Maryland2026Active
HB0034
Municipalities - Open Drainage Inlets - Inventory and Improvements (Mason's Law)
Last scannedAug 22, 2026, 4:24 AM
In one sentence
This law requires Maryland municipalities to list and prioritize open drainage inlets by April 1, 2028, install approved grating systems on them, and provides $250,000 annually from fiscal years 2029 through 2031 for matching grants.
What it does
- Requires municipalities to create an inventory of all existing open drainage inlets by April 1, 2028.
- Mandates that municipalities prioritize which inlets need work based on the inventory list.
- Orders the construction or installation of approved grating systems on new and existing open drainage inlets within the municipality.
- Sets aside $250,000 annually from fiscal years 2029 through 2031 to fund matching grants for these improvements.
Who it affects
- Municipalities responsible for local stormwater systems and open drainage inlets.
- The Department of the Environment, which manages the grant program within the comprehensive flood management grant program.
Limits and unknowns
- The specific design standards for 'approved grating systems' are not detailed in the provided text and may be subject to future regulations.
- Funding is limited to $250,000 per year only between fiscal years 2029 and 2031; no amount is set for other years in this text.
- The bill does not state what penalties a municipality faces if it fails to complete the inventory or improvements by the deadline.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Open Drainage Inlet
- An opening where stormwater enters a drainage system that requires an approved grating system to prevent large debris from entering.
- Approved Grating System
- A cover placed over the opening of an open drainage inlet to allow stormwater runoff while preventing large debris from entering, as defined in Section 4-112(A)(2).
Official record
Sources
Official summary
Requiring, by April 1, 2028, a municipality to inventory and prioritize all existing open drainage inlets in the municipality and construct or install certain improvements on a new or existing open drainage inlet within the municipality; requiring, in each of fiscal years 2029 through 2031, $250,000 of the money appropriated to the comprehensive flood management grant program within the Department of the Environment be used to provide matching funds to assist with certain costs; etc.
Official activity
Bill history
- In the Senate - First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment