Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB781 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	sb0781
6	6
7	7	SENATE BILL 781
8	8	M1 5lr3109
9	9	CF 5lr3111
10	10	By: Senator Corderman
11	11	Introduced and read first time: January 27, 2025
12	12	Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
13	13
14	14	A BILL ENTITLED
15	15
16	16	AN ACT concerning 1
17	17
18	18	Task Force on the Establishment of a State Park Dedicated to Veterans’ Care 2
19	19
20	20	FOR the purpose of establishing the Task Force on the Establishment of a State Park 3
21	21	Dedicated to Veterans’ Care to study issues and estimate costs related to the 4
22	22	establishment of a State park dedicated to providing recreational opportunities and 5
23	23	therapeutic services to veterans; and generally relating to the Task Force on the 6
24	24	Establishment of a State Park Dedicated to Veterans’ Care. 7
25	25
26	26	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 8
27	27	That: 9
28	28
29	29	(a) There is a Task Force on the Establishment of a State Park Dedicated to 10
30	30	Veterans’ Care. 11
31	31
32	32	(b) (1) The Task Force shall include the following members: 12
33	33
34	34	(i) one member of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the 13
35	35	President of the Senate; 14
36	36
37	37	(ii) one member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker 15
38	38	of the House; 16
39	39
40	40	(iii) the Secretary of Natural Resources, or the Secretary’s designee; 17
41	41
42	42	(iv) the Secretary of Veterans and Military Families, or the 18
43	43	Secretary’s designee; 19
44	44
45	45	(v) the Director of the Maryland Park Service, or the Director’s 20
46	46	designee; 21
47	47	2 SENATE BILL 781
48	48
49	49
50	50	(vi) one county commissioner of Washington County, appointed by 1
51	51	the President of the Washington County Board of Commissioners; 2
52	52
53	53	(vii) the County Administrator of Washington County, or the County 3
54	54	Administrator’s designee; 4
55	55
56	56	(viii) the following members, appointed by the Secretary of Natural 5
57	57	Resources: 6
58	58
59	59	1. one representative of the Hagerstown –Washington 7
60	60	County Convention and Visitors Bureau; 8
61	61
62	62	2. one representative of an organization that provides 9
63	63	therapeutic services to veterans; and 10
64	64
65	65	3. the owner of land located in the Southern portion of 11
66	66	Washington County that has been proposed for transfer to the State for the purpose of 12
67	67	establishing a State park dedicated to veterans’ care; and 13
68	68
69	69	(ix) one resident from legislative district 2 in Washington County. 14
70	70
71	71	(2) In addition to the members specified under paragraph (1) of this 15
72	72	subsection, the Secretary of Natural Resources may invite a representative of the National 16
73	73	Park Service and any other relevant stakeholders to serve as members of the Task Force. 17
74	74
75	75	(c) The Secretary of Natural Resources shall designate the chair of the Task 18
76	76	Force. 19
77	77
78	78	(d) The Department of Natural Resources shall provide staff for the Task Force. 20
79	79
80	80	(e) A member of the Task Force: 21
81	81
82	82	(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Task Force; but 22
83	83
84	84	(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 23
85	85	Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 24
86	86
87	87	(f) The Task Force shall: 25
88	88
89	89	(1) study issues and estimate costs related to the establishment of a State 26
90	90	park dedicated to providing recreational opportunities and therapeutic services to veterans; 27
91	91
92	92	(2) make recommendations regarding: 28
93	93
94	94	(i) services and amenities to be provided by the park; 29
95	95	SENATE BILL 781 3
96	96
97	97
98	98	(ii) operational models for the park, including how operational and 1
99	99	maintenance responsibilities could be shared between the Maryland Park Service and 2
100	100	partner organizations; 3
101	101
102	102	(iii) options for funding the initial start–up costs of the park, 4
103	103	including infrastructure and capital costs; and 5
104	104
105	105	(iv) self–sustaining funding models for the ongoing operational costs 6
106	106	of the park; and 7
107	107
108	108	(3) develop an action plan identifying next steps for the establishment of 8
109	109	the park. 9
110	110
111	111	(g) On or before December 1, 2026, the Task Force shall report its findings and 10
112	112	recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State 11
113	113	Government Article, the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee and 12
114	114	the House Environment and Transportation Committee. 13
115	115
116	116	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 14
117	117	1, 2025. It shall remain effective for a period of 2 years and, at the end of June 30, 2027, 15
118	118	this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and 16
119	119	of no further force and effect. 17