS 6
5959 WEBSITE IN ACCORDANC E WITH SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION; 7
6060
6161 (II) CONDUCT OUTREACH ACTIVITIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH 8
6262 SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION; AND 9
6363
6464 (III) UPDATE ITS AWARD APPLICATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH 10
6565 SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION. 11
6666
6767 (B) (1) THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND 12
6868 OUTDOOR EDUCATION SHALL UPDAT E ITS MARYLAND GREEN SCHOOLS WEBSITE 13
6969 BY MARCH 1, 2027, TO CONTAIN THE INFOR MATION LISTED UNDER THIS 14
7070 SUBSECTION. 15
7171
7272 (2) THE WEBSITE SHALL INC LUDE A NOVICE SECTION DEDICATED TO 16
7373 INTRODUCING SCHOOLS TO THE CONCEPT OF BE COMING A GREEN SCHOO L, 17
7474 INCLUDING: 18
7575
7676 (I) EXAMPLES OF SIMPLE GR EEN ACTIVITIES THAT : 19
7777
7878 1. ARE ALIGNED WITH THE MARYLAND 20
7979 ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY STANDARDS; AND 21
8080
8181 2. AWARDED GREEN SCHOOLS HAVE COMPLETED OR 22
8282 ARE COMPLETING IN TH E STATE, INCLUDING CORRESPOND ING PHOTOGRAPHS AND 23
8383 ENVIRONMENTAL LITERA CY STANDARDS FOR THE ACTIVITIES; AND 24
8484
8585 (II) ACTIVITIES, PROGRAMMING , PEDAGOGY, AND OTHER 25
8686 INITIAL ACTIONS THAT WILL ENCOURAGE SCHOO LS TO BEGIN GREEN AC TIVITIES AT 26
8787 THEIR SCHOOL . 27
8888
8989 (3) THE WEBSITE SHALL INC LUDE AN ON–RAMP SECTION DEDICAT ED 28
9090 TO HELPING SCHOOLS T RANSITION FROM STAND –ALONE GREEN ACTIVITI ES TO 29
9191 MORE COMPLICATED GRE EN ACTIVITIES AND PR OJECTS AND THE DEVEL OPMENT OF 30
9292 OUTLINED PLANS FOR B ECOMING AN AWARDED GREEN SCHOOL , INCLUDING: 31 HOUSE BILL 540 3
9393
9494
9595
9696 (I) EXAMPLES OF MORE COMP LICATED GREEN ACTIVI TIES AND 1
9797 PROJECTS, INCLUDING ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS THAT HA VE SUSTAINABILITY 2
9898 ASPECTS OR INVOLVE M ULTIYEAR IMPLEMENTAT ION, THAT SCHOOLS HAVE 3
9999 COMPLETED OR ARE COM PLETING IN THE STATE AND CORRESPONDI NG 4
100100 PHOTOGRAPHS AND ENVI RONMENTAL LITERACY S TANDARDS FOR THE ACT IVITIES 5
101101 AND PROJECTS ; AND 6
102102
103103 (II) STEP–BY–STEP GUIDANCE ON HOW TO CREATE A PLAN FOR 7
104104 BECOMING A N AWARDED GREEN SCHOOL . 8
105105
106106 (4) THE WEBSITE SHALL INC LUDE AN APPLICATION SECTION 9
107107 DEDICATED TO SCHOOLS THAT ARE READY TO AP PLY TO BECOME AN AWARDED 10
108108 GREEN SCHOOL , INCLUDING: 11
109109
110110 (I) TIMELINES WITH MILEST ONES AND DEADLINES ; 12
111111
112112 (II) BLANK SAMPLE APPLICAT IONS; 13
113113
114114 (III) APPLICATION GUIDELINE S FOR EACH SECTION O F THE 14
115115 APPLICATION; 15
116116
117117 (IV) EXAMPLES OF APPROVED GREEN SCHOOL APPLICA TIONS 16
118118 FROM: 17
119119
120120 1. URBAN, SUBURBAN, AND RURAL AREAS OF T HE 18
121121 STATE; AND 19
122122
123123 2. EACH COUNTY; 20
124124
125125 (V) RECORDED WEBINARS ON HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY 21
126126 COMPLETE THE APPLICA TION; 22
127127
128128 (VI) NAMES AND E–MAIL ADDRESSES OF TE ACHERS AND STAFF 23
129129 AT AWARDED GREEN SCHOOLS WHO CA N BE CONTACTED FOR G UIDANCE OR 24
130130 INFORMATION ABOUT TH EIR GREEN SCHOOL PRA CTICES; 25
131131
132132 (VII) AN UP–TO–DATE LIST OF FUNDING SOURCES SCHOOLS CAN 26
133133 APPLY TO FOR ASSISTA NCE WITH GREEN SCHOO L–RELATED EFFORTS , INCLUDING 27
134134 FUNDS AVAILABLE THROUG H: 28
135135
136136 1. INDIVIDUALS; 29
137137 4 HOUSE BILL 540
138138
139139
140140 2. FOUNDATIONS ; 1
141141
142142 3. NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIO NS; AND 2
143143
144144 4. GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATI ONS; 3
145145
146146 (VIII) FOR EACH FUNDING SOUR CE LISTED UNDER ITEM (VII) OF 4
147147 THIS PARAGRAPH : 5
148148
149149 1. A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF HOW THE FUN DING SOURCE 6
150150 MAY BE USED; 7
151151
152152 2. THE AMOUNT OF THE FUN DING SOURCE; AND 8
153153
154154 3. DEADLINES FOR EACH FU NDING SOURCE ; 9
155155
156156 (IX) NAMES AND CONTACT INF ORMATION OF INDIVIDU ALS WHO 10
157157 CAN ASSIST WITH QUES TIONS REGARDING APPL YING FOR GRANTS FOR GREEN 11
158158 SCHOOL–RELATED EFFORTS; AND 12
159159
160160 (X) PLANNED OR SCHEDULED GREEN SCHOOL PROFESS IONAL 13
161161 DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUN ITIES. 14
162162
163163 (5) (I) EACH SECTION OF THE W EBSITE REQUIRED UNDE R 15
164164 PARAGRAPHS (2), (3), AND (4) OF THIS SUBSECTION S HALL INCLUDE CONTACT 16
165165 INFORMATION OF INDIV IDUALS, INCLUDING COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY 17
166166 SPECIALISTS, EXPERTS FROM FACILIT IES AWARDED THE MARYLAND GREEN 18
167167 CENTER AWARD, AND GREEN LEADERS , WHO CAN: 19
168168
169169 1. FOR THE NOVICE SECTIO N, ADVISE SCHOOLS ON 20
170170 START–UP GREEN ACTIVITIES AND FUNDING AND GRAN T OPPORTUNITIES 21
171171 AVAILABLE FOR GREENING THE SCHOOL; 22
172172
173173 2. FOR THE ON–RAMP SECTION , ADVISE SCHOOLS ON 23
174174 HOW TO CREATE MORE C OMPLICATED GREEN ACT IVITIES AND PROJECTS THAT WILL 24
175175 SUPPORT AND CONTRIBU TE TO A FUTURE APPLI CATION FOR BECOMING AN 25
176176 AWARDED GREEN SCHOOL ; AND 26
177177
178178 3. FOR THE APPLICATION SECTION , PROVIDE 27
179179 ASSISTANCE WITH THE APPLICATION PROCESS . 28
180180
181181 (II) THE CONTACT INFORMATI ON UNDER SUBPARAGRAP H (I) OF 29
182182 THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL INCLUDE: 30 HOUSE BILL 540 5
183183
184184
185185
186186 1. THE NAME , TELEPHONE NUMBER , AND DIRECT 1
187187 E–MAIL ADDRESS FOR EAC H INDIVIDUAL LISTED ; 2
188188
189189 2. FOR THE NOVICE SECTIO N, THE TYPES OF ACTIVIT IES 3
190190 AND FUNDING AND GRAN T OPPORTUNITIES EACH INDIVIDUAL LISTED CA N ASSIST 4
191191 WITH; 5
192192
193193 3. FOR THE ON –RAMP SECTION , THE TYPES OF 6
194194 ACTIVITIES AND PROJE CTS EACH INDIVIDUAL LISTED CAN ASSIST WI TH; AND 7
195195
196196 4. FOR THE APPLICATION SECTION , THE PORTION OF 8
197197 THE APPLICATION PROC ESS EACH INDIVIDUAL LISTED CAN ASSIST WI TH. 9
198198
199199 (C) THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND OUTDOOR 10
200200 EDUCATION SHALL REGULARLY : 11
201201
202202 (1) CONDUCT IN–PERSON INFORMATION S ESSIONS AT SCHOOLS TO 12
203203 INFORM COUNTY SUPERI NTENDENTS, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR S, TEACHERS, AND 13
204204 PARENTS ABOUT THE GREEN SCHOOL PRO GRAM AND THE MARYLAND GREEN 14
205205 SCHOOLS WEBSITE UPDATED UNDE R SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION; AND 15
206206
207207 (2) CONTACT SCHOOLS IN THE STATE TO GAUGE A SCHOOL’S 16
208208 INTEREST IN AND CAPACITY FOR STA RTING GREEN ACTIVITI ES. 17
209209
210210 (D) (1) (I) THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, IN 18
211211 COLLABORATION WITH T HE DEPARTMENT AND IN CON SULTATION WITH THE 19
212212 MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND OUTDOOR EDUCATION AND 20
213213 OTHER REL EVANT PARTIES , SHALL ESTABLISH CRIT ERIA FOR DESIGNATING GREEN 21
214214 SCHOOLS IN THE STATE AS GREEN SCHOOLS MENTOR SCHOOLS. 22
215215
216216 (II) THE CRITERIA FOR DESI GNATING A GREEN SCHO OL AS A 23
217217 GREEN SCHOOLS MENTOR SCHOOL MAY INCLUDE CONSIDER ATION OF: 24
218218
219219 1. A SCHOOL’S EXPERIENCE PROVIDING GUID ANCE TO 25
220220 EDUCATORS AND SCHOOL S ON HOW TO TRANSITI ON THEIR SCHOOL TO A GREEN 26
221221 SCHOOL; 27
222222
223223 2. A SCHOOL’S EXPERIENCE WITH PR OVIDING A BROAD 28
224224 SET OF LEARNING OPPO RTUNITIES FOR STUDEN TS; 29
225225
226226 3. THE TYPE OF ACTIVITIE S OR PROJECTS IN WHI CH A 30
227227 SCHOOL IS ENGAGED ; 31 6 HOUSE BILL 540
228228
229229
230230
231231 4. THE NUMBER OF STUDENT S A SCHOOL ENGAGES 1
232232 WITH WHEN CONDUCTING GREEN ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS; 2
233233
234234 5. HOW GREEN ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS CONDUCT ED 3
235235 BY A SCHOOL ALIGN WI TH THE ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS SET BY THE STATE; 4
236236 AND 5
237237
238238 6. THE PERCENTAGE OF A SCHO OL’S STAFF THAT IS 6
239239 ENGAGED IN NATURE –BASED LEARNING ACTIV ITIES AND THEIR RELE VANT 7
240240 EXPERTISE. 8
241241
242242 (2) (I) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DESI GNATE THE MARYLAND 9
243243 ASSOCIATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND OUTDOOR EDUCATION TO DETERMIN E 10
244244 WHETHER A SCHOOL MEE TS THE CRITERIA ESTABLIS HED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF 11
245245 THIS SUBSECTION TO OBTAIN A GREEN SCHOOLS MENTOR SCHOOL DESIGNATION. 12
246246
247247 (II) A GREEN SCHOOLS MENTOR SCHOOL DESIGNATION IS 13
248248 VALID FOR 1 YEAR. 14
249249
250250 (3) THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND 15
251251 OUTDOOR EDUCATION SHALL UPDATE ITS AWARD APPLICATION BY SEPTEMBER 1, 16
252252 2026, TO ALLOW APPLICANTS TO INDICATE THEIR IN TEREST IN OBTAINING A GREEN 17
253253 SCHOOLS MENTOR SCHOO L DESIGNATION. 18
254254
255255 (E) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHA LL: 19
256256
257257 (1) PROMINENTLY DISPLAY A LINK ON THE COUNTY B OARD’S 20
258258 WEBSITE TO THE MARYLAND GREEN SCHOOLS WEBSITE UPDAT ED UNDER 21
259259 SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION; AND 22
260260
261261 (2) WITHIN THE FIRST 2 WEEKS OF THE FIRST A ND THIRD QUARTER 23
262262 OF EACH SCHOOL YEAR , CIRCULATE INFORMATIO N TO TEACHERS AND ST AFF 24
263263 ABOUT: 25
264264
265265 (I) THE GREEN SCHOOL PROGRAM; 26
266266
267267 (II) THE MARYLAND GREEN SCHOOLS WEBSITE UPDAT ED 27
268268 UNDER SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION; AND 28
269269
270270 (III) THE TIME AND LOCATION OF ANY IN–PERSON INFORMATION 29
271271 SESSIONS PROVIDED UN DER SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION. 30
272272 HOUSE BILL 540 7
273273
274274
275275 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACT ED, That this Act shall take effect July 1
276276 1, 2025. 2
277277