Off-Highway Recreational Vehicle Recreation Oversight Board - Establishment

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.
*sb0480*

SENATE BILL 480
M1, R4 6lr1558
SB 711/25 – JPR CF 6lr3416
By: Senator McKay
Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2026
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
Committee Report: Favorable
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 16, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Off–Highway Recreational Vehicle Recreation Oversight Board – Establishment 2

FOR the purpose of establishing the Off–Highway Recreational Vehicle Recreation 3
Oversight Board to advise the Secretary of Natural Resources on certain matters; 4
and generally relating to the Off –Highway Recreational Vehicle Recreation 5
Oversight Board. 6

BY adding to 7
Article – Natural Resources 8
Section 5–1011.1 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13

Article – Natural Resources 14

5–1011.1. 15

(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE FOL LOWING WORDS HAVE TH E MEANINGS 16
INDICATED. 17

(2) “BOARD” MEANS THE OFF–HIGHWAY RECREATIONAL VEHICLE 18
RECREATION OVERSIGHT BOARD. 19
2 SENATE BILL 480

(3) “FUND” MEANS THE OFF–HIGHWAY RECREATIONAL VEHICLE 1
TRAIL FUND ESTABLISHED UNDER § 5–1011 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 2

(B) THERE IS AN OFF–HIGHWAY RECREATIONAL VEHICLE RECREATION 3
OVERSIGHT BOARD. 4

(C) (1) THE BOARD CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS , 5
APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR: 6

(I) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MARYLAND OFF–HIGHWAY 7
VEHICLE ALLIANCE; 8

(II) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF TH E MARYLAND MOTORCYCLE 9
DEALERS ASSOCIATION; 10

(III) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST 11
ASSOCIATION DISTRICT 7; 12

(IV) ONE INDIVIDUAL REPRES ENTING ALL –TERRAIN VEHICLE , 13
UTILITY TERRAIN VEHICLE, OR SIDE–BY–SIDE VEHICLE DRIVERS; AND 14

(V) ONE INDIVIDUAL REPRES ENTING ON – AND OFF –ROAD 15
MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVERS. 16

(2) EACH MEMBER SHALL BE A RESIDENT OF THE STATE. 17

(D) FROM AMONG ITS MEMBERS, THE BOARD SHALL ELECT A C HAIR EACH 18
YEAR. 19

(E) (1) THE TERM OF A MEMBER IS 4 YEARS. 20

(2) THE TERMS OF MEMBERS ARE STAGGERED AS REQUIRED BY THE 21
TERMS PROVIDED FOR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD ON OCTOBER 1, 2026. 22

(3) AT THE END OF A TERM , A MEMBER CONTINUES TO SERVE UNTIL 23
A SUCCESSOR IS APPOINTED AND QUALIFIES. 24

(4) A MEMBER WHO IS APPOINTED AFTER A TERM HAS BEGUN SERVES 25
ONLY FOR THE REST OF THE TERM AND UNTIL A SUCCESSOR IS APPOINT ED AND 26
QUALIFIES. 27

SENATE BILL 480 3

(5) IF A VACANCY OCCURS A MONG THE MEMBERS , THE GOVERNOR 1
SHALL PROMPTLY APPOI NT A SUCCESSOR WHO S HALL SERVE UNTIL THE TERM 2
EXPIRES. 3

(F) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE STAFF FOR THE BOARD. 4

(2) ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE BOARD SHALL BE PROVIDED BY: 5

(I) THE SECRETARY, OR THE SECRETARY’S DESIGNEE; 6

(II) THE MARYLAND PARK SERVICE; 7

(III) THE FOREST SERVICE; 8

(IV) THE WILDLIFE AND HERITAGE SERVICE; AND 9

(V) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF EACH COUNTY IN WHICH AN 10
OFF–HIGHWAY RECREATIONAL VEHICLE TRAIL MAINTAINED BY THE DEPARTMENT 11
IS LOCATED, DESIGNATED BY THE DEPARTMENT. 12

(G) THE BOARD SHALL MEET AT LEAST QUARTERLY. 13

(H) THE BOARD SHALL ADVISE THE SECRETARY ON THE OPER ATION, 14
ACQUISITION, REGULATION, AND GENERAL OVERSIGH T OF OFF –HIGHWAY 15
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE TRAILS AND RECREATION IN THE STATE. 16

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the terms of the initial 17
appointed members of the Off–Highway Recreational Vehicle Recreation Oversight Board 18
established under Section 1 of this Act shall expire as follows: 19

(1) one member in 2027; 20

(2) two members in 2028; and 21

(3) two members in 2029. 22

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 23
October 1, 2026. 24