SB0127 • 2026

Baltimore County Food Desert Study

Education Energy Housing

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Senator Salling
Last action: 2026-02-16
Official status: In the Senate - Withdrawn by Sponsor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.

Baltimore County Food Desert Study

Requiring, on or before November 30, 2026, the Department of Housing and Community Development to conduct a study and make recommendations on reducing food deserts in Baltimore County and submit its findings and recommendations to the Senate Committee on Education, Energy, and Environment, the Senate Finance Committee, and the House Environment and Transportation Committee.

What This Bill Does

Requiring, on or before November 30, 2026, the Department of Housing and Community Development to conduct a study and make recommendations on reducing food deserts in Baltimore County and submit its findings and recommendations to the Senate Committee on Education, Energy, and Environment, the Senate Finance Committee, and the House Environment and Transportation Committee.

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

2026-02-16 Senate
Withdrawn by Sponsor
2026-01-29 Senate
Hearing canceled
2026-01-21 Senate
Hearing 2/04 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-01-14 Senate
First Reading Finance
2025-10-08 Senate
Pre-filed
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Baltimore County Food Desert Study
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - Senate - Committee - Finance

Official Summary Text

Requiring, on or before November 30, 2026, the Department of Housing and Community Development to conduct a study and make recommendations on reducing food deserts in Baltimore County and submit its findings and recommendations to the Senate Committee on Education, Energy, and Environment, the Senate Finance Committee, and the House Environment and Transportation Committee.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0127*

SENATE BILL 127
C9 6lr1120
(PRE–FILED)
By: Senator Salling
Requested: October 8, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Finance

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Baltimore County Food Desert Study 2

FOR the purpose of requiring the Department of Housing and Community Development to 3
conduct a study and make recommendations on reducing the number of food deserts 4
in Baltimore County; and generally relating to food deserts. 5

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 6
That: 7

(a) In this section, “food desert” has the meaning stated in § 6–301 of the Housing 8
and Community Development Article. 9

(b) The Department of Housing and Community Development shall: 10

(1) study food deserts in Baltimore County; and 11

(2) make recommendations: 12

(i) to reduce the number of food deserts in Baltimore County; and 13

(ii) regarding available funding sources for fresh food financing 14
initiatives and programs in the State. 15

(c) In conducting the study and making the recommendations, the Department 16
shall: 17

(1) review food desert projects located in Baltimore County funded under § 18
6–308.3 of the Housing and Community Development Article; 19

(2) analyze the location of food deserts in Baltimore County; 20
2 SENATE BILL 127

(3) determine the impact of food deserts on the Baltimore County 1
population and economy; 2

(4) develop strategies to attract grocery stores and supermarket retailers 3
to food deserts in Baltimore County, including identifying and analyzing anticipated costs; 4
and 5

(5) review existing incentives and available financing programs to 6
encourage the establishment of grocery stores and supermarket retailers in identified food 7
deserts in Baltimore County. 8

(d) On or before November 30, 2026, the Department shall submit a report of its 9
findings and recommendations, in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State Government 10
Article, to the Senate Committee on Education, Energ y, and the Environment, the Senate 11
Finance Committee, and the House Environment and Transportation Committee. 12

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 13
1, 2026. It shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and, at the end of June 30, 2027, this 14
Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no 15
further force and effect. 16