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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
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*hb1041*
HOUSE BILL 1041
J1, E4 6lr1677
By: Delegates Spiegel, Behler, Fair, Lehman, Lopez, McComas, Metzgar,
Mireku–North, Palakovich Carr, Queen, Schindler, and Wolek
Introduced and read first time: February 9, 2026
Assigned to: Health
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Youth Camps – Structures in Flood Hazard Areas – Prohibition 2
FOR the purpose of prohibiting the Maryland Department of Health from issuing or 3
renewing a certificate or accepting alternative accreditation for a youth camp if any 4
structures that are or will be used to house a camper are located in a flood hazard 5
area; and generally relating to youth camps. 6
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 7
Article – Environment 8
Section 5–801(a), (f), and (g) 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2013 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 12
Article – Health – General 13
Section 14–401(a), (b), (d), and (o) and 14–403(a)(1) and (2) 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 16
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 17
Article – Health – General 18
Section 14–403(a)(3) 19
Annotated Code of Maryland 20
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 21
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 22
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 23
Article – Environment 24
2 HOUSE BILL 1041
5–801. 1
(a) In this subtitle the following terms have the meanings indicated. 2
(f) “Flood hazard area” means an area of tidal or nontidal inundation resulting 3
from a 100–year flood event and established pursuant to the provisions of § 5 –803 of this 4
subtitle. 5
(g) “100–year flood event” or “100–year flood” means a flood that has a 1% chance 6
of being equalled or exceeded in any given year. 7
Article – Health – General 8
14–401. 9
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 10
(b) “Alternative a ccreditation” means a national camping standard that is 11
acceptable to the Secretary as providing adequate health and safety protection for the 12
campers, such as the American Camping Association standards for camp programs and 13
services and the Boy Scouts of America standards, which includes an annual monitoring 14
process to verify compliance with the standard. 15
(d) “Certificate” means a single certificate issued by the Department to a youth 16
camp under this subtitle. 17
(o) “Youth camp” or “camp” means any day camp, residential camp, travel camp, 18
or trip camp that: 19
(1) Accommodates 7 or more campers who are unrelated to the person 20
operating the camp; 21
(2) Provides primarily recreational activities or has a substantial outdoor 22
recreational component; 23
(3) Has permanent buildings, temporary buildings, or no buildings; and 24
(4) Operates on: 25
(i) Owned private property; 26
(ii) Owned private facilities; 27
(iii) Leased private property; 28
(iv) Leased private facilities; 29
HOUSE BILL 1041 3
(v) Public property; or 1
(vi) Public facilities. 2
14–403. 3
(a) (1) In addition to the powers set forth elsewhere in this article and subject 4
to the provisions of Title 10 of the State Government Article, on or before October 1, 1987, 5
the Secretary shall adopt regulations for cer tifying youth camps and for issuing letters of 6
compliance. 7
(2) (i) An applicant for a certificate shall submit an application to the 8
Department on the form that the Secretary requires. 9
(ii) An application for a certificate or for a letter of complia nce shall 10
include: 11
1. The name and permanent mailing address of the 12
applicant; 13
2. The proposed location of the youth camp; and 14
3. Any other information and fee that the Department 15
requires. 16
(iii) For a unit or agency subject to the provisions of this subtitle, the 17
Secretary shall require the unit or agency to complete only one application for certification 18
for all youth camps directed or operated by that unit or agency. 19
(3) (i) The Department shall be solely responsible for implementin g 20
and enforcing the provisions of this subtitle. 21
(ii) Except as provided in subparagraph (iii) of this paragraph, the 22
Secretary may impose a fee for the purpose of inspecting, monitoring, and regulating youth 23
camps in accordance with § 2–104 of this article. 24
(iii) A camp accredited or certified in accordance with the provisions 25
of subsection (b)(9) of this section may not be charged a fee under the provisions of this 26
article. 27
(IV) 1. IN THIS SUBPARAGRAPH, “FLOOD HAZARD AREA” HAS 28
THE MEANING STATED IN § 5–801 OF THE ENVIRONMENT ARTICLE. 29
2. THE DEPARTMENT MAY NOT ISSUE OR REN EW A 30
CERTIFICATE UNDER THIS SECTION OR ACCEPT ALTERNATIVE ACCREDITATION 31
4 HOUSE BILL 1041
UNDER THIS SUBTITLE IF ANY STRUCTURE THAT IS OR WILL BE USED TO HOUSE A 1
CAMPER IS LOCATED WITHIN A FLOOD HAZARD AREA. 2
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 3
October 1, 2026. 4