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HB1207 • 2026

State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund - Alteration and Mandatory Appropriation

State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund - Alteration and Mandatory Appropriation

Budget
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Delegate Hinebaugh
Last action
2026-03-09
Official status
In the House - Withdrawn by Sponsor
Effective date
2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund - Alteration and Mandatory Appropriation

Altering the purpose and authorized uses of the State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund; and requiring, for fiscal years 2028 and 2029, the Governor to include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $500,000 to the Fund to be used solely for the protection and restoration of Deep Creek Lake.

What This Bill Does

  • Altering the purpose and authorized uses of the State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund; and requiring, for fiscal years 2028 and 2029, the Governor to include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $500,000 to the Fund to be used solely for the protection and restoration of Deep Creek Lake.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-09 House

    Withdrawn by Sponsor

  2. 2026-03-04 House

    Hearing canceled

  3. 2026-02-12 House

    Hearing 3/04 at 1:00 p.m.

  4. 2026-02-11 House

    First Reading Environment and Transportation

  5. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - First - State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund - Alteration and Mandatory Appropriation

  6. Maryland General Assembly

    Vote - House - Committee - Environment and Transportation

Official Summary Text

Altering the purpose and authorized uses of the State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund; and requiring, for fiscal years 2028 and 2029, the Governor to include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $500,000 to the Fund to be used solely for the protection and restoration of Deep Creek Lake.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1207*

HOUSE BILL 1207
M1 6lr3142

By: Delegate Hinebaugh
Introduced and read first time: February 11, 2026
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund – Alteration and Mandatory 2
Appropriation 3

FOR the purpose of altering the purpose and authorized uses of the State Lakes Protection 4
and Restoration Fund; requiring, for certain fiscal years, the Governor to include in 5
the annual budget bill a certain appropriation to the Fund to be used for a certain 6
purpose; and generally relating to the State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund. 7

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Natural Resources 9
Section 8–205 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14

Article – Natural Resources 15

8–205. 16

(a) In this section, “Fund” means the State Lakes Protection and Restoration 17
Fund. 18

(b) There is a State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund. 19

(c) The purpose of the Fund is to protect and restore State –owned AND 20
STATE–MANAGED lakes. 21

(d) The Secretary shall administer the Fund. 22
2 HOUSE BILL 1207

(e) (1) The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7–302 of 1
the State Finance and Procurement Article. 2

(2) The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately, and the 3
Comptroller shall account for the Fund. 4

(f) The Fund consists of: 5

(1) Money appropriated in the State budget to the Fund; and 6

(2) Any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the 7
Fund. 8

(g) The Fund may be used only for the protection or restoration of State –owned 9
OR STATE–MANAGED lakes BY: 10

(1) REMOVING SEDIMENT; 11

(2) TREATING CONTAMINATED SEDIMENT; 12

(3) PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF INVASIVE SPECIES; 13

(4) IMPROVING ECOLOGICAL AND RECREATIONAL VALUE; AND 14

(5) TAKING ANY OTHER ACTI ON THE DEPARTMENT DETERMINES IS 15
NECESSARY. 16

(h) (1) The State Treasurer shall invest the money of the Fund in the same 17
manner as other State money may be invested. 18

(2) Any interest earnings of the Fund shall be credited to the Fund. 19

(i) Expenditures from the Fund may be made only in accordance with the State 20
budget. 21

(j) Money expended from the Fund for the protection or restoration of 22
State–owned OR STATE–MANAGED lakes is supplemental to and is not intended to take 23
the place of funding that would otherwise be appropriated for the protection or restoration 24
of State–owned OR STATE–MANAGED lakes. 25

(K) FOR FISCAL YEARS 2028 AND 2029, THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUDE IN 26
THE ANNUAL BUDGET BILL A N APPROPRIATION OF $500,000 TO THE FUND TO BE 27
USED SOLELY FOR THE PROTECTION AND RESTORATION OF DEEP CREEK LAKE. 28

HOUSE BILL 1207 3

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 1
1, 2026. It shall remain effective for a peri od of 3 years and, at the end of June 30, 2029, 2
this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and 3
of no further force and effect. 4