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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1314*
HOUSE BILL 1314
M1, M3 6lr3008
By: Delegate Ivey
Introduced and read first time: February 12, 2026
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Natural Resources – Chesapeake Bay Trust – Urban Trees Program 2
FOR the purpose of continuing the Urban Trees Program administered by the Chesapeake 3
Bay Trust; making permanent a requirement that the Governor include a c ertain 4
appropriation in the annual budget bill for the Urban Trees Program; and generally 5
relating to the Urban Trees Program administered by the Chesapeake Bay Trust. 6
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 7
Article – Natural Resources 8
Section 8–1901(a) and (c) and 8–1911(b) 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
Article – Natural Resources 13
Section 8–1911(h)(1) 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 16
BY adding to 17
Article – Natural Resources 18
Section 8–1911 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 – Natural Resources 24
8–1901. 25
2 HOUSE BILL 1314
(a) In this part the following words have the meanings indicated. 1
(c) “Trust” means the Chesapeake Bay Trust. 2
8–1911. 3
(b) There is an Urban Trees Program administered by the Trust. 4
(h) (1) [For fiscal years 2024 through 2031, in ] FOR each FISCAL year the 5
Governor shall include in the annual State budget an appropriation of $10,000,000 for the 6
Program. 7
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Laws of Maryland read 8
as follows: 9
Article – Natural Resources 10
8–1911. 11
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 12
INDICATED. 13
(2) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE URBAN TREES PROGRAM. 14
(3) “QUALIFIED ORGANIZATION” MEANS: 15
(I) A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION; 16
(II) A SCHOOL; 17
(III) A COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION; 18
(IV) A SERVICE, YOUTH, OR CIVIC GROUP; 19
(V) AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION; 20
(VI) A COUNTY OR MUNICIPALITY; OR 21
(VII) A FOREST CONSERVANCY DISTRICT BOARD. 22
(4) “UNDERSERVED AREA” MEANS AN AREA OF THE STATE FALLING 23
WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF: 24
HOUSE BILL 1314 3
(I) AN URBAN AREA , AS DELINEATED BY THE U.S. CENSUS 1
BUREAU; AND 2
(II) 1. A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS, AT ANY POINT IN TIME, 3
REDLINED OR GRADED A S “HAZARDOUS” BY THE HOME OWNERS’ LOAN 4
CORPORATION; 5
2. A CENSUS TRACT WITH AN AVERAGE RATE OF 6
UNEMPLOYMENT FOR THE MOST RECENT 24–MONTH PERIOD FOR WHICH DATA ARE 7
AVAILABLE THAT EXCEE DS THE AVERAGE RATE OF UNEMPLOYMENT FOR THE 8
STATE; 9
3. A CENSUS TRACT WITH A MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD 10
INCOME FOR THE MOST RECENT 24–MONTH PERIOD FOR WHI CH D ATA ARE 11
AVAILABLE THAT IS EQ UAL TO OR LESS THAN 75% OF THE MEDIAN HOUSEH OLD 12
INCOME FOR THE STATE DURING THAT PERIOD; OR 13
4. A HOUSING PROJECT AS DEFINED IN § 12–101 OF THE 14
HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ARTICLE. 15
(B) THERE IS AN URBAN TREES PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE TRUST. 16
(C) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PLANT N ATIVE SPECIES OF 17
TREES IN UNDERSERVED AREAS. 18
(D) (1) THE TRUST SHALL MAKE GRANTS TO QUALIFIED ORGANIZATIONS 19
FOR TREE–PLANTING PROJECTS IN UNDERSERVED AREAS. 20
(2) ELIGIBLE PROGRAM EXPENSES INCLUDE PER SONNEL COSTS , 21
SUPPLIES, SITE PREPARATION, AND OTHER EXPENSES AND MATERIALS RELATED TO 22
PLANNING, IMPLEMENTING, AND MAINTAINING TREE –PLANTING PROJECTS IN 23
UNDERSERVED AREAS. 24
(3) IN AWARDING PROGRAM GRANTS UNDER THIS SECTION , THE 25
TRUST SHALL PRIORITIZE: 26
(I) GRANT APPLICATIONS FR OM QUALIFIED ORGANIZ ATIONS 27
LOCATED IN THE UNDER SERVED AREAS WHERE T HE PROPOSED TREE –PLANTING 28
PROJECTS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED; AND 29
(II) GRANT APPLICATIONS TH AT INCLUDE PLANS FOR 30
ENGAGING INDIVIDUALS , ORGANIZATIONS, OR BUSINESSES LOCATE D IN 31
4 HOUSE BILL 1314
UNDERSERVED AREAS TO IMPLEMENT AND MAINTA IN TREE–PLANTING PROJECTS 1
IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. 2
(E) (1) THE PROGRAM SHALL BE FUNDED WITH ANY FUNDS THAT MAY BE 3
ALLOCATED BY THE TRUST THROUGH ITS ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS. 4
(2) THE TRUST SHALL SEEK FEDER AL FUNDS AND GRANTS AND 5
DONATIONS FROM PRIVATE SOURCES TO BE MADE TO THE TRUST FOR THE PURPOSE 6
OF THE PROGRAM. 7
(F) A GRANT AGREEMENT REGARDING FUNDS FROM THE TRUST FOR THE 8
PROGRAM SHALL: 9
(1) SPECIFY THE ALLOWED U SE OF THE FUNDS PRO VIDED UNDER 10
THE GRANT; AND 11
(2) INCLUDE PROVISIONS FOR VERIFICATION THAT TREE–PLANTING 12
PROJECTS ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED AND MAINTAINED AS PLANNED. 13
(G) ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER 1 EACH YEAR, THE TRUST SHALL REPORT TO 14
THE DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT ON THE GRANTS 15
AWARDED BY THE PROGRAM DURING THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING FISCAL YEAR, 16
INCLUDING: 17
(1) THE NAMES AND DESCRIPTIONS OF GRANT RECIPIENTS; 18
(2) THE NUMBER AND LOCATI ON OF TREES PLANTED BY GRANT 19
RECIPIENTS; AND 20
(3) ANY OTHER INFORMA TION REQUIRED BY THE DEPARTMENT OR 21
THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT. 22
(H) (1) FOR EACH FISCAL YEAR, THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUDE IN THE 23
ANNUAL BUDGET BILL AN APPROPRIATION OF $10,000,000 TO THE PROGRAM. 24
(2) MONEY APPROPRIATED UN DER THIS SUBSECTION IS 25
SUPPLEMENTAL TO AND MAY NOT TAKE THE PLACE OF FUNDING THAT OTHERWISE 26
WOULD BE APPROPRIATED FOR THE PROGRAM. 27
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Section 2 of this Act shall take 28
effect on the termination of Section 3 of Chapter 645 of the Acts of the General Assembly 29
of 2021, in accordance with the termination provision specified in Section 11 of Chapter 645 30
of the Acts of the General Assembly of 20 21. If Section 2 of this Act takes effect, Section 1 31
of this Act , with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated 32
HOUSE BILL 1314 5
and of no further force and effect. This Act may not be interpreted to have any effect on 1
that termination provision. 2
SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, subject to the provisions of 3
Section 3 of this Act, this Act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 4