EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0701*
HOUSE BILL 701
M3 5lr1157
By: Delegates Foley, Guyton, Lehman, Ruth, Spiegel, and Terrasa
Introduced and read first time: January 24, 2025
Assigned to: Economic Matters and Health and Government Operations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Gasoline–Powered Leaf Blowers – Purchase, Use, and Sale – Prohibitions 2
(Clean Air Quiet Communities Act) 3
FOR the purpose of prohibiting the State from purchasing gasoline–powered leaf blowers 4
beginning on a certain date; establishing a certain process to phase out the use of 5
gasoline–powered leaf blowers by the State or any contractor or subcontractor 6
employed by the State beginning on a certain date; requiring a person that sells or 7
offers for sale a gasoline–powered leaf blower in the State to provide certain notice 8
to the purchaser or potential purchaser; prohibiting the sale of gasoline–powered leaf 9
blowers beginning on a certain date; requiring the State or any contractor or 10
subcontractor employed by the State to comply with certain local government 11
standards; and generally relating to gasoline–powered leaf blowers. 12
BY adding to 13
Article – Environment 14
Section 3–601 through 3–605 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 6. 15
Gasoline–Powered Leaf Blowers” 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2013 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 18
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
Article – Environment 21
SUBTITLE 6. GASOLINE–POWERED LEAF BLOWERS. 22
3–601. 23
IN THIS SUBTITLE, “GASOLINE–POWERED LEAF BLOWER ”: 24 2 HOUSE BILL 701
(1) MEANS A COMBUSTION ENGINE –POWERED HANDHELD , 1
BACKPACK, OR WALK–BEHIND LEAF OR GRASS BLOWER , VACUUM, OR LEAF DEBRIS 2
REMOVAL DEVICE ; 3
(2) INCLUDES AN ELECTRIC LEAF BLOWER CONNECTE D TO A 4
GENERATOR POWERED BY GASOLINE OR OTHER FOSSIL FUEL S; AND 5
(3) DOES NOT INCLUDE A ST ATIONARY OR TOW –BEHIND LEAF 6
VACUUM, MULCHER, DEBRIS LOADER DEV ICE, OR SNOW BLOWER . 7
3–602. 8
THIS SUBTITLE DOES NO T APPLY TO: 9
(1) WILDLAND FIRE SUPPRES SION ACTIVITIES; 10
(2) PRESCRIBED BURN MANAG EMENT ACTIVITIES ; 11
(3) FIRE–FIGHTING ACTIVITIES CARRIED O UT BY AUTHORIZED 12
PERSONNEL ; OR 13
(4) EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING ACTIVITIES TO 14
CLEAR SURFACES FOLLO WING A CRASH, CARRIED OUT BY AUTHO RIZED PERSONNEL 15
AT A TRANSPORTATION FAC ILITY AS DEFINED IN § 3–101 OF THE TRANSPORTATION 16
ARTICLE. 17
3–603. 18
(A) BEGINNING JULY 1, 2025, THE STATE MAY NOT PURCHAS E A 19
GASOLINE–POWERED LEAF BLOWER . 20
(B) THE STATE, OR ANY CONTRACTOR OR SUBCONTRACTOR EMPLOY ED BY 21
THE STATE, MAY NOT USE A GASOLINE–POWERED LEAF BLOWER : 22
(1) BEGINNING MAY 1, 2027, AND ENDING OCTOBER 1, 2027; 23
(2) BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2028, AND ENDING OCTOBER 1, 2028; 24
(3) BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2029, AND ENDING OCTOBER 1, 2029; 25
AND 26
(4) BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2030. 27 HOUSE BILL 701 3
3–604. 1
(A) BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 1, 2025, ANY PERSON THAT SELL S OR OFFERS 2
FOR SALE A GASOLINE–POWERED LEAF BLOWER IN THE STATE SHALL NOTIFY THE 3
PURCHASER OR POTENTI AL PURCHASER THAT: 4
(1) BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2027, A PERSON MAY NOT PURCHASE A 5
GASOLINE–POWERED LEAF BLOWER IN THE STATE; AND 6
(2) SEVERAL JURISDICTIONS IN THE STATE HAVE ESTABLISHED 7
RESTRICTIONS AND PRO HIBITIONS ON THE USE OF GASOLINE –POWERED LEAF 8
BLOWERS. 9
(B) BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2027, A PERSON MAY NOT SEL L OR OFFER FOR 10
SALE A GASOLINE–POWERED LEAF BLOWER IN THE STATE. 11
3–605. 12
(A) THIS SUBTITLE DOES NO T AFFECT THE AUTHORI TY OF A COUNTY , A 13
MUNICIPALITY, OR ANY OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO ENACT STANDARDS THAT 14
ARE AT LEAST AS STRI NGENT AS THE STANDAR DS ESTABLISHED IN TH IS SUBTITLE 15
OR THAT BEGIN ON AN EARLIER DATE THAN TH E DATES ESTABLISHED IN THIS 16
SUBTITLE. 17
(B) THE STATE, OR ANY CONTRACTOR OR SUBCONTRACTOR EMPLOY ED BY 18
THE STATE, SHALL COMPLY WITH LO CAL GOVERNMENT STANDARDS THAT ARE AT 19
LEAST AS STRINGENT A S THE STANDARDS ESTA BLISHED IN THIS SUBT ITLE WHEN 20
MANAGING STATE PROPERTY . 21
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 22
1, 2025. 23