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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1125*
HOUSE BILL 1125
P2, B5 6lr3149
CF SB 318
By: Delegates Phillips and White Holland
Introduced and read first time: February 11, 2026
Assigned to: Appropriations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
State Capital Program – Covered Projects – Public Engagement and Community 2
Outreach Requirements 3
(Community Engagement and Outreach Act of 2026) 4
FOR the purpose of requiring units of State government proposing certain capital projects 5
to complete a certain community engagement plan and certain community outreach 6
activities and submit a certain report to the Department of Budget and Management; 7
requiring the Department to submit a certain compiled report; and generally relating 8
to community outreach and public engagement requirements for State capital 9
projects. 10
BY adding to 11
Article – State Finance and Procurement 12
Section 3–611 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
3–611. 19
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 20
INDICATED. 21
(2) “COMMUNITY OUTREACH RADIU S” MEANS THE AREA INSID E A 22
RADIUS OF 1 MILE FROM THE PROJECT FOOTPRINT. 23
2 HOUSE BILL 1125
(3) (I) “COVERED PROJECT ” MEANS THE CONSTRUCTI ON, 1
INSTALLATION, OR SUBSTANTIAL ALTERATION OF PHYSICAL IN FRASTRUCTURE OF 2
ANY CAPITAL PROJECT REQUESTED BY A UNIT OF STATE GOVERNMENT IN 3
ACCORDANCE WITH § 3–602 OF THIS SUBTITLE THA T HAS THE POTENTIAL TO 4
CREATE MATERIAL IMPACTS ON NOISE, VISIBILITY, ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, 5
OR COMMUNITY CHARACTER THAT: 6
1. A. IS CONSTRUCTED ON PR OPERTY OWNED OR 7
LEASED BY THE STATE; OR 8
B. IS FUNDED IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITH STATE FUNDS; 9
AND 10
2. A. EXCEEDS $2,000,000 IN TOTAL PROJECT COST; 11
OR 12
B. INCLUDES A STRUCTURE THAT EXCEEDS 75 FEET IN 13
HEIGHT. 14
(II) “COVERED PROJECT ” INCLUDES COMMUNICATI ON 15
TOWERS, TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES, UTILITY INFRASTRUCTU RE, PUBLIC 16
BUILDINGS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL OR PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES. 17
(III) “COVERED PROJECT ” DOES NOT INCLUDE A C APITAL 18
PROJECT INCLUDED IN THE ANNUAL STATE CAPITAL BUDGET AS: 19
1. A MISCELLANEOUS GRANT PROGRAM; 20
2. A LOCAL HOUSE OF DELEGATES INITIATIVE; OR 21
3. A LOCAL SENATE INITIATIVE. 22
(B) ON OR BEFORE JUNE 30 OF THE FISCAL YEAR PRECEDING THE FISCAL 23
YEAR IN WHICH A COVE RED PROJECT IS ANTIC IPATED TO BEGIN , THE UNIT OF 24
STATE GOVERNMENT PROPOSING THE PROJECT SHALL COMPLETE: 25
(1) A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN WITH: 26
(I) A PLAIN LANGUAGE SUM MARY OF THE COVERED PROJECT 27
INCLUDING: 28
1. THE PURPOSE; 29
HOUSE BILL 1125 3
2. THE LOCATION; 1
3. ALTERNATIVE CONSIDERATIONS; AND 2
4. PROJECTED IMPACTS; 3
(II) THE MAP OF THE AFFECTED AREA WITHIN THE COMMUNITY 4
OUTREACH RADIUS; 5
(III) A DESCRIPTION OF ENV IRONMENTAL OR PUBLIC HEALTH 6
CONSIDERATIONS; 7
(IV) A TIMELINE FOR THE P ROJECT DESIGN AND 8
CONSTRUCTION; AND 9
(V) CONTACT INFORMATION FOR PUBLIC INQUIRIES; AND 10
(2) COMMUNITY OUTREACH A CTIVITIES WITH EACH RESIDENCE, 11
BUSINESS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANI ZATION LOCATED WITHI N THE COMMUNITY 12
OUTREACH RADIUS THAT INCLUDES: 13
(I) PROVIDING NOTICE BY MAIL AT LEAST 45 DAYS PRIOR TO 14
ANY DECISION TO APPROVE OR FINALIZE THE PROJECT; 15
(II) POSTING PUBLIC NOTICE ONLINE ON THE UNIT’S WEBSITE; 16
(III) POSTING PUBLIC NOTIC E IN AT LEAST ONE LO CAL 17
NEWSPAPER; 18
(IV) CONDUCTING AT LEAST ONE PUBLIC MEETING IN THE AREA 19
WITH AN OPTION FOR VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION; AND 20
(V) ALLOWING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC A 30–DAY PUBLIC 21
COMMENT PERIOD. 22
(C) (1) (I) ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER 1, 2027, AND EACH OCTOBER 1 23
THEREAFTER, EACH UNIT OF STATE GOVERNMENT PROP OSING A COVERED 24
PROJECT SHALL SUBMIT A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH REPORT FOR 25
THE PROJECT TO THE DEPARTMENT. 26
(II) THE REPORT REQUIRED U NDER SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF 27
THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL CONTAIN: 28
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1. A SUMMARY OF OUTREACH EFFORTS; 1
2. THE PUBLIC COMMENTS SUBMITTED UNDER 2
SUBSECTION (B)(2)(V) OF THIS SECTION; AND 3
3. THE UNIT OF STATE GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSES AND 4
MODIFICATIONS TO THE PROJECT, IF ANY. 5
(2) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2027, AND EACH DECEMBER 1 6
THEREAFTER, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SUBM IT A COMPILED REPORT OF THE 7
SUBMISSIONS REQUIRED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION TO: 8
(I) THE GOVERNING BODY O F THE IMPACTED COUNT Y OR 9
MUNICIPAL CORPORATION; AND 10
(II) SUBJECT TO § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT 11
ARTICLE: 12
1. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY; AND 13
2. THE LEGISLATIVE POLICY COMMITTEE. 14
(D) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOP T REGULATIONS T O IMPLEMENT THIS 15
SECTION. 16
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 17
1, 2026. 18