Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB315 Latest Draft

Bill / Chaptered Version Filed 04/10/2025

                             	WES MOORE, Governor 	Ch. 47 
 
– 1 – 
Chapter 47 
(Senate Bill 315) 
 
AN ACT concerning 
 
Maryland Environmental Service – Membership of Board of Directors – 
Alterations 
 
FOR the purpose of altering the composition of the Board of Directors of the Maryland 
Environmental Service by replacing the State Treasurer with the Secretary of 
Planning or the Secretary’s designee; providing that certain provisions of law 
relating to terms of members of the Board do not apply to the Secretary of Planning, 
certain legislative members, and the Executive Director; and generally relating to the 
membership of the Board of Directors of the Maryland Environmental Service.  
 
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 
 Article – Natural Resources 
 Section 3–103(a) 
 Annotated Code of Maryland 
 (2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 
 
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 
 Article – Natural Resources 
 Section 3–103(b) 
 Annotated Code of Maryland 
 (2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 
 
 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 
 
Article – Natural Resources 
 
3–103. 
 
 (a) (1) There is a body politic and corporate known as the “Maryland 
Environmental Service”. 
 
 (2) The Service is an instrumentality of the State and a public corporation 
by that name, style, and title, and the exercise by the Service of the powers conferred by 
this subtitle is the performance of an essential governmental function of the State. 
 
 (b) (1) There are four officers of the Service: 
 
 (i) An Executive Director; 
 
 (ii) A Deputy Director;  Ch. 47 	2025 LAWS OF MARYLAND  
 
– 2 – 
 
 (iii) A Secretary; and 
 
 (iv) A Treasurer. 
 
 (2) (i) The four officers of the Service shall be appointed in accordance 
with this paragraph. 
 
 (ii) 1. The Executive Director shall be appointed by the 
Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate solely with regard to the qualifications 
for the duties of the office. 
 
 2. The Executive Director serves at the pleasure of the Board 
with the concurrence of the Governor and shall receive such compensation as may be 
determined by the Board. 
 
 (iii) 1. The Deputy Director shall be appointed by the Executive 
Director with the approval of the Governor solely with regard to the qualifications for the 
duties of the office. 
 
 2. The Deputy Director serves at the pleasure of the 
Executive Director and shall receive such compensation as may be determined by the 
Board. 
 
 (iv) 1. The Secretary and the Treasurer shall be selected by the 
Board from among the Board’s members. 
 
 2. The Secretary and the Treasurer serve at the pleasure of 
the Board and shall receive such compensation as may be reasonably determined by the 
Board. 
 
 (3) The Board of Directors of the Service shall consist of the following 
members: 
 
 (i) The Executive Director, who shall serve as a nonvoting member; 
 
 (ii) THE FOLLOWING TWO MEM BERS, WHO SHALL EACH SERVE 
AS A NONVOTING MEMBE R: 
 
 1. ONE MEMBER OF THE SENATE OF MARYLAND, 
APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE; AND 
 
 2. ONE MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES, 
APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE;  
   	WES MOORE, Governor 	Ch. 47 
 
– 3 – 
 (III) The [State Treasurer] SECRETARY OF PLANNING, or the 
[State Treasurer’s] SECRETARY’S designee; 
 
 (iii) (IV) Three members from the public sector in the State in 
positions responsible for environmental, water, wastewater, or solid waste management; 
 
 (iv) (V) One member from the private sector in the State with 
technical, financial, development, or legal experience related to environmental, water, 
wastewater, or solid waste management; 
 
 (v) (VI) One member from the private sector in the State with 
financial experience related to environmental, water, wastewater, or solid waste 
management; and 
 
 (vi) (VII) One member from the private sector in the State with 
experience or expertise in matters related to business ethics, preferably involving board of 
director ethics and conflicts of interest. 
 
 (4) (i) Subject to subparagraphs (ii), (iii), and (iv) of this paragraph, the 
public sector and private sector members of the Board, as set forth in paragraph (3)(iii) 
through (vi) (3)(IV) THROUGH (VII) of this subsection shall be appointed by the Governor 
with the advice and consent of the Senate. 
 
 (ii) The Governor shall select at least one of the public sector 
members of the Board from a list of recommendations jointly compiled by the Maryland 
Association of Counties and the Maryland Municipal League. 
 
 (iii) The Governor may not appoint an employee of the Service to the 
Board. 
 
 (iv) At least one of the public sector or private sector members shall 
be a resident of a rural county in the State. 
 
 (5) (i) Five members constitute a quorum for the transaction of 
business of the Board. 
 
 (ii) The affirmative vote of at least five members is necessary for any 
action taken by the Board. 
 
 (6) Those members of the Board not already holding a public office shall 
receive from the Service: 
 
 (i) Per diem compensation as established by the Board; and 
 
 (ii) Reimbursement for expenses under Standard State Travel 
Regulations.  Ch. 47 	2025 LAWS OF MARYLAND  
 
– 4 – 
 
 (7) The term of a member other than the [State Treasurer] SECRETARY 
OF PLANNING, A MEMBER APPOINTED U NDER PARAGRAPH (3)(II) OF THIS 
SUBSECTION, AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR is 4 years. 
 
 (8) The terms of members other than the [State Treasurer] SECRETARY 
OF PLANNING, A MEMBER APPOINTED U NDER PARAGRAPH (3)(II) OF THIS 
SUBSECTION, AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR are staggered as required by the terms 
provided for those members of the Board on July 1, 2021. 
 
 (9) At the end of a term, a member continues to serve until a successor is 
appointed and qualifies. 
 
 (10) A member who is appointed after a term has begun serves only the 
remainder of that term and until a successor is appointed and qualifies. 
 
 (11) A member of the Board who is appointed under paragraph (3)(iii) 
through (vi) of this subsection may serve only two consecutive full 4–year terms, plus any 
partial term served before the initial 4–year term. 
 
 (12) Subject to paragraphs (13) and (14) of this subsection, the Board shall 
select a Chair from among the Board’s members. 
 
 (13) The Executive Director may not serve as the Secretary, Treasurer, or 
Chair of the Board. 
 
 (14) The [State Treasurer] SECRETARY OF PLANNING OR A MEMBER 
APPOINTED UNDER PARA GRAPH (3)(II) OF THIS SUBSECTION may not serve as the 
Secretary, Treasurer, or Chair of the Board. 
 
 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 
1, 2025.  
 
Approved by the Governor, April 8, 2025.