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SB0209 • 2026

Department of Natural Resources - Savage Highlands State Park - Hotel Rental Surcharge

Department of Natural Resources - Savage Highlands State Park - Hotel Rental Surcharge

Housing
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Senator McKay
Last action
2026-01-16
Official status
In the Senate - Hearing 1/27 at 1:00 p.m.
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.

Department of Natural Resources - Savage Highlands State Park - Hotel Rental Surcharge

Requiring the Department of Natural Resources to assess and collect an 8% hotel rental surcharge on rental units at Savage Highlands State Park and remit the proceeds to the Comptroller for distribution to Garrett County; and requiring Garrett County to use and distribute the proceeds from the surcharge either for promotion of the county or for the general fund of the county.

What This Bill Does

  • Requiring the Department of Natural Resources to assess and collect an 8% hotel rental surcharge on rental units at Savage Highlands State Park and remit the proceeds to the Comptroller for distribution to Garrett County; and requiring Garrett County to use and distribute the proceeds from the surcharge either for promotion of the county or for the general fund of the county.

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

  1. 2026-01-16 Senate

    Hearing 1/27 at 1:00 p.m.

  2. 2026-01-14 Senate

    First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment

  3. 2025-10-01 Senate

    Pre-filed

  4. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - First - Department of Natural Resources - Savage Highlands State Park - Hotel Rental Surcharge

Official Summary Text

Requiring the Department of Natural Resources to assess and collect an 8% hotel rental surcharge on rental units at Savage Highlands State Park and remit the proceeds to the Comptroller for distribution to Garrett County; and requiring Garrett County to use and distribute the proceeds from the surcharge either for promotion of the county or for the general fund of the county.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0209*

SENATE BILL 209
M1 6lr1039
SB 638/25 – EEE (PRE–FILED)
By: Senator McKay
Requested: October 1, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Department of Natural Resources – Savage Highlands State Park – Hotel Rental 2
Surcharge 3

FOR the purpose of requiring the Department of Natural Resources to assess and collect a 4
certain hotel rental surcharge on rental units at Savage Highlands State Park and 5
remit the proceeds to the Comptroller for distribution to Garrett County; requiring 6
Garrett County to use and distribute the proceeds from the surcharge in a c ertain 7
manner; and generally relating to Savage Highlands State Park in Garrett County. 8

BY adding to 9
Article – Natural Resources 10
Section 5–1016 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 13

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15

Article – Natural Resources 16

5–1016. 17

(A) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL: 18

(1) ASSESS AND COLLECT AN 8% HOTEL RENTAL SURCHAR GE ON 19
RENTAL UNITS ON THE PROPERTY OF SAVAGE HIGHLANDS STATE PARK; AND 20

(2) REMIT THE PROCEEDS FR OM THE SURCHARGE TO THE 21
COMPTROLLER FOR DISTRIBUTION TO GARRETT COUNTY. 22
2 SENATE BILL 209

(B) (1) FROM THE PART OF THE SURCHARGE COLLECTED UNDER 1
SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION THAT IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO A RATE OF 6%, 2
GARRETT COUNTY SHALL DESIGNATE A PORTION FOR THE PROMOTION OF THE 3
COUNTY. 4

(2) THE PART OF THE SURCH ARGE COLLECTED UNDER SUBSECTION 5
(A) OF THIS SECTION THAT IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO T HE RATE GREATER THAN 6% 6
SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE GENERAL FUND OF THE COUNTY. 7

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 8
1, 2026. 9