SB0164 • 2026

Natural Resources - Pamela J. Kelly Tree-Mendous Maryland Program - Alterations

Education Energy

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Chair, Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee (By Request - Departmental - Natural Resources )
Last action: 2026-04-14
Official status: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 113
Effective date: 2026-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Natural Resources - Pamela J. Kelly Tree-Mendous Maryland Program - Alterations

Altering the stated purpose of the Pamela J.

What This Bill Does

Altering the stated purpose of the Pamela J.
Kelly Tree-Mendous Maryland Program to include the promotion of community participation in tree planting and stewardship and the planting and maintenance of native trees and shrubs through community forestry activities.

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.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

403629/1

None

Favorable with Amendments { 403629/1 Adopted

Plain English: AMENDMENTS TO SENATE BILL 164 (Third Reading File Bill) AMENDMENT NO.

AMENDMENTS TO SENATE BILL 164 (Third Reading File Bill) AMENDMENT NO.
1 On page 1, in line 6, after “stewardship” insert “and the planting”.
AMENDMENT NO.
2 On page 2, in line 5, strike “ THE” and substitute “ TREE”; and in the same line, after “STEWARDSHIP” insert “AND THE PLANTING AND MAINTAINING”.

673826/1

None

Favorable with Amendments { 673826/1 Adopted

Plain English: AMENDMENTS TO SENATE BILL 164 (First Reading File Bill) AMENDMENT NO.

AMENDMENTS TO SENATE BILL 164 (First Reading File Bill) AMENDMENT NO.
1 On page 1, strike beginning with “the” in line 5 down through “through” in line 6; in line 6, after “promotion” insert “of community participation in tree planting and stewardship”; and in the same line, after “shrubs” insert “ through community forestry activities”.
AMENDMENT NO.
2 On page 1, strike beginning with “ ADVANCING” in line 19 down through “MAINTAINING” in line 20 and substitute “ PROMOTING COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN THE PLANTING AND STEWARD SHIP OF ”; and in line 20, after “shrubs” insert “THROUGH COMMUNITY FORESTRY ACTIVITIES”.

Bill History

2026-04-14 Post Passage
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 113
2026-04-03 House
Favorable with Amendments Report by Environment and Transportation
2026-03-25 House
Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-03-22 House
Third Reading Passed (124-9)
2026-03-22 Senate
Senate Concurs House Amendments
2026-03-22 Senate
Third Reading Passed (42-0)
2026-03-22 Senate
Passed Enrolled
2026-03-18 House
Favorable with Amendments { 403629/1 Adopted
2026-03-18 House
Second Reading Passed with Amendments
2026-02-13 House
Referred Environment and Transportation
2026-02-09 Senate
Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment
2026-02-09 Senate
Third Reading Passed (43-0)
2026-02-07 Senate
Favorable with Amendments { 673826/1 Adopted
2026-02-07 Senate
Second Reading Passed with Amendments
2026-01-16 Senate
Hearing 1/27 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-01-14 Senate
First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment
2025-09-26 Senate
Pre-filed
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Natural Resources - Pamela J. Kelly Tree-Mendous Maryland Program - Alterations
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - Senate - Committee - Education, Energy, and the Environment
Maryland General Assembly
Text - Third - Natural Resources - Pamela J. Kelly Tree-Mendous Maryland Program - Alterations
Maryland General Assembly
Text - Enrolled - Natural Resources - Pamela J. Kelly Tree-Mendous Maryland Program - Alterations
Maryland General Assembly
Text - Chapter - Natural Resources - Pamela J. Kelly Tree-Mendous Maryland Program - Alterations

Official Summary Text

Altering the stated purpose of the Pamela J. Kelly Tree-Mendous Maryland Program to include the promotion of community participation in tree planting and stewardship and the planting and maintenance of native trees and shrubs through community forestry activities.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
Italics indicate opposite chamber/conference committee amendments.
*sb0164*

SENATE BILL 164
M1 (6lr0133)
ENROLLED BILL
— Education, Energy, and the Environment/Environment and Transportation —
Introduced by Chair, Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee (By
Request – Departmental – Natural Resources)

Read and Examined by Proofreaders:

_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.

Sealed with the Great S eal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this

_______ day of _______________ at ________________________ o’clock, ________M.

______________________________________________
President.

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Natural Resources – Pamela J. Kelly Tree–Mendous Maryland Program 2
– Alterations 3

FOR the purpose of altering the stated purpose of the Pamela J. Kelly Tree –Mendous 4
Maryland Program to include the advancement of forest health and resilience 5
through the promotion of community participation in tree planting and stewardship 6
and the planting and maintenance of native trees and shrubs through community 7
forestry activities ; and generally relating to the Pamela J. Kelly Tree –Mendous 8
Maryland Program. 9

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10
Article – Natural Resources 11
Section 5–435 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
2 SENATE BILL 164

(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 1

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 2
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 3

Article – Natural Resources 4

5–435. 5

(a) There is a Pamela J. Kelly Tree –Mendous Maryland Program in the 6
Department. 7

(b) The Program is established for the purpose of ADVANCING FOREST HEALTH 8
AND RESILIENCE BY PR OMOTING, planting, AND MAINTAINING PROMOTING 9
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN THE TREE PLANTING AND STEWARDSHIP AND THE 10
PLANTING AND MAINTAI NING OF native trees and shrubs THROUGH COMMUNITY 11
FORESTRY ACTIVITIES on public lands, community open spaces, school grounds, and 12
rights–of–way. 13

(d) The Department may adopt regulations to carry out this part. 15

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 16
October 1, 2026. 17

Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.