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*hb0227*
HOUSE BILL 227
M3 6lr0056
(PRE–FILED) CF SB 228
By: Chair, Appropriations Committee (By Request – Departmental – Maryland
Environmental Service)
Requested: September 25, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Appropriations and Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 18, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Maryland Environmental Service – Authorizations and Requirements – 2
Alterations 3
FOR the purpose of expanding the authority of the Treasurer of the Maryland 4
Environmental Service to delegate certain functions to the Deputy Treasurer of the 5
Service; increasing the threshold amount for estimated contract costs under which 6
the Service may use the small procurement process; altering the process for 7
providing notice of the establishment or adjustment of certain rates charged for 8
Service projects, pr oducts, or services; and generally relating to the Maryland 9
Environmental Service. 10
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 11
Article – Natural Resources 12
Section 3–103(a) and (b)(1) 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 15
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 16
Article – Natural Resources 17
Section 3–103(e) and (g)(3) and 3–108(a)(4) 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 20
2 HOUSE BILL 227
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Natural Resources 3
3–103. 4
(a) (1) There is a body politic and corporate known as the “Maryland 5
Environmental Service”. 6
(2) The Service is an instrumentality of the State and a public corporation 7
by that name, style, and title, and the exercise by the Service of the powers conferred by 8
this subtitle is the performance of an essential governmental function of the State. 9
(b) (1) There are four officers of the Service: 10
(i) An Executive Director; 11
(ii) A Deputy Director; 12
(iii) A Secretary; and 13
(iv) A Treasurer. 14
(e) (1) (i) The Treasurer shall: 15
1. Develop and maintain a detailed and accurate accounting 16
system for all financial transactions of the Service; and 17
2. Perform other duties relating to the financial affairs of the 18
Service as required by law or by a directive of the Board. 19
(ii) Unless any money of the Service is otherwise held by or payable 20
to a trustee appointed pursuant to a resolution authori zing the issuance of bonds or notes 21
or under a trust agreement securing the bonds or notes, the Treasurer shall: 22
1. Receive money of the Service until otherwise prescribed by 23
law; and 24
2. Deposit the money as soon as it is received to the credit of 25
the Service in any financial institution in which the State Treasurer is authorized to deposit 26
State funds. 27
(iii) The Treasurer shall disburse money for the purposes of the 28
Service according to law, only upon the Treasurer’s warrant. 29
HOUSE BILL 227 3
(iv) The Treasurer shall make arrangements for the payment of the 1
interest on and principal of the Service debt. 2
(v) Upon entering the performance of official duties, the Treasurer 3
shall be covered by a surety bond or an insurance policy of the type and in the amo unt of 4
coverage determined by the State Treasurer under § 5–108 of the State Government Article. 5
(2) (i) With the approval of the Board, the Treasurer may authorize an 6
employee of the Service to serve as Deputy Treasurer and to [disburse money for the 7
purposes of the Service as provided by law, and] PERFORM ANY OF THE FUNCTIONS SET 8
FORTH UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION, subject to restrictions and other 9
conditions that the Treasurer establishes. 10
(ii) The Deputy Treasurer shall be covered by a surety bond or an 11
insurance policy of the type and in the amount of coverage determined by the State 12
Treasurer under § 5–108 of the State Government Article. 13
(g) (3) (i) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, all 14
procurements by the Service for materials, equipment, services, or supplies performed or 15
furnished in connection with the planning, development, design, equipping, construction, 16
or operation of any project owned or controlled by the Service, shall be awarded in 17
accordance with rules and regulations adopted pursuant to the Administrative Procedure 18
Act. 19
(ii) The Service may procure materials, equipment, services, or 20
supplies by utilizing: 21
1. Competitive sealed bids; 22
2. Competitive sealed proposals; 23
3. Sole source procurement; 24
4. Intergovernmental cooperative purchasing agreements; 25
5. A small procurement process, if the procurement is 26
estimated by the Service to result in an expenditure of [$25,000] $50,000 or less; 27
6. An emergency procurement process, if the procurement is 28
necessary to avoid or to mitigate serious damage to public health, safety, or welfare; or 29
7. Pay–for–success contracting under § 13 –228 of the State 30
Finance and Procurement Article. 31
3–108. 32
4 HOUSE BILL 227
(a) (4) (i) [Before] AT LEAST 60 DAYS BEFORE establishing or adjusting 1
charges in a service district, the Service shall [publish notice] NOTIFY THE RESIDENTS 2
OF THE SERVICE DISTRICT BY: 3
1. SUBJECT TO SUBPARAGRA PH (II) OF THIS 4
PARAGRAPH, PUBLISHING NOTICE of the proposed charges, at least once a week for 2 5
weeks, in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the municipality in which the 6
service district is located and hold a public hearing on the proposed charges; AND 7
2. USING ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING METHODS: 8
A. POSTING THE PROPOSED CHARGES ON THE 9
HOMEPAGE OF THE SERVICE WEBSITE FOR AT LEAST 2 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS; 10
B. IF THE SERVICE DISTRICT IS ALREADY ESTABLISHED 11
AND THERE IS A PROPO SED ADJUSTMENT TO CH ARGES IN THE SERVICE DISTRICT, 12
SENDING AN E –MAIL OR A TEXT NOTIF ICATION OF THE PROPOSED CH ARGES AT 13
LEAST ONCE A WEEK FO R 2 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS TO ALL AFFECTED RATEPAYERS 14
WHO HAVE PROVIDED CONTACT INFORMATION; OR 15
C. PROVIDING NOTICE OF T HE PROPOSED CHARGES BY 16
MAIL THROUGH THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE TO EACH AFFEC TED 17
PROPERTY OWNER AND PHYSICAL ADDRESS AFFECTED. 18
(ii) The published notice [shall be at least 1/4 page in size, and use 19
at least 18 point type. The notice may not be placed with legal notices or classified 20
advertisements. The headline of the notice shall be in bold print, with all letters capitalized. 21
The text of the notice, other than the headline, shall be in upper and lower case letters ] 22
UNDER SUBPARAGRAPH (I)1 OF THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL: 23
1. BE PLACED WITH LEGAL NOTICES; 24
2. HAVE THE HEADLINE OF THE NOTICE IN BOLD PRINT, 25
WITH ALL LETTERS CAPITALIZED; AND 26
3. HAVE THE TEXT OF THE NOTICE, OTHER THAN THE 27
HEADLINE, IN UPPER AND LOWER CASE LETTERS. 28
(iii) The charges shall become effective on the date set by the Service. 29
The Service may, by reso lution of the Board, provide that the charges are chargeable 30
against all or part of the lots or parcels of land in the service district and constitute a first 31
lien on such property. The resolution may establish reasonable times and methods of 32
collection of the charges, which may be levied and collected by the Service and have the 33
same priority and rights and bear the same interest and penalties and in every respect be 34
HOUSE BILL 227 5
treated the same as taxes of the State. The charges may be levied and collected 1
notwithstanding the absence of a contract between the Service and the municipality, 2
person, or property against whom the charge is imposed. 3
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 4
October 1, 2026. 5
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.