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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0924*
SENATE BILL 924
C8 6lr2903
CF HB 1033
By: Senator Harris
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
Assigned to: Finance
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Department of Social and Economic Mobility – Maryland Chamber of Commerce 2
Grant Program – Established 3
(Business Networks Access Act) 4
FOR the purpose of establishing the Maryland Chamber of Commerce Grant Program in 5
the Department of Social and Economic Mobility to provide grants for membership 6
subsidies for underrepresented individuals and inter –chamber events; specifying 7
certain application requirements for the Program; requiring Program applicants to 8
meet certain eligibility requirements; and generally relating to the Maryland 9
Chamber of Commerce Grant Program in the Department of Social and Economic 10
Mobility. 11
BY adding to 12
Article – State Government 13
Section 9–4109 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 16
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18
Article – State Government 19
9–4109. 20
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 21
INDICATED. 22
(2) “CHAMBER” MEANS A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN THE STATE. 23
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(3) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE MARYLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 1
GRANT PROGRAM. 2
(B) THERE IS A MARYLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE GRANT PROGRAM IN 3
THE DEPARTMENT. 4
(C) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO CHAMBERS 5
FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES: 6
(1) MEMBERSHIP SUBSIDIES FOR UNDERREPRESENTED 7
INDIVIDUALS; AND 8
(2) INTER–CHAMBER EVENTS. 9
(D) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVE LOP A UNIFIED APPLIC ATION 10
REQUIRING THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: 11
(1) GRANT TYPE; 12
(2) CHAMBER PROGRAMMING AND CAPACITY TO SUPP ORT GRANT 13
ACTIVITIES; 14
(3) POINT OF CONTACT RESPONSIBLE FOR GRANT ADMINISTRATION; 15
(4) PROJECTED TIMELINE; 16
(5) PROPOSED BUDGET; 17
(6) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS SPECIFIED BY T HE DEPARTMENT; 18
AND 19
(7) FOR MEMBERSHIP SUBSIDIES, A BRIEF JUSTIFICATION OF WHY A 20
POTENTIAL MEMBER IS UNDERREPRESENTED IN A CHAMBER. 21
(E) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL: 22
(1) REVIEW APPLICATIONS; 23
(2) DETERMINE AWARD AMOUNTS; AND 24
(3) NOTIFY CHAMBERS REGARDING AN AWARD. 25
SENATE BILL 924 3
(F) (1) TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR A MEMBERSHIP GRANT, A CHAMBER SHALL 1
DEMONSTRATE: 2
(I) OPPORTUNITIES FOR PR OGRAMMING, SERVICES, 3
MENTORING, OR NETWORKING FOR NEWLY ENROLLED MEMBERS; AND 4
(II) ANNUAL FUNDING FOR A T LEAST ONE FULL –TIME PAID 5
POSITION. 6
(2) MEMBERSHIP GRANTS MAY BE USED FOR 1 YEAR OF THE 7
LOWEST–TIER CHAMBER MEMBERS HIP AT NO COST TO UN DERREPRESENTED 8
INDIVIDUALS. 9
(3) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DISBURSE A MEMBERSHIP GRANT TO A 10
CHAMBER WITHIN 14 DAYS AFTER THE CHAMBER ENROLLS A MEMBER. 11
(4) CHAMBERS THAT RECEIVE MEMBERSHIP GRANTS SHALL SUBMIT 12
AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE DEPARTMENT WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: 13
(I) THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL AWARDS; AND 14
(II) PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK ON THE UTILITY OF TH E 15
CHAMBER’S PROGRAMMING. 16
(G) (1) TWO OR MORE CHAMBERS MAY APPLY J OINTLY FOR AN 17
INTER–CHAMBER GRANT UNDER THIS SECTION. 18
(2) AN APPLICATION SHALL INCLUDE: 19
(I) A PLAN FOR THE PROPOSED EVENT; 20
(II) EXPECTED ATTENDANCE; AND 21
(III) COST. 22
(3) ELIGIBLE USES OF INTER–CHAMBER GRANTS INCLUDE: 23
(I) VENUE EXPENSES; 24
(II) EVENT PROMOTION; 25
(III) STAFF SUPPORT; AND 26
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(IV) RELATED COSTS. 1
(4) CHAMBERS RECEIVING INTER–CHAMBER GRANTS SHALL SUBMIT 2
A REPORT TO THE DEPARTMENT AFTER EACH EVENT WITH THE FOLLO WING 3
INFORMATION: 4
(I) ATTENDANCE; 5
(II) EVENT ACTIVITIES; AND 6
(III) RECEIPTS FOR EVENT EXPENDITURES. 7
(H) FOR EACH FISCAL YEAR , THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUD E IN THE 8
ANNUAL BUDGET BILL AN APPROPRIATION OF $100,000 TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR 9
THE PROGRAM. 10
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FU RTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 11
October 1, 2026. 12