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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
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*hb1208*
HOUSE BILL 1208
Q2 6lr3108
HB 1540/25 – HRU
By: Delegate Fisher
Introduced and read first time: February 11, 2026
Assigned to: Ways and Means
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Calvert County – Payment in Lieu of Taxes Agreements – Emergency Services 2
FOR the purpose of authorizing the County Commissioners of Calvert County to use certain 3
revenue from certain payment in lieu of taxes agreements to f und certain support 4
services organizations and support services programs in a certain manner ; and 5
generally relating to emergency services in Calvert County. 6
BY adding to 7
The Public Local Laws of Calvert County 8
Section 7–101 through 7–104 to be under the new title “Title 7. Emergency Services” 9
Article 5 – Public Local Laws of Maryland 10
(2002 Edition and October 2024 Supplement, as amended) 11
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13
Article 5 – Calvert County 14
TITLE 7. EMERGENCY SERVICES. 15
7–101. 16
(A) IN THIS TITLE THE FOL LOWING WORDS HAVE TH E MEANINGS 17
INDICATED. 18
(B) “FIRST DUE AREA ” MEANS A DELINEATED G EOGRAPHICAL AREA 19
APPROVED BY THE CALVERT COUNTY FIRE AND RESCUE COMMISSION IN WHICH A 20
VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPA NY OR RESCUE SQUAD N ORMALLY PROVIDES FIR E OR 21
RESCUE SERVICES IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE OR ANOTHER EMERGENCY. 22
2 HOUSE BILL 1208
(C) “SUPPORT SERVICES ORGANIZATION” INCLUDES: 1
(1) CALVERT COUNTY FIRE COMPANIES AND RESCUE SQUADS; 2
(2) THE CALVERT ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT UNIT; 3
(3) THE CALVERT COUNTY RESCUE DIVE TEAM; AND 4
(4) OTHER VOLUNTEER FIRE, RESCUE, AND MEDICAL ENTITIES AND 5
EMERGENCY SERVICE PROVIDERS DESIGNATED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. 6
(D) “SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM” INCLUDES: 7
(1) DEBT SERVICE FOR FIRE –FIGHTING AND RESCUE EQUIPMENT, 8
APPARATUSES, AND FACILITIES; 9
(2) THE CALVERT COUNTY LENGTH OF SERVICE AWARD PROGRAM; 10
(3) CALVERT COUNTY VOLUNTEER RECR UITMENT AND RETENTIO N 11
PROGRAMS; 12
(4) CALVERT COUNTY PROPERTY TAX I NCENTIVE PROGRAMS FO R 13
VOLUNTEERS; AND 14
(5) OTHER VOLUNTEER FIRE, RESCUE, MEDICAL, AND OTHER 15
EMERGENCY SERVICE PROGRAMS DESIGNATED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. 16
7–102. 17
THE COUNTY MAY DISTRI BUTE A PORTION OF TH E REVENUE COLLECTED 18
UNDER ANY PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES AGREEM ENT IN EFFECT ON OR AFTER 19
OCTOBER 1, 2026, IN AN AMOUNT THAT TH E COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DEEM 20
APPROPRIATE TO SUPPO RT SERVICES ORGANIZA TIONS AND SUPPORT SERVI CES 21
PROGRAMS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS TITLE. 22
7–103. 23
(A) (1) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , 24
REVENUE COLLECTED UN DER ANY PAYMENT IN L IEU OF TAXES AGREEME NT IN 25
EFFECT ON OR AFTER OCTOBER 1, 2026, SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE 26
VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY OR RESCUE SQUAD F OR EACH FIRST DUE AREA IF THE 27
VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY OR RESCUE SQUAD: 28
HOUSE BILL 1208 3
(I) SUBMITS AN ANNUAL BUD GET AND A CERTIFIED 1
ACCOUNTING OF ALL EXPENDITURES TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS; AND 2
(II) IS IN GOOD STANDING WITH THE STATE AND THE COUNTY’S 3
FIRE AND RESCUE COMMISSION AND MAINTA INS ITS NONPROFIT CE RTIFICATION 4
FROM THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE. 5
(2) NOTWITHSTANDING PARAG RAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION , A 6
PORTION OF THE REVEN UE COLLECTED UNDER A NY PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXE S 7
AGREEMENT IN EFFECT ON OR AFTER OCTOBER 1, 2026, SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED, IN 8
AMOUNTS DEEMED APPROPRIATE BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, TO: 9
(I) THE CALVERT ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT UNIT IF THE 10
CALVERT ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT UNIT: 11
1. SUBMITS AN ANNUAL BUDG ET AND A CERTIFIED 12
ACCOUNTING OF ALL EXPENDITURES TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS; AND 13
2. IS IN GOOD STANDING W ITH THE STATE AND THE 14
COUNTY’S FIRE AND RESCUE COMMISSION AND MAINTA INS ITS NONPROFIT 15
CERTIFICATION FROM THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; 16
(II) THE CALVERT COUNTY RESCUE DIVE TEAM IF THE 17
CALVERT COUNTY RESCUE DIVE TEAM: 18
1. SUBMITS AN ANNUAL BUD GET AND A CERTIFIED 19
ACCOUNTING OF ALL EXPENDITURES TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS; AND 20
2. IS IN GOOD STANDING W ITH THE STATE AND THE 21
COUNTY’S FIRE AND RESCUE COMMISSION AND MAINTA INS ITS NONPROFIT 22
CERTIFICATION FROM THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; 23
(III) THE CALVERT COUNTY LENGTH OF SERVICE AWARD 24
PROGRAM; 25
(IV) CALVERT COUNTY VOLUNTEER RECR UITMENT AND 26
RETENTION PROGRAMS; 27
(V) CALVERT COUNTY PROPERTY TAX I NCENTIVE PROGRAMS 28
FOR VOLUNTEERS; AND 29
(VI) OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS AND SUPPORT 30
SERVICES PROGRAMS DESIGNATED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. 31
4 HOUSE BILL 1208
(B) THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS RECEIVED UNDER SUBSECTION (A)(1) OF THIS 1
SECTION BY A VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY OR RESCUE SQUAD SHALL BE USED FOR 2
THE FOLLOWING PURPOS ES WHEN APPROVED BY THE GOVERNING BODY O F THE 3
VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY OR RESCUE SQUAD: 4
(1) PURCHASING, REPAIRING, REPLACING, OPERATING, AND 5
MAINTAINING FIRE –FIGHTING AND RESCUE EQUIPM ENT AND APPARATUSES 6
INCLUDING RESCUE AND PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT THAT CONFORMS TO 7
THE STANDARDS PRESCRIBED BY THE COUNTY’S FIRE AND RESCUE COMMISSION; 8
(2) FACILITIES TO STORE F IRE–FIGHTING AND RESCUE EQUIPMENT 9
AND APPARATUSES INCLUDING RESCUE AND PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT; 10
AND 11
(3) TRAINING NEW VOLUNTEERS. 12
(C) A VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY OR RESCUE SQUAD MAY NOT ADOPT ANY 13
RESOLUTION, REGULATION, OR BYLAW TO LIMIT OR RESTRICT THE TERRITORY: 14
(1) IN A FIRST DUE AREA W ITHIN WHICH THE VOLU NTEER FIRE 15
COMPANY OR RESCUE SQUAD WILL RESPOND TO A CALL OR DISPATCH; OR 16
(2) IN THE COUNTY WITHIN WHICH THE VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY 17
OR RESCUE SQUAD WILL RESPOND TO A CALL OR DISPATCH WHEN CALLED BY THE 18
PROPER AUTHORITY. 19
7–104. 20
EACH SUPPORT SERVICES ORGANIZATION THAT IS NOT A GOVERNMENTAL 21
ENTITY SHALL GIVE BOND TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN A PENAL 22
SUM TO BE SET BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CONDITI ONED UPON THE 23
FAITHFUL EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS TITLE. 24
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 25
October 1, 2026. 26