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*hb1599*
HOUSE BILL 1599
M1, M2 6lr3603
CF SB 558
By: Delegates Jacobs, Anderson, Arentz, Beauchamp, Ghrist, Hartman,
Hutchinson, and Sample –Hughes Sample–Hughes, Allen, Behler, Boyce,
Healey, Holmes, Lewis, J. Long, T. Morgan, Odom, Stein, and Ziegler
Introduced and read first time: February 16, 2026
Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations
Re–referred to: Environment and Transportation, February 26, 2026
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 25, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Chesapeake Bay Enhancement Program – Established 2
Chesapeake Bay – Enhancement Program and Maryland Seafood Industry 3
Financial Assistance Fund – Established 4
FOR the purpose of establishing the Chesapeake Bay Enhancement Program to provide 5
funding for certain oyster propagation and replenishment projects that mitigate the 6
effects on the State’s oyster population of certain transportation projects on the 7
State’s oyster population ; establishing the Maryland Seafood Industry Financial 8
Assistance Fund to provide financial assistance to certain commercial watermen and 9
small businesses; prohibiting the Depart ment of Natural Resources from making 10
certain approvals for tidal fish licenses or authorizations of certain borrowers; and 11
generally relating to the Chesapeake Bay Enhancement Program and Maryland 12
Seafood Industry Financial Assistance Fund. 13
BY adding to 14
Article – Natural Resources 15
Section 4–1020.1 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 18
BY adding to 19
Article – Economic Development 20
2 HOUSE BILL 1599
Section 10–526.1 and 10–526.2 1
Annotated Code of Maryland 2
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 3
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 4
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 5
Article – Natural Resources 6
4–1020.1. 7
(A) IN THIS SECTION , “PROGRAM” MEANS THE CHESAPEAKE BAY 8
ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM. 9
(B) THERE IS A CHESAPEAKE BAY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM IN THE 10
DEPARTMENT. 11
(C) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR OYSTER 12
PROPAGATION AND REPLENISHMENT PROJECTS THAT MITIGATE THE EFF ECTS ON 13
THE STATE’S OYSTER POPULATION OF TRANSPORTATION PR OJECTS THAT 14
MAINTAIN OR EXPAND T HE HELEN DELICH BENTLEY PORT OF BALTIMORE, 15
INCLUDING: 16
(1) DREDGING; 17
(2) THE CONSTRUCTION OR MAINTENANCE OF: 18
(I) PIERS; 19
(II) BRIDGES; OR 20
(III) SHIPPING CHANNELS; AND 21
(3) CONSTRUCTION AT THE HELEN DELICH BENTLEY PORT OF 22
BALTIMORE OF TRANSPORTATION PR OJECTS ON THE STATE’S OYSTER 23
POPULATION. 24
(D) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2028 AND EACH FISCAL YEAR THEREAFTER, THE 25
GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUDE IN THE ANNUAL BUDG ET BILL AN APPROPRIATION OF 26
$2,000,000 TO THE PROGRAM FROM THE TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND UNDER § 27
3–216 OF THE TRANSPORTATION ARTICLE THE DEPARTMENT SHALL USE FUNDING 28
UNDER THE PROGRAM TO SUPPORT OY STER PROPAGATION AND REPLENISHMENT 29
AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT. 30
HOUSE BILL 1599 3
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Laws of Maryla nd read 1
as follows: 2
Article – Economic Development 3
10–526.1. 4
(A) IN THIS SECTION, “FUND” MEANS THE MARYLAND SEAFOOD INDUSTRY 5
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FUND. 6
(B) THERE IS A MARYLAND SEAFOOD INDUSTRY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 7
FUND. 8
(C) THE PURPOSE OF THE FUND IS TO PROVIDE FINANC IAL ASSISTANCE, 9
INCLUDING LOANS, TO COMMERCIAL WATERM EN AND SMALL BUSINES SES IN THE 10
SEAFOOD INDUSTRY. 11
(D) THE CORPORATION SHALL ADMINISTER THE FUND. 12
(E) THE FUND CONSISTS OF: 13
(1) MONEY APPROPRIATED IN THE STATE BUDGET TO THE FUND; 14
(2) LOAN PRINCIPAL REPAY MENTS RELATED TO THE FINANCIAL 15
ASSISTANCE UNDER THIS SECTION; 16
(3) MONEY MADE AVAILABLE FROM THE FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL 17
GOVERNMENT; AND 18
(4) ANY OTHER MONEY FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE ACC EPTED FOR 19
THE BENEFIT OF THE FUND. 20
(F) THE FUND MAY BE USED ONLY FOR: 21
(1) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING LOANS; AND 22
(2) THE COSTS OF THE CORPORATION TO ADMINISTER THIS SECTION. 23
(G) FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTA NCE, INCLUDING LOANS , PROVIDED UNDER 24
THIS SECTION, THE CORPORATION SHALL DETERMINE THE FOLLOWING: 25
(1) THE APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS; 26
(2) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA; 27
4 HOUSE BILL 1599
(3) THE AMOUNT OF THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING LOANS, 1
FOR EACH APPLICANT; 2
(4) THE TERMS AND CONDIT IONS OF FINANCIAL AS SISTANCE, 3
INCLUDING LOANS; 4
(5) THE AMOUNT OF LOAN FOR GIVENESS THAT THE CORPORATION 5
MAY PROVIDE FOR LOAN REPAYMENT PERFORMANCE; AND 6
(6) ANY OTHER PROVISIONS NECESSARY TO CARRY O UT THIS 7
SECTION. 8
10–526.2. 9
(A) (1) IF A BORROWER WHO HOL DS A TIDAL FISH LICE NSE UNDER § 10
4–701 OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES ARTICLE IS DELINQUENT IN THE REPAYMENT 11
OF A LOAN UNDER THIS SUBTITLE, THE CORPORATION SHALL NOT IFY THE 12
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES. 13
(2) IF A BORROWER UNDER P ARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION 14
BECOMES COMPLIANT WI TH THE REPAYMENT OF A LOAN UNDER THIS SUBT ITLE, 15
THE CORPORATION SHALL NOTIFY THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES. 16
(B) NOTWITHSTANDING § 4–701 OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES ARTICLE, 17
AFTER RECEIVING A NO TIFICATION UNDER SUB SECTION (A)(1) OF THIS SECTION 18
AND UNTIL RECEIVING A NOTIFIC ATION UNDER SUBSECTI ON (A)(2) OF THIS 19
SECTION, THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES MAY NOT APP ROVE A 20
TRANSFER OF THE TIDAL FISH LICENSE OR AUTHORIZATION. 21
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 22
(1) the Maryland Agricultural and Resource–Based Industry Development 23
Corporation may transfer up to $337,500 each from the Oyster Shucking House Loan 24
Program and the Watermen’s Microloan Program to the Maryland Seafood Industry 25
Financial Assistance Fund established under Section 2 of this Act to provide additional 26
financial assistance to commercial watermen and small businesses in the seafood industry; 27
and 28
(2) the Maryland Agricultural and Resource–Based Industry Development 29
Corporation shall repay any funds transferred from the Oyster Shucking House Loan 30
Program or the Watermen’s Microloan Program to the Maryland Seafood Industry 31
Financial Assistance Fund established under Section 2 of this Act on or before June 30, 32
2028. 33
HOUSE BILL 1599 5
SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Sections 2 and 3 of this Act 1
shall take effect July 1, 2026. 2
SECTION 2. 5. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That , except as provided in 3
Section 4 of this Act, this Act shall take effect October 1, 2026. 4
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.