EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb0344*
SENATE BILL 344
Q1 5lr1186
SB 67/24 – B&T CF HB 341
By: Senators Brooks and Watson
Introduced and read first time: January 16, 2025
Assigned to: Budget and Taxation
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 7, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Property Tax Credit – Retail Service Station Conversions 2
FOR the purpose of authorizing the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore City or the 3
governing body of a county or municipal corporation to grant, by law, a credit against 4
the county or municipal corporation property tax imposed on real property if use of 5
the real property has been converted from a retail service station to other certain 6
uses; requiring authorizing the State to pay to each county or municipal corporation 7
that grants the property tax credit under this Act an amount equal to a certain 8
percentage of certain forgone revenue of the county or municipal corporation; and 9
generally relating to a property tax credit for retail service station conversions. 10
BY adding to 11
Article – Tax – Property 12
Section 9–275 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 15
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17
Article – Tax – Property 18
9–275. 19
2 SENATE BILL 344
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 1
INDICATED. 2
(2) “DISCOUNT STORE ” MEANS A RETAIL STORE THAT OFFERS FOR 3
SALE: 4
(I) A COMBINATION AND VA RIETY OF CONVENIENCE AND 5
CONSUMER SHOPPING GO ODS; AND 6
(II) THE MAJORITY OF THE ITEMS IN THE INVENTO RY AT A 7
PRICE NOT TO EXCEED $5. 8
(3) “RETAIL USE” DOES NOT INCLUDE USE AS A DISCOUNT STORE OR 9
A SELF–SERVICE STORAGE FACI LITY. 10
(B) IT IS THE INTENT OF T HE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT A PROPE RTY TAX 11
CREDIT AUTHORIZED UN DER THIS SECTION BE GRANTED PRIMARILY TO DEFRAY 12
COSTS ASSOCIATED WIT H THE REMOVAL OF UND ERGROUND S TORAGE TANKS AND 13
THE REMEDIATION OF A NY CONTAMINATION ASS OCIATED WITH UNDERGR OUND 14
STORAGE TANKS . 15
(C) THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE CITY OR THE 16
GOVERNING BODY OF A COUNTY OR MUNICIPAL CORPORATION MAY GRAN T, BY LAW, 17
A PROPERTY TAX CREDI T UNDER TH IS SECTION AGAINST T HE COUNTY OR 18
MUNICIPAL CORPORATIO N PROPERTY TAX IMPOS ED ON REAL PROPERTY IF THE USE 19
OF THE REAL PROPERTY HAS BEEN CONVERTED F ROM A RETAIL SERVICE STATION 20
TO ANOTHER RETAIL US E, A RESIDENTIAL USE , OR A MIXED RETAIL AN D 21
RESIDENTIAL USE . 22
(D) THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE CITY OR THE 23
GOVERNING BODY OF A COUNTY OR MUNICIPAL CORPORATION MAY PROV IDE, BY 24
LAW, FOR: 25
(1) THE AMOUNT AND DURAT ION OF THE TAX CREDI T UNDER THIS 26
SECTION; 27
(2) ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILI TY CRITERIA FOR THE TAX CREDIT; 28
(3) REGULATIONS AND PROC EDURES FOR THE APPLI CATION AND 29
UNIFORM PROCESSING O F REQUESTS FOR THE T AX CREDIT; AND 30
(4) ANY OTHER PROVISION NECESSARY TO CARRY O UT THE TAX 31
CREDIT UNDER THIS SE CTION. 32
SENATE BILL 344 3
(E) AS PROVIDED IN THE STATE BUDGET , THE STATE SHALL THE STATE 1
MAY PAY TO EACH COUNTY O R MUNICIPAL CORPORAT ION THAT GRANTS THE TAX 2
CREDIT UNDER THIS SE CTION AN AMOUNT EQUA L TO 50% OF THE PROPERTY TAX 3
REVENUE THAT WOULD H AVE BEEN COLLECTED I F THE TAX CREDIT UND ER THIS 4
SECTION HAD NOT BEEN GRANTED. 5
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 6
1, 2025, and shall be applicable to all taxable years beginning after June 30, 2025. 7
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.