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*hb1223*
HOUSE BILL 1223
L1 6lr1878
By: Prince George’s County Delegation
Introduced and read first time: February 11, 2026
Assigned to: Health
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 16, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Farmers Markets – Street Food Vending Zones – Requirements 2
Prince George’s County Workgroup on Farmers Markets and Street Vending 3
Zones 4
PG 411–26 5
FOR the purpose of authorizing a county to designate areas adjacent to a farmers market 6
as a street food vending zone; requiring vendors selling certain food in a street food 7
vending zone to meet certain requirements; and generally relating to farmers 8
markets and street food vending zones. 9
BY adding to 10
Article – Health – General 11
Section 21–330.5 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14
FOR the purpose of establishing the Prince George’ s County Workgroup on Farmers 15
Markets and Street Vending Zones; and generally relating to the Prince George’s 16
County Workgroup on Farmers Markets and Street Vending Zones. 17
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19
Article – Health – General 20
2 HOUSE BILL 1223
21–330.5. 1
(A) IN THIS SECTION, “VENDOR” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO OPERATES: 2
(1) A MOBILE FOOD SERVICE FACILITY, AS DEFINED IN § 21–304 OF 3
THIS SUBTITLE; OR 4
(2) A COTTAGE FOOD BUSINESS. 5
(B) A COUNTY MAY DESIGNATE AREAS ADJACENT TO A FARMERS MARKET 6
AS A STREET FOOD VENDING ZONE. 7
(C) A VENDOR SELLING FOOD , OTHER THAN RAW AGRIC ULTURAL 8
PRODUCTS AS DEFINED IN § 21–304 OF THIS SUBTITLE , IN THE STREET FOOD 9
VENDING ZONE SHALL: 10
(1) RESIDE WITHIN A GEOGRAPHIC AREA DETE RMINED BY THE 11
RULES OR BYLAWS OF THE FARMERS MARKET; 12
(2) BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE FOOD SERVICE LAWS; AND 13
(3) MEET THE FARMERS MARK ET MEMBERSHIP CRITER IA AND 14
OPERATING RULES AND REGULATIONS. 15
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 16
October 1, 2026. 17
(a) There is a Prince George’s County Workgroup on Farmers Markets and Street 18
Vending Zones. 19
(b) The Workgroup consists of the following members: 20
(1) the Chair of the Prince George’s County Senate Delegation, or the 21
Chair’s designee; 22
(2) the Chair of the Prince George’s County House Delegation, or the 23
Chair’s designee; 24
(3) the County Executive of Prince George’s County, or the County 25
Executive’s designee; 26
(4) two representatives of the Prince George’s County Council, appointed 27
by the Chair of the County Council; 28
HOUSE BILL 1223 3
(5) the following members, appointed by the Speaker of the House of 1
Delegates: 2
(i) one representative of the vending community; 3
(ii) one representative of the nonvending community that is affected 4
by the vending; 5
(iii) one representative of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network; 6
and 7
(iv) one community advocate from the Crossroads Farmers Market; 8
and 9
(6) the following members, appointed by the County Exec utive of Prince 10
George’s County: 11
(i) one representative of the Prince George’s County Police 12
Department; 13
(ii) one representative of the Prince George’s County Department of 14
Permitting Inspection and Enforcement; 15
(iii) one representative of the Prince George’s County Health 16
Department; and 17
(iv) one representative of the Prince George’s County Department of 18
Public Works and Transportation. 19
(c) The County Executive shall designate the chair of the Workgroup. 20
(d) The Prince George’s County Council shall provide staff for the Workgroup. 21
(e) A member of the Workgroup: 22
(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Workgroup; but 23
(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 24
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 25
(f) The Workgroup shall: 26
(1) identify and review any current regulations or permitting for farmers 27
markets and street vending; 28
(2) examine how other counties in the State regulate or permit farmers 29
markets and street vendors; 30
4 HOUSE BILL 1223
(3) identify any safety, health, or environmental concerns related to 1
farmers markets and street vendors; 2
(4) identify any community concerns about farmers markets and street 3
vendors; and 4
(5) make recommendations on establishing a framework to pro vide the 5
regulation and permitting of farmers markets and street vendors. 6
(g) On or before December 1, 2026, the Workgroup shall report its findings and 7
recommendations to, in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State Government Article, the 8
Chair of the Prince George’s County Senate Delegation and the Chair of the Prince George’s 9
County House Delegation and the Chair of the Prince George’s County Council and the 10
County Executive of Prince George’s County. 11
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 12
1, 2026. It shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and, at the end of June 30, 2027, this 13
Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no 14
further force and effect. 15
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.