EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0095*
SENATE BILL 95
M1, O4 5lr1252
SB 886/24 – EEE (PRE–FILED)
By: Senator Folden
Requested: October 17, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
State and Local Parks – Playgrounds – Safety Standards 2
(Our Kids Play Safe Playground Safety Act of 2025) 3
FOR the purpose of requiring each unit of State or local government responsible for the 4
construction and maintenance of a playground to ensure that the playground is 5
constructed and maintained in accordance with certain safety standards; requiring 6
a unit of State or local government to inspect a certain playground to evaluate 7
compliance with certain safety standards and to keep an inspection record in a 8
certain manner; and generally relating to safety standards for playgrounds. 9
BY adding to 10
Article – Natural Resources 11
Section 5–2101 and 5–2102 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 21. Playground 12
Safety” 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2023 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 – Natural Resources 18
SUBTITLE 21. PLAYGROUND SAFETY. 19
5–2101. 20
IN THIS SUBTITLE, “PLAYGROUND ” MEANS A PUBLIC OUTDO OR RECREATION 21
AREA FOR CHILDREN EQ UIPPED WITH ONE OR M ORE PLAY STRUCTURES . 22
2 SENATE BILL 95
5–2102. 1
(A) EACH UNIT OF STATE OR LOCAL GOVERN MENT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE 2
CONSTRUCTION AND MAI NTENANCE OF A PLAYGR OUND SHALL ENSURE TH AT THE 3
PLAYGROUND IS CONSTR UCTED AND MAINTAINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH T HE MOST 4
RECENT PUBLICATION O F: 5
(1) THE PUBLIC PLAYGROUND SAFETY HANDBOOK, PUBLISHED BY 6
THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION; 7
(2) THE STANDARD CONSUMER SAFETY PERFORMANCE 8
SPECIFICATION FOR PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT FOR PUBLIC USE, PUBLISHED BY 9
THE AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARDS INSTITUTE; AND 10
(3) THE STANDARD SPECIFICATION FOR IMPACT ATTENUATION OF 11
SURFACING MATERIALS WITHIN THE USE ZONE OF PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, 12
PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARDS INSTITUTE. 13
(B) AT LEAST ONCE EVERY 2 YEARS, EACH UNIT OF STATE OR LOCAL 14
GOVERNMENT RESPONSIB LE FOR A PLAYGROUND SHALL INSPECT THE 15
PLAYGROUND TO EVALUA TE COMPLIANCE WITH S UBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION. 16
(C) AFTER COMPLETION OF E ACH INSPECTION CONDU CTED IN 17
ACCORDANCE WITH SUBS ECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION, A UNIT OF STATE OR LOCAL 18
GOVERNMENT SHALL KEE P AN INSPECTION RECO RD, INCLUDING A WRITTEN PLAN 19
TO ADDRESS ANY SAFET Y HAZARDS DISCOVERED DURING THE INSPECTION . 20
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 21
October 1, 2025. 22