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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
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*hb0164*
HOUSE BILL 164
M3, P2 6lr0661
HB 338/25 – ENT (PRE–FILED)
By: Delegates Lehman, Guyton, Ruth, and Terrasa
Requested: July 29, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 14, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
State Buildings and State Highways – Collection and Disposal of Yard Waste 2
FOR the purpose of prohibiting a person from disposing of yard waste collected on the 3
grounds of a State building or State highway in a certain container; requiring a 4
person to collect yard waste on the grounds of a State buildin g or State highway in 5
a certain container; requiring all yard waste collected on the grounds of a State 6
building or State highway to be disposed of in a certain manner under certain 7
circumstances; and generally relating to the collection and disposal of ya rd waste 8
from the grounds of State buildings and State highways. 9
BY adding to 10
Article – State Finance and Procurement 11
Section 2–1001 and 2–1002 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 10. Collection and 12
Disposal of Yard Waste” 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 15
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17
Article – State Finance and Procurement 18
SUBTITLE 10. COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL OF YARD WASTE. 19
2 HOUSE BILL 164
2–1001. 1
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 2
INDICATED. 3
(B) “NATURAL WOOD WASTE RE CYCLING FACILITY ” HAS THE MEANING 4
STATED IN § 9–1701 OF THE ENVIRONMENT ARTICLE. 5
(C) “ORGANICS RECYCLING FA CILITY” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 6
9–1701 OF THE ENVIRONMENT ARTICLE. 7
(D) (1) “STATE BUILDING ” MEANS A BUILDING , A STRUCTURE , OR AN 8
IMPROVED AREA THAT IS: 9
(I) OWNED BY THE STATE; OR 10
(II) CONSTRUCTED FOR LEASE BY THE STATE. 11
(2) “STATE BUILDING” INCLUDES: 12
(I) AN EDUCATIONAL FACILITY OWNED OR OP ERATED BY THE 13
STATE, INCLUDING PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION; 14
(II) A PUBLIC MASS TRANSPORTATION ACCOMMODATION, SUCH 15
AS A TERMINAL OR STATION, THAT IS SUPPORTED BY STATE FUNDS; AND 16
(III) AN IMPROVEMENT OF A PUBLIC AREA USED FOR 17
GATHERING OR AMUSEMENT, INCLUDING A STATE PARK, RECREATION CENTER, OR 18
SIMILAR AREA. 19
(E) (1) “STATE HIGHWAY” HAS THE MEANING STATED IN § 8–101 OF THE 20
TRANSPORTATION ARTICLE. 21
(2) “STATE HIGHWAY ” INCLUDES ANY LAND OW NED BY THE STATE 22
THAT IS ADJACENT TO A STATE HIGHWAY. 23
(F) (1) “YARD WASTE ” MEANS ORGANIC PLANT WASTE DERIVED FROM 24
GARDENING, LANDSCAPING, AND TREE TRIMMING ACTIVITIES. 25
(2) “YARD WASTE ” INCLUDES LEAVES , GARDEN WASTE , LAWN 26
CUTTINGS, WEEDS, AND PRUNINGS. 27
2–1002. 28
HOUSE BILL 164 3
(A) (1) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAP H (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , 1
THIS SECTION APPLIES TO A PERSON WHO: 2
(I) IS AN EMPLOYEE OF TH E STATE WHO COLLECTS YA RD 3
WASTE ON THE GROUNDS OF A STATE BUILDING OR STATE HIGHWAY AS PART OF 4
THAT PERSON’S EMPLOYMENT; OR 5
(II) CONTRACTS WITH THE STATE TO PROVIDE SERV ICES ON 6
THE GROUNDS OF A STATE BUILDING OR STATE HIGHWAY , INCLUDING THE 7
COLLECTION OF YARD WASTE. 8
(2) THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO A PERSON WHO IS DISPOSING 9
OF: 10
(I) NOXIOUS WEEDS, AS DESIGNATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF 11
AGRICULTURE; OR 12
(II) INVASIVE SPECIES. 13
(B) A PERSON MAY NOT DISPO SE OF YARD WASTE COL LECTED ON THE 14
GROUNDS OF A STATE BUILDING OR STATE HIGHWAY IN A SI NGLE–USE PLASTIC 15
CONTAINER. 16
(C) A PERSON SHALL COLLECT YARD WASTE ON THE GROUNDS OF A STATE 17
BUILDING OR STATE HIGHWAY IN A CONTAINER THAT: 18
(1) WILL NOT BE DISCARDED WITH THE YARD WASTE; OR 19
(2) IS A COMPOSTABLE PAPER BAG. 20
(D) (1) THIS SUBSECTION APPLI ES ONLY IF A PERSON COLLECTS YARD 21
WASTE AT A LOCATION THAT IS WITHIN A 30–MILE RADIUS OF A FACILITY THAT: 22
(I) IS IDENTIFIED UNDER PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS 23
SUBSECTION; AND 24
(II) 1. HAS THE CAPACITY TO ACCEPT ALL OF THE PERSON’S 25
YARD WASTE; AND 26
2. IS WILLING TO ACCEPT ALL OF THE PERSON ’S YARD 27
WASTE. 28
(2) ALL YARD WASTE COLLEC TED ON THE GROUNDS OF A STATE 29
BUILDING OR STATE HIGHWAY SHALL BE DISPOSED OF AT: 30
4 HOUSE BILL 164
(I) AN ORGANICS RECYCLIN G FACILITY LOCATED I N THE 1
STATE; 2
(II) A NATURAL WOOD WASTE RECYCLING FACILITY LOCATED IN 3
THE STATE; OR 4
(III) A STATE FACILITY WITH THE ON–SITE CAPACITY TO CREATE 5
MULCH OR SOIL AMENDMENTS. 6
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 7
October 1, 2026. 8
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.