Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB134 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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	5	sb0134
6	6
7	7	SENATE BILL 134
8	8	M3, M4 5lr1620
9	9	(PRE–FILED) CF HB 42
10	10	By: Senator Hester
11	11	Requested: November 1, 2024
12	12	Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
13	13	Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment and Budget and Taxation
14	14
15	15	A BILL ENTITLED
16	16
17	17	AN ACT concerning 1
18	18
19	19	Solid Waste Disposal Surcharge and Wasted Food Reduction and Diversion 2
20	20	Fund and Grant Programs – Established 3
21	21
22	22	FOR the purpose of establishing the On–Farm Organics Diversion and Recycling Grant 4
23	23	Program in the Department of Agriculture to award grants to eligible entities to 5
24	24	develop and implement on–farm organics recycling and compost use, wasted food 6
25	25	prevention, and food rescue; establishing a solid waste disposal surcharge on the 7
26	26	final disposal of solid waste in the State; requiring, beginning on a certain date and 8
27	27	each quarter thereafter, the owner or operator of a refuse disposal system to submit 9
28	28	a certain solid waste disposal surcharge to the Comptroller in a certain manner; 10
29	29	requiring the Comptroller to deposit certain surcharges into a certain fund; 11
30	30	establishing the Wasted Food Reduction and Diversion Fund as a special, nonlapsing 12
31	31	fund and requiring interest earnings of the Fund to be credited to the Fund; 13
32	32	establishing the Wasted Food Reduction and Diversion Grant Program and the 14
33	33	County Wasted Food Reduction Block Grant Program in the Department of the 15
34	34	Environment to award grants and fund certain projects for infrastructure, programs, 16
35	35	and education that reduce, rescue, and divert wasted food in the State and certain 17
36	36	counties; and generally relating to wasted food reduction and diversion in the State. 18
37	37
38	38	BY adding to 19
39	39	Article – Agriculture 20
40	40	Section 2–109 21
41	41	Annotated Code of Maryland 22
42	42	(2016 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 23
43	43
44	44	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 24
45	45	Article – Agriculture 25
46	46	Section 2–401(a)(1) and (3) and 2–2001(a), (f), and (g) 26
47	47	Annotated Code of Maryland 27
48	48	(2016 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 28 2 SENATE BILL 134
49	49
50	50
51	51
52	52	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 1
53	53	Article – Environment 2
54	54	Section 1–701(a)(1), (7), and (8) 3
55	55	Annotated Code of Maryland 4
56	56	(2013 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 5
57	57
58	58	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 6
59	59	Article – Environment 7
60	60	Section 9–201(a) and (e) 8
61	61	Annotated Code of Maryland 9
62	62	(2014 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 10
63	63
64	64	BY adding to 11
65	65	Article – Environment 12
66	66	Section 9–1725.1, 9–1725.2, 9–1725.3, and 9–1725.4 13
67	67	Annotated Code of Maryland 14
68	68	(2014 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 15
69	69
70	70	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 16
71	71	Article – State Finance and Procurement 17
72	72	Section 6–226(a)(2)(i) 18
73	73	Annotated Code of Maryland 19
74	74	(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 20
75	75
76	76	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 21
77	77	Article – State Finance and Procurement 22
78	78	Section 6–226(a)(2)(ii)204. and 205. 23
79	79	Annotated Code of Maryland 24
80	80	(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 25
81	81
82	82	BY adding to 26
83	83	Article – State Finance and Procurement 27
84	84	Section 6–226(a)(2)(ii)206. 28
85	85	Annotated Code of Maryland 29
86	86	(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 30
87	87
88	88	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 31
89	89	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 32
90	90
91	91	Article – Agriculture 33
92	92
93	93	2–109. 34
94	94
95	95	(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 35
96	96	INDICATED. 36
97	97	SENATE BILL 134 3
98	98
99	99
100	100	(2) “GRANT PROGRAM” MEANS THE ON–FARM ORGANICS 1
101	101	DIVERSION AND RECYCLING GRANT PROGRAM. 2
102	102
103	103	(3) “URBAN AGRICULTURAL PR ODUCER” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED 3
104	104	IN § 2–2001 OF THIS TITLE. 4
105	105
106	106	(4) “URBAN FARMER” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 2–401 OF THIS 5
107	107	TITLE. 6
108	108
109	109	(B) THERE IS AN ON–FARM ORGANICS DIVERSION AND RECYCLING GRANT 7
110	110	PROGRAM IN THE DEPARTMENT . 8
111	111
112	112	(C) THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANT PROGRAM IS TO AWARD G RANTS 9
113	113	ANNUALLY FOR DEVELOP ING AND IMPLEMENTING ON–FARM ORGANICS RECYCLING 10
114	114	AND COMPOST USE , WASTED FOOD PREVENTI ON, AND FOOD RESCUE . 11
115	115
116	116	(D) THE DEPARTMENT , IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF THE 12
117	117	ENVIRONMENT , SHALL ADMINISTER THE GRANT PROGRAM. 13
118	118
119	119	(E) THE FOLLOWING PERSONS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A G RANT UNDER THE 14
120	120	GRANT PROGRAM: 15
121	121
122	122	(1) A FARMER, AN URBAN FARMER , OR AN URBAN AGRICULT URAL 16
123	123	PRODUCER; 17
124	124
125	125	(2) A SOIL CONSERVATION DI STRICT; 18
126	126
127	127	(3) AN INSTITUTION OF HIG HER EDUCATION AS DEF INED IN § 10–101 19
128	128	OF THE EDUCATION ARTICLE; 20
129	129
130	130	(4) A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATI ON; 21
131	131
132	132	(5) A BUSINESS IN THE STATE THAT IS IN: 22
133	133
134	134	(I) GOOD STANDING WITH TH E STATE DEPARTMENT OF 23
135	135	ASSESSMENTS AND TAXATION; AND 24
136	136
137	137	(II) PARTNERSHIP WITH A FA RMER, AN URBAN FARMER , OR AN 25
138	138	URBAN AGRICULTURAL P RODUCER; AND 26
139	139
140	140	(6) A CONSORTIUM OF ANY EN TITIES UNDER THIS SUBSECTION. 27
141	141	4 SENATE BILL 134
142	142
143	143
144	144	(F) A PROJECT IS ELIGIBLE FOR A GRANT UNDER TH E GRANT PROGRAM IF 1
145	145	THE PROJECT DEVELOPS , MAINTAINS, OR EXPANDS INFRASTRU CTURE, COLLECTION 2
146	146	PROGRAMS, EDUCATION, OR TECHNICAL ASSISTA NCE IN THE STATE THAT: 3
147	147
148	148	(1) REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF WASTED FOOD GENERATED ; 4
149	149
150	150	(2) RESCUES EDIBLE FOOD F OR PURPOSES OF REDIS TRIBUTION; 5
151	151
152	152	(3) RECOVERS WASTED FOOD AS ANIMAL FEED IF TH E FEED IS 6
153	153	REGISTERED AND TREAT ED IN ACCORDANCE WIT H REGULATIONS IMPLEM ENTED BY 7
154	154	THE DEPARTMENT ; 8
155	155
156	156	(4) COMPOSTS OR RECYCLES FOOD RESIDUALS THAT ARE 9
157	157	SEPARATED FROM PACKA GING PRIOR TO COLLEC TION, INCLUDING AT –HOME, 10
158	158	COMMUNITY , AND ON–FARM COMPOSTING ; 11
159	159
160	160	(5) PROVIDES LABOR AND WA GES IN SUPPORT OF WA STED FOOD 12
161	161	PREVENTION , FOOD RESCUE , AND ON–FARM ORGANICS RECYCL ING AND COMPOST 13
162	162	USE; 14
163	163
164	164	(6) PROVIDES BEST MANAGEMENT PRAC TICE TRAINING IN 15
165	165	RELEVANT FIELDS BY A REPUTABLE TRAINING P ROGRAM; 16
166	166
167	167	(7) STUDIES THE IMPACTS O F COMPOST APPLICATIO N ON ON–FARM 17
168	168	NUTRIENT AND WATER Q UALITY MANAGEMENT ; OR 18
169	169
170	170	(8) ASSISTS IN THE PAYMEN T OF APPLICABLE PERM IT APPLICATION 19
171	171	COSTS. 20
172	172
173	173	(G) IN AWARDING GRANTS UN DER THE GRANT PROGRAM, THE 21
174	174	DEPARTMENT , IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT , 22
175	175	SHALL PRIORITIZE PRO JECTS: 23
176	176
177	177	(1) FOR WHICH THE APPLICA NT CLEARLY DESCRIBES HOW THE 24
178	178	PROJECT WILL: 25
179	179
180	180	(I) PROVIDE DIRECT , MEANINGFUL , AND ASSURED BENEFITS 26
181	181	TO THE COMMUNITY ; AND 27
182	182
183	183	(II) ADDRESS IMPORTANT COM MUNITY NEEDS ; 28
184	184
185	185	(2) THAT PREVENT , RESCUE, AND DIVERT WASTED FO OD WITHIN A 29
186	186	LOCAL COMMUNITY ; 30
187	187	SENATE BILL 134 5
188	188
189	189
190	190	(3) THAT PLAN TO PRODUCE COMPOST THAT MEETS T HE 1
191	191	CLASSIFICATION OF “GENERAL USE” UNDER COMAR 15.18.04.05; 2
192	192
193	193	(4) THAT PLAN TO PRODUCE MINIMALLY CONTAMINAT ED COMPOST 3
194	194	THROUGH: 4
195	195
196	196	(I) PROCESSING ORGANIC MA TERIALS THAT ARE SEP ARATED 5
197	197	FROM PACKAGING PRIOR TO COLLECTION ; 6
198	198
199	199	(II) NOT USING DEPACKAGERS ; AND 7
200	200
201	201	(III) MEETING THE U.S. COMPOSTING COUNCIL’S SEAL OF 8
202	202	TESTING ASSURANCE; 9
203	203
204	204	(5) THAT SERVE AN OVERBUR DENED OR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY 10
205	205	AS DEFINED IN § 1–701 OF THE ENVIRONMENT ARTICLE; 11
206	206
207	207	(6) THAT MINIMIZE NEGATIV E IMPACTS TO THE LOC AL COMMUNITY ; 12
208	208	AND 13
209	209
210	210	(7) THAT MAXIMIZE BENEFITS TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY , 14
211	211	INCLUDING: 15
212	212
213	213	(I) THE CREATION OF JOBS ; 16
214	214
215	215	(II) INCREASING JOB TRAINI NG; AND 17
216	216
217	217	(III) INCREASING HIRING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPME NT 18
218	218	PRACTICES THAT ARE I NCLUSIVE AND PROVIDE A LIVING WAGE. 19
219	219
220	220	(H) AN ELIGIBLE PERSON THAT RECEIVES A GRANT UNDER THE GRANT 20
221	221	PROGRAM MAY NOT RECEI VE A GRANT UNDER THE WASTED FOOD REDUCTION AND 21
222	222	DIVERSION GRANT PROGRAM UNDER § 9–1725.3 OF THE ENVIRONMENT ARTICLE 22
223	223	IN THE SAME CALENDAR YEAR. 23
224	224
225	225	(I) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 2027, AND EACH DECEMBER 31 24
226	226	THEREAFTER , THE DEPARTMENT SHALL REPO RT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, IN 25
227	227	ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, ON: 26
228	228
229	229	(1) THE NUMBER AND TYPES OF GRANTS AWARDED ; 27
230	230
231	231	(2) THE IMPACT OF THE GRA NTS ON THE CREATION OF JOBS AND 28
232	232	OTHER BENEFITS TO THE STATE; 29
233	233	6 SENATE BILL 134
234	234
235	235
236	236	(3) THE IMPACT ON FOOD WA STE PREVENTED , RESCUED, AND 1
237	237	DIVERTED FROM DISPOS AL; AND 2
238	238
239	239	(4) THE IMPACT ON FARMERS , URBAN FARMERS , AND URBAN 3
240	240	AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE RS IN THE STATE. 4
241	241
242	242	2–401. 5
243	243
244	244	(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 6
245	245
246	246	(3) “Urban farmer” means an individual who farms in an urban area. 7
247	247
248	248	2–2001. 8
249	249
250	250	(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 9
251	251
252	252	(f) “Urban agricultural producer” means any person that annually sells, or 10
253	253	normally would have sold, $1,000 or more of farm products in an urban area. 11
254	254
255	255	(g) “Urban area” means an area of the State that is: 12
256	256
257	257	(1) Delineated as an urban area by the U.S. Census Bureau; or 13
258	258
259	259	(2) Within the boundaries of a municipal corporation. 14
260	260
261	261	Article – Environment 15
262	262
263	263	1–701. 16
264	264
265	265	(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 17
266	266
267	267	(7) “Overburdened community” means any census tract for which three or 18
268	268	more of the following environmental health indicators are above the 75th percentile 19
269	269	statewide: 20
270	270
271	271	(i) Particulate matter (PM) 2.5; 21
272	272
273	273	(ii) Ozone; 22
274	274
275	275	(iii) National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) diesel PM; 23
276	276
277	277	(iv) NATA cancer risk; 24
278	278
279	279	(v) NATA respiratory hazard index; 25
280	280
281	281	(vi) Traffic proximity; 26
282	282	SENATE BILL 134 7
283	283
284	284
285	285	(vii) Lead paint indicator; 1
286	286
287	287	(viii) National Priorities List Superfund site proximity; 2
288	288
289	289	(ix) Risk Management Plan facility proximity; 3
290	290
291	291	(x) Hazardous waste proximity; 4
292	292
293	293	(xi) Wastewater discharge indicator; 5
294	294
295	295	(xii) Proximity to a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO); 6
296	296
297	297	(xiii) Percent of the population lacking broadband coverage; 7
298	298
299	299	(xiv) Asthma emergency room discharges; 8
300	300
301	301	(xv) Myocardial infarction discharges; 9
302	302
303	303	(xvi) Low–birth–weight infants; 10
304	304
305	305	(xvii) Proximity to emitting power plants; 11
306	306
307	307	(xviii) Proximity to a Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) facility; 12
308	308
309	309	(xix) Proximity to a brownfields site; 13
310	310
311	311	(xx) Proximity to mining operations; and 14
312	312
313	313	(xxi) Proximity to a hazardous waste landfill. 15
314	314
315	315	(8) “Underserved community” means any census tract in which, according 16
316	316	to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau Survey: 17
317	317
318	318	(i) At least 25% of the residents qualify as low–income; 18
319	319
320	320	(ii) At least 50% of the residents identify as nonwhite; or 19
321	321
322	322	(iii) At least 15% of the residents have limited English proficiency. 20
323	323
324	324	9–201. 21
325	325
326	326	(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 22
327	327
328	328	(e) “Refuse disposal system” includes: 23
329	329
330	330	(1) An incinerator; 24
331	331	8 SENATE BILL 134
332	332
333	333
334	334	(2) A transfer station; 1
335	335
336	336	(3) A landfill system; 2
337	337
338	338	(4) A landfill; 3
339	339
340	340	(5) A solid waste processing facility; and 4
341	341
342	342	(6) Any other solid waste acceptance facility. 5
343	343
344	344	9–1725.1. 6
345	345
346	346	(A) IN THIS SECTION , “REFUSE DISPOSAL SYST EM” HAS THE MEANING 7
347	347	STATED IN § 9–201 OF THIS TITLE. 8
348	348
349	349	(B) (1) BEGINNING JULY 1, 2026, THERE IS A SOLID WAS TE DISPOSAL 9
350	350	SURCHARGE ON THE FIN AL DISPOSAL OF SOLID WA STE IN REFUSE DISPOS AL 10
351	351	SYSTEMS IN THE STATE. 11
352	352
353	353	(2) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (3) OF THIS SUBSECTION , THE SOLID 12
354	354	WASTE DISPOSAL SURCH ARGE IS $2 PER TON OF SOLID WAS TE PROCESSED BY A 13
355	355	REFUSE DISPOSAL SYST EM FOR FINAL DISPOSA L. 14
356	356
357	357	(3) ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2028, AND EVERY 2 YEARS THEREAFTER , 15
358	358	THE DEPARTMENT SHALL : 16
359	359
360	360	(I) ADJUST THE SOLID WAST E DISPOSAL SURCHARGE IN 17
361	361	ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR THE MID–ATLANTIC 18
362	362	DIVISION; AND 19
363	363
364	364	(II) EVALUATE THE SOLID WA STE DISPOSAL SURCHAR GE TO 20
365	365	DETERMINE IF ADDITIONA L ADJUSTMENTS TO THE SURCHARGE ARE REQUIR ED. 21
366	366
367	367	(4) IF THE SURCHARGE HAS BEEN ASSESSED ON AN ELIGIBLE OWNER 22
368	368	OR OPERATOR OF A TRA NSFER STATION , THE SOLID WASTE DISP OSAL SURCHARGE 23
369	369	MAY NOT BE ASSESSED ON AN OWNER OR OPERA TOR OF A REFUSE DI SPOSAL SYSTEM 24
370	370	THAT RECEIVES THE SO LID WASTE FOR FINAL DISPOSAL. 25
371	371
372	372	(5) AN OWNER OR OPERATOR OF A REFUSE DISPOSAL SYSTEM SHALL 26
373	373	COLLECT THE SURCHARG E REQUIRED UNDER THI S SECTION BY INCLUDI NG THE 27
374	374	SURCHARGE AMOUNT DUE AS A SEPARATE LINE I TEM ON EVERY CUSTOME R BILL 28
375	375	PRESENTED TO A SOLID WASTE COLLECTOR OR G ENERATOR. 29
376	376
377	377	(6) A SOLID WASTE HAULER O R COLLECTOR MAY COLL ECT RATES, 30
378	378	FEES, OR SURCHARGES FROM S OLID WASTE GENERATOR S SERVICED BY THE SO LID 31 SENATE BILL 134 9
379	379
380	380
381	381	WASTE HAULER OR COLL ECTOR IN AN AMOUNT S UFFICIENT TO RECOVER THE 1
382	382	SURCHARGE COLLECTED BY T HE OWNER OR OPERATOR OF A REFUSE DISPOSAL 2
383	383	SYSTEM. 3
384	384
385	385	(C) (1) THE COMPTROLLER SHALL COL LECT THE SURCHARGE A SSESSED 4
386	386	UNDER THIS SECTION A ND DEPOSIT THE SURCH ARGE INTO THE WASTED FOOD 5
387	387	REDUCTION AND DIVERSION FUND UNDER § 9–1725.2 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 6
388	388
389	389	(2) (I) ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2027, AND EVERY QUARTER 7
390	390	THEREAFTER , THE OWNER OR OPERATO R OF A REFUSE DISPOSAL SYST EM IN THE 8
391	391	STATE SHALL SUBMIT , UNDER OATH , THE SUM OF SURCHARGES COLLECTED IN THE 9
392	392	IMMEDIATELY PRECEDIN G QUARTER TO THE COMPTROLLER . 10
393	393
394	394	(II) IN ADDITION TO THE SU RCHARGES SUBMITTED T O THE 11
395	395	COMPTROLLER UNDER SUB PARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH , THE OWNER OR 12
396	396	OPERATOR OF A REFUSE DISPOSAL SYSTEM SHAL L SUBMIT, AS APPLICABLE , AN 13
397	397	ACCOUNTING OF THE NU MBER OF TONS OF SOLI D WASTE ACCEPTED FOR DISPOSAL, 14
398	398	TRANSFER, OR COLLECTION DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD . 15
399	399
400	400	9–1725.2. 16
401	401
402	402	(A) IN THIS SECTION, “FUND” MEANS THE WASTED FOOD REDUCTION AND 17
403	403	DIVERSION FUND. 18
404	404
405	405	(B) THERE IS A WASTED FOOD REDUCTION AND DIVERSION FUND. 19
406	406
407	407	(C) THE PURPOSE OF THE FUND IS TO FUND ELIGIBLE PROJECTS UN DER 20
408	408	THE ON–FARM ORGANICS DIVERSION AND RECYCLING GRANT PROGRAM 21
409	409	ESTABLISHED UNDER § 2–109 OF THE AGRICULTURE ARTICLE, THE WASTED FOOD 22
410	410	REDUCTION AND DIVERSION GRANT PROGRAM ESTABLISHED U NDER § 23
411	411	9–1725.3 OF THIS SUBTITLE , AND THE COUNTY WASTED FOOD REDUCTION BLOCK 24
412	412	GRANT PROGRAM ESTABLISHED U NDER § 9–1725.4 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 25
413	413
414	414	(D) THE SECRETARY SHALL ADMIN ISTER THE FUND. 26
415	415
416	416	(E) (1) THE FUND IS A SPECIAL , NONLAPSING FUND THAT IS NOT 27
417	417	SUBJECT TO § 7–302 OF THE STATE FINANCE AND PROCUREMENT ARTICLE. 28
418	418
419	419	(2) THE STATE TREASURER SHALL HOLD THE FUND SEPARATELY , 29
420	420	AND THE COMPTROLLER SHALL ACC OUNT FOR THE FUND. 30
421	421
422	422	(F) THE FUND CONSISTS OF : 31
423	423	10 SENATE BILL 134
424	424
425	425
426	426	(1) REVENUE DISTRIBUTED T O THE FUND UNDER § 9–1725.1 OF THIS 1
427	427	SUBTITLE; 2
428	428
429	429	(2) MONEY APPROPRIATED IN THE STATE BUDGET TO THE FUND; 3
430	430
431	431	(3) INTEREST EARNINGS ; AND 4
432	432
433	433	(4) ANY OTHER MONEY FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE ACC EPTED FOR 5
434	434	THE BENEFIT OF THE FUND. 6
435	435
436	436	(G) (1) (I) NOT MORE THAN 25% OF THE FUND MAY BE USED FOR 7
437	437	ADMINISTRATIVE EXPEN SES JOINTLY BY THE DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT 8
438	438	OF AGRICULTURE EACH FISC AL YEAR. 9
439	439
440	440	(II) NOT MORE THAN 0.5% OF THE FUND MAY BE USED FOR 10
441	441	ADMINISTRATIVE EXPEN SES BY THE COMPTROLLER EACH FISC AL YEAR. 11
442	442
443	443	(2) BEGINNING JULY 1, 2027, AND EACH JULY 1 THEREAFTER , THE 12
444	444	COMPTROLLER SHALL TRA NSFER THE REMAINING MONEY FROM THE FUND AFTER 13
445	445	ADMINISTRATIVE EXPEN SES UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION A S 14
446	446	FOLLOWS: 15
447	447
448	448	(I) 25% TO THE WASTED FOOD REDUCTION AND DIVERSION 16
449	449	GRANT PROGRAM UNDER § 9–1725.3 OF THIS SUBTITLE; 17
450	450
451	451	(II) 25% TO THE ON–FARM ORGANICS DIVERSION AND 18
452	452	RECYCLING GRANT PROGRAM UNDER § 2–109 OF THE AGRICULTURE ARTICLE; 19
453	453	AND 20
454	454
455	455	(III) 50% TO THE COUNTY WASTED FOOD REDUCTION BLOCK 21
456	456	GRANT PROGRAM UNDER § 9–1725.4 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 22
457	457
458	458	(H) (1) THE STATE TREASURER SHALL INVES T THE MONEY OF THE FUND 23
459	459	IN THE SAME MANNER AS OTHER STATE MONEY MAY BE IN VESTED. 24
460	460
461	461	(2) ANY INTEREST EARNINGS OF THE FUND SHALL BE CREDITE D TO 25
462	462	THE FUND. 26
463	463
464	464	(I) EXPENDITURES FROM THE FUND MAY BE MADE ONLY IN ACCORDANCE 27
465	465	WITH THE STATE BUDGET . 28
466	466
467	467	(J) MONEY EXPENDED FROM T HE FUND FOR THE WASTED FOOD 29
468	468	REDUCTION AND DIVERSION GRANT PROGRAM, THE ON–FARM ORGANICS 30
469	469	DIVERSION AND RECYCLING GRANT PROGRAM, AND THE COUNTY WASTED FOOD 31 SENATE BILL 134 11
470	470
471	471
472	472	REDUCTION BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM IS SUPPLEMENT AL TO AND IS NOT INT ENDED 1
473	473	TO TAKE THE PLACE OF FUNDING THAT OTHERWI SE WOULD BE APPROPRIATED FOR 2
474	474	THOSE PROGRAMS . 3
475	475
476	476	9–1725.3. 4
477	477
478	478	(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 5
479	479	INDICATED. 6
480	480
481	481	(2) “GRANT PROGRAM” MEANS THE WASTED FOOD REDUCTION AND 7
482	482	DIVERSION GRANT PROGRAM. 8
483	483
484	484	(3) “OVERBURDENED COMMUNIT Y” HAS THE MEANING STATED IN § 9
485	485	1–701 OF THIS ARTICLE. 10
486	486
487	487	(4) “UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY ” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 11
488	488	1–701 OF THIS ARTICLE. 12
489	489
490	490	(5) “URBAN AGRICULTURAL PR ODUCER” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED 13
491	491	IN § 2–2001 OF THE AGRICULTURE ARTICLE. 14
492	492
493	493	(6) “URBAN FARMER ” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 2–401 OF THE 15
494	494	AGRICULTURE ARTICLE. 16
495	495
496	496	(B) BEGINNING JULY 1, 2027, THERE IS A WASTED FOOD REDUCTION AND 17
497	497	DIVERSION GRANT PROGRAM IN THE DEPARTMENT . 18
498	498
499	499	(C) THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANT PROGRAM IS TO AWARD G RANTS 19
500	500	ANNUALLY F OR INFRASTRUCTURE , PROGRAMS, AND EDUCATION THAT R EDUCE, 20
501	501	RESCUE, AND DIVERT WASTED FO OD IN THE STATE. 21
502	502
503	503	(D) THE DEPARTMENT , IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF 22
504	504	AGRICULTURE , SHALL ADMINISTER THE GRANT PROGRAM. 23
505	505
506	506	(E) THE FOLLOWING PERSONS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A GRANT UNDER THE 24
507	507	GRANT PROGRAM: 25
508	508
509	509	(1) A UNIT OF STATE OR LOCAL GOVERN MENT; 26
510	510
511	511	(2) A LOCAL EDUCATION AGEN CY; 27
512	512
513	513	(3) AN INSTITUTION OF HIG HER EDUCATION AS DEF INED IN § 10–101 28
514	514	OF THE EDUCATION ARTICLE; 29
515	515	12 SENATE BILL 134
516	516
517	517
518	518	(4) A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATI ON; 1
519	519
520	520	(5) A FARMER, AN URBAN FARMER , OR AN URBAN AGRICULT URAL 2
521	521	PRODUCER; 3
522	522
523	523	(6) A BUSINESS IN THE STATE THAT IS IN GOOD STANDING WITH THE 4
524	524	STATE DEPARTMENT OF ASSESSMENTS AND TAXATION; AND 5
525	525
526	526	(7) A CONSORTIUM OF ANY EN TITIES UNDER THIS SU BSECTION. 6
527	527
528	528	(F) A PROJECT IS ELIGIBLE FOR A GRANT UNDER THE GRANT PROGRAM IF 7
529	529	THE PROJECT DEVELOPS , MAINTAINS, OR EXPANDS INFRASTRU CTURE, COLLECTION 8
530	530	PROGRAMS, EDUCATION, OR TECHNICAL ASSISTA NCE IN THE STATE THAT: 9
531	531
532	532	(1) REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF WASTED FOOD GENERATE D; 10
533	533
534	534	(2) RESCUES EDIBLE FOOD F OR PURPOSES OF REDISTRIBUTI ON; 11
535	535
536	536	(3) RECOVERS WASTED FOOD AS ANIMAL FEED IF TH E FEED IS 12
537	537	REGISTERED AND TREAT ED IN ACCORDANCE WIT H REGULATIONS IMPLEM ENTED BY 13
538	538	THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ; 14
539	539
540	540	(4) COMPOSTS OR RECYCLES FOOD RESIDUALS THAT ARE 15
541	541	SEPARATED FROM PACKA GING PRIOR TO COLLECTI ON, INCLUDING 16
542	542	AT–HOME, COMMUNITY , AND ON–FARM COMPOSTING ; OR 17
543	543
544	544	(5) TRANSITIONS FROM SING LE–USE FOOD SERVICEWARE TO 18
545	545	DURABLE AND REUSABLE FOOD SERVICEWARE . 19
546	546
547	547	(G) IN AWARDING GRANTS UN DER THE GRANT PROGRAM, THE 20
548	548	DEPARTMENT , IN CONSULTAT ION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE , 21
549	549	SHALL PRIORITIZE PRO JECTS: 22
550	550
551	551	(1) FOR WHICH THE APPLICA NT CLEARLY DESCRIBES HOW THE 23
552	552	PROJECT WILL: 24
553	553
554	554	(I) PROVIDE DIRECT , MEANINGFUL , AND ASSURED BENEFITS 25
555	555	TO THE COMMUNITY ; AND 26
556	556
557	557	(II) ADDRESS IMPORTANT COM MUNITY NEEDS; 27
558	558
559	559	(2) THAT PREVENT , RESCUE, AND DIVERT WASTED FO OD WITHIN A 28
560	560	LOCAL COMMUNITY ; 29
561	561	SENATE BILL 134 13
562	562
563	563
564	564	(3) THAT PLAN TO PRODUCE COMPOST THAT MEETS T HE 1
565	565	CLASSIFICATION OF “GENERAL USE ” UNDER COMAR 15.18.04.05; 2
566	566
567	567	(4) THAT PLAN TO PRODUCE MINIMALLY CONTAMINAT ED COMPOST 3
568	568	THROUGH: 4
569	569
570	570	(I) PROCESSING ORGANIC MA TERIALS THAT ARE SEP ARATED 5
571	571	FROM PACKAGING PRIOR TO COLLECTION ; 6
572	572
573	573	(II) NOT USING DEPACKAGERS ; AND 7
574	574
575	575	(III) MEETING THE U.S. COMPOSTING COUNCIL’S SEAL OF 8
576	576	TESTING ASSURANCE; 9
577	577
578	578	(5) THAT SERVE AN OVERBUR DENED OR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY ; 10
579	579
580	580	(6) THAT MINIMIZE NEGATIV E IMPACTS TO THE LOC AL COMMUNITY ; 11
581	581	AND 12
582	582
583	583	(7) THAT MAXIMIZE BENEFIT S TO THE LOCAL COMMU NITY, 13
584	584	INCLUDING: 14
585	585
586	586	(I) THE CREATION OF JOBS ; 15
587	587
588	588	(II) INCREASING JOB TRAINI NG; AND 16
589	589
590	590	(III) INCREASING HIRING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPME NT 17
591	591	PRACTICES THAT ARE I NCLUSIVE AND PROVIDE A LIVING WAGE. 18
592	592
593	593	(H) AN ELIGIBLE PERSON TH AT RECEIVES A GRANT UNDER THE GRANT 19
594	594	PROGRAM MAY NOT RECEI VE A GRANT UNDER THE ON–FARM ORGANICS 20
595	595	DIVERSION AND RECYCLING GRANT PROGRAM UNDER § 2–109 OF THE 21
596	596	AGRICULTURE ARTICLE IN THE SAME C ALENDAR YEAR . 22
597	597
598	598	(I) (1) THE DEPARTMENT , IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT 23
599	599	OF AGRICULTURE , SHALL ADOPT REGULATI ONS TO IMPLEMENT THI S SECTION. 24
600	600
601	601	(2) REGULATIONS ADOPTED U NDER THIS SUBSECT ION SHALL 25
602	602	INCLUDE: 26
603	603
604	604	(I) A SIMPLE COMMON APPLIC ATION PROCEDURE ; AND 27
605	605	14 SENATE BILL 134
606	606
607	607
608	608	(II) FOR ELIGIBLE ENTITIES , A PROCESS TO FACILIT ATE THE 1
609	609	PARTICIPATION OF ELI GIBLE ENTITIES THAT HAVE LIMITED RESOURC ES OR 2
610	610	LANGUAGE BARRIERS . 3
611	611
612	612	(J) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 2027, AND EACH DECEMBER 31 4
613	613	THEREAFTER , THE DEPARTMENT SHALL REPO RT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, IN 5
614	614	ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, ON: 6
615	615
616	616	(1) THE NUMBER AND TYPES OF GRANTS AWARDED ; 7
617	617
618	618	(2) THE IMPACT OF THE GRA NTS ON THE CREATION OF JOBS AND 8
619	619	OTHER BENEFITS TO TH E STATE; 9
620	620
621	621	(3) THE IMPACT ON WASTE P REVENTED, RESCUED, AND DIVERTED 10
622	622	FROM DISPOSAL ; AND 11
623	623
624	624	(4) THE IMPACT ON FARMERS , URBAN FARMERS , AND URBAN 12
625	625	AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE RS IN THE STATE. 13
626	626
627	627	9–1725.4. 14
628	628
629	629	(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 15
630	630	INDICATED. 16
631	631
632	632	(2) “GRANT PROGRAM” MEANS THE COUNTY WASTED FOOD 17
633	633	REDUCTION BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM. 18
634	634
635	635	(3) “OVERBURDENED COMMUNIT Y” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 19
636	636	1–701 OF THIS ARTICLE. 20
637	637
638	638	(4) “UNDERSERVED COMM UNITY” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 21
639	639	1–701 OF THIS ARTICLE. 22
640	640
641	641	(5) “URBAN AGRICULTURAL PR ODUCER” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED 23
642	642	IN § 2–2001 OF THE AGRICULTURE ARTICLE. 24
643	643
644	644	(6) “URBAN FARMER ” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 2–401 OF THE 25
645	645	AGRICULTURE ARTICLE. 26
646	646
647	647	(B) BEGINNING JULY 1, 2027, THERE IS A COUNTY WASTED FOOD 27
648	648	REDUCTION BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM IN THE DEPARTMENT . 28
649	649	SENATE BILL 134 15
650	650
651	651
652	652	(C) (1) THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANT PROGRAM IS TO AWARD G RANTS TO 1
653	653	COUNTIES ANNUALLY IN AMOUNTS PROPORTIONAL TO EACH COUNTY ’S 2
654	654	POPULATION . 3
655	655
656	656	(2) FUNDS RECEIVED BY A COUNTY UNDER TH IS SUBSECTION SHALL 4
657	657	FUND PROJECTS TO DEV ELOP, MAINTAIN, OR EXPAND INFRASTRUC TURE, 5
658	658	PROGRAMS, AND EDUCATION THAT R EDUCE, RESCUE, AND DIVERT WASTED FO OD IN 6
659	659	THE COUNTY. 7
660	660
661	661	(D) THE DEPARTMENT , IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF 8
662	662	AGRICULTUR E, SHALL ADMINISTER THE GRANT PROGRAM. 9
663	663
664	664	(E) IN FUNDING PROJECTS U NDER THE GRANT PROGRAM, A COUNTY SHALL 10
665	665	PRIORITIZE PROJECTS THAT: 11
666	666
667	667	(1) PROVIDE DIRECT , MEANINGFUL , AND ASSURED BENEFITS TO THE 12
668	668	COMMUNITY ; 13
669	669
670	670	(2) ADDRESS IMPORTANT COM MUNITY NEEDS ; 14
671	671
672	672	(3) PREVENT, RESCUE, AND DIVERT WASTED FO OD WITHIN A LOCAL 15
673	673	COMMUNITY ; 16
674	674
675	675	(4) PLAN TO PRODUCE COMPO ST THAT MEETS THE CL ASSIFICATION 17
676	676	OF “GENERAL USE ” UNDER COMAR 15.18.04.05; 18
677	677
678	678	(5) PLAN TO PRODUCE MINIM ALLY CONTAMINATED CO MPOST 19
679	679	THROUGH: 20
680	680
681	681	(I) PROCESSING ORGANIC MATERIALS THAT ARE S EPARATED 21
682	682	FROM PACKAGING PRIOR TO COLLECTION ; 22
683	683
684	684	(II) NOT USING DEPACKAGERS ; AND 23
685	685
686	686	(III) MEETING THE U.S. COMPOSTING COUNCIL’S SEAL OF 24
687	687	TESTING ASSURANCE; 25
688	688
689	689	(6) SERVE AN OVERBURDENED OR UNDERSERVED COMMU NITY; 26
690	690
691	691	(7) MINIMIZE NEGATI VE IMPACTS TO THE LO CAL COMMUNITY ; AND 27
692	692
693	693	(8) MAXIMIZE BENEFITS TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY , INCLUDING: 28
694	694	16 SENATE BILL 134
695	695
696	696
697	697	(I) THE CREATION OF JOBS ; 1
698	698
699	699	(II) INCREASING JOB TRAINI NG; AND 2
700	700
701	701	(III) INCREASING HIRING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPME NT 3
702	702	PRACTICES THAT ARE I NCLUSIVE AND PROVIDE A LIVING WAG E. 4
703	703
704	704	Article – State Finance and Procurement 5
705	705
706	706	6–226. 6
707	707
708	708	(a) (2) (i) 1. This subparagraph does not apply in fiscal years 2024 7
709	709	through 2028. 8
710	710
711	711	2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and unless 9
712	712	inconsistent with a federal law, grant agreement, or other federal requirement or with the 10
713	713	terms of a gift or settlement agreement, net interest on all State money allocated by the 11
714	714	State Treasurer under this section to special funds or accounts, and otherwise entitled to 12
715	715	receive interest earnings, as accounted for by the Comptroller, shall accrue to the General 13
716	716	Fund of the State. 14
717	717
718	718	(ii) The provisions of subparagraph (i) of this paragraph do not apply 15
719	719	to the following funds: 16
720	720
721	721	204. the Victims of Domestic Violence Program Grant Fund; 17
722	722	[and] 18
723	723
724	724	205. the Proposed Programs Collaborative Grant Fund; AND 19
725	725
726	726	206. THE WASTED FOOD REDUCTION AND DIVERSION 20
727	727	FUND. 21
728	728
729	729	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 22
730	730	October 1, 2025. 23
731	731
732	732