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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 271
Chapter 271
(Senate Bill 280)
AN ACT concerning
Natural Resources – State Parks – Terminology
FOR the purpose of altering certain terminology relating to State parks that preserve and
interpret the history of certain populations; and generally relating to State parks.
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article – Natural Resources
Section 5–2A–04(f)(3), 5–2A–05(b)(2), and 5–1012
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
Article – Natural Resources
Section 5–2A–05(b)(7) and (8)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
Article – Natural Resources
5–2A–04.
(f) (3) The Department’s decisions related to the establishment of State
[historical] parks or other units that preserve and interpret the history of African
American, Asian, Indigenous or Native American, and Hispanic or Latino populations in
the State shall be made:
(i) In coordination with the Commission; and
(ii) With input from groups active in the preservation of historical
sites of underrepresented communities, including:
1. The Commission on Environmental Justice and
Sustainable Communities;
2. The Commission on African American History and
Culture;
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Ch. 271 2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
3. The Governor’s Commission on Asian Pacific American
Affairs;
4. The Commission on Indian Affairs; and
5. The Office of Immigrant Affairs.
5–2A–05.
(b) The Comprehensive Long–Range Strategic Plan shall include:
(2) New State [historical] parks or other units that preserve and interpret
the history of African American, Asian, Indigenous or Native American, and Hispanic or
Latino populations in the State;
(7) Details and updates on the creation and implementation of workforce
development programs, including:
(i) Programs in collaboration with the State’s historically Black
colleges and universities;
(ii) Programs modeled on the National Park Service’s diversity
strategy under Director’s Order #16B; and
(iii) Programs focused on creating a pipeline of new rangers and other
full–time staff from among volunteers, the State foster youth system, and historically
underserved communities; and
(8) The results of:
(i) Implementing a volunteer management program under §
5–2A–02(e) of this subtitle;
(ii) Leveraging charitable funding for park enhancements under §
5–2A–02(f) of this subtitle; and
(iii) Any collaboration between the Department and the Department
of Transportation and local transportation agencies to improve bicycle, sidewalk, and trail
access to State parks.
5–1012.
(a) In this section, “partnership park” means a unit of the State park system
managed by the Department in partnership with a local government, a bicounty agency, or
a nonprofit organization.
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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 271
(b) The Department may enter into:
(1) A memorandum of understanding with a local government, bicounty
agency, or nonprofit organization to establish a partnership park in the State; or
(2) A partnership agreement with a local government, bicounty agency, or
nonprofit organization to manage a partnership park in the State.
(c) (1) The Department shall establish the Freedman’s State [Historical] Park
as a partnership park that seeks to educate the public about and preserve and interpret
the lives and experiences of Black Americans both before and after the abolition of slavery.
(2) Freedman’s State [Historical] Park shall be held by the State as a State
park under the protection and administration of the Department.
(d) Freedman’s State [Historical] Park shall consist of properties in northeastern
Montgomery County in or near the communities of Brookeville, Olney, Sandy Spring, Zion,
and Laytonsville that are:
(1) Owned by the State and designated by the Department as part of the
park; and
(2) (i) Owned by a local government, a bicounty agency, or a nonprofit
organization; and
(ii) Designated as part of the park by a partnership agreement
between the owner of the property and the State.
(e) (1) The Department shall establish a stakeholder advisory committee to
advise the Department on the scope and management of Freedman’s State [Historical]
Park.
(2) The stakeholder advisory committee shall consist of the following
members:
(i) A representative of Montgomery Parks, designated by
Montgomery Parks’ Director of Parks;
(ii) A representative of the Heritage Tourism Alliance of
Montgomery County, designated by the Alliance’s Executive Director;
(iii) A representative of the Sandy Spring Slave Museum, designated
by the Museum’s Director;
(iv) A representative of the Sandy Spring Museum, designated by the
Museum’s President; and
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Ch. 271 2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
(v) Any other members as determined by the Department.
(3) To the extent practicable, the stakeholder advisory committee shall
reflect the diversity of northeastern Montgomery County.
(f) On or before January 1, 2023, the Department shall submit a report to the
General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, on:
(1) Property owned by the State in northeastern Montgomery County that
is suitable for inclusion in Freedman’s State [Historical] Park;
(2) Property owned by a local government, a bicounty agency, or a nonprofit
organization in northeastern Montgomery County that is suitable for inclusion in
Freedman’s State [Historical] Park and for which the landowners are willing to enter into
a partnership agreement; and
(3) The funding needed to establish and promote Freedman’s State
[Historical] Park.
(f–1) (1) The Department and Baltimore City shall:
(i) Convene focus group meetings on the establishment of the
Gwynns Falls State Park with community members and stakeholders that reside or operate
in the vicinity of the proposed State park;
(ii) Develop a list of priority needs and associated cost assessments
for park operations and improvements, including:
1. Capital improvements;
2. Critical maintenance;
3. Enhanced natural resource management and restoration,
including implementation of a biohabitats study;
4. Historic site restoration;
5. Enhanced outdoor recreation amenities, including trail
improvements;
6. Adding park staff and procuring equipment and supplies;
and
7. Law enforcement and public safety; and
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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 271
(iii) Establish a stakeholder advisory committee to advise the
Department and Baltimore City on the scope and management of Gwynns Falls State Park
that consists of:
1. At least one member of the Friends of Gwynns
Falls/Leakin Park;
2. At least six members representing local park advocacy
organizations, local environmental organizations, local historic preservation organizations,
neighborhood organizations from neighborhoods that border the future Gwynns Falls State
Park site; and
3. Any additional members as determined by the
Department and Baltimore City.
(2) On or before December 1, 2025, the Department shall submit a report
to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, on:
(i) Property owned by the State in Baltimore City that is suitable
for inclusion in Gwynns Falls State Park;
(ii) Property owned by Baltimore City or a nonprofit organization in
Baltimore City that is suitable for inclusion in Gwynns Falls State Park and for which the
landowners are willing to enter into a partnership agreement; and
(iii) The funding needed to establish and promote Gwynns Falls State
Park.
(g) (1) (i) The Department shall establish the Port [of] Deposit State
[Historical] Park as a partnership park that seeks to educate the public about and preserve
and interpret the lives and experiences of Black Americans both before and after the
abolition of slavery.
(ii) Port [of] Deposit State [Historical] Park shall be held by the
State as a State park under the protection and administration of the Department.
(2) Port [of] Deposit State [Historical] Park shall consist of a portion of the
Bainbridge Naval Training Center site, measuring not less than 120 acres and not more
than 150 acres, that the Bainbridge Development Corporation transfers to the Department,
including:
(i) The historic Tome School;
(ii) The Snow Hill archaeological site; and
(iii) The adjacent wooded conservation area.
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Ch. 271 2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
(3) (i) The Department shall establish a stakeholder advisory
committee to advise the Department on the scope and management of Port [of] Deposit
State [Historical] Park.
(ii) The stakeholder advisory committee shall consist of the following
members:
1. One member designated by the Mayor and Town Council
of Port Deposit;
2. Two members of the House of Delegates and one member
of the Senate of Maryland representing Cecil County, designated by the Cecil County
Delegation of the General Assembly;
3. The County Executive of Cecil County, or the County
Executive’s designee;
4. The President of the Cecil County Council, or the
President’s designee;
5. The President of the Cecil County branch of the NAACP,
or the President’s designee;
6. The President of the Historical Society of Cecil County, or
the President’s designee;
7. The Director of the Cecil County Department of Parks and
Recreation;
8. The Chair of the Bainbridge Development Corporation, or
the Chair’s designee;
9. The Chief Archaeologist of the Maryland Department of
Transportation, State Highway Administration, or the Chief Archaeologist’s designee; and
10. The following nonvoting ex officio members:
A. The Secretary, or the Secretary’s designee;
B. The Secretary of Commerce, or the Secretary’s designee;
C. The Secretary of the Environment, or the Secretary’s
designee;
D. The Secretary of Planning, or the Secretary’s designee;
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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 271
E. The Director of the Maryland Historical Trust, or the
Director’s designee;
F. The President of the Lower Susquehanna Heritage
Greenway, or the President’s designee;
G. The Superintendent of Cecil County Public Schools;
H. The Executive Director of the Cecil County Public Library;
and
I. The President of Cecil College.
(iii) To the extent practicable, the stakeholder advisory committee
shall reflect the diversity of Cecil County.
(4) On or before September 1, 2024, the Department shall submit a report
to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article on:
(i) Property that is suitable for inclusion in Port [of] Deposit State
[Historical] Park;
(ii) The funding needed to establish and promote Port [of] Deposit
State [Historical] Park; and
(iii) The appropriate manner of preserving property that is not
identified for inclusion in Port [of] Deposit State [Historical] Park in perpetuity for its
archaeological, historical, and cultural significance.
(h) It is the intent of the General Assembly that if the State acquires Carr’s Beach
for the purpose of making the property a State park, the property shall be a partnership
park established and maintained in a manner substantially similar to the requirements
established under subsections (b) through (d) of this section.
(i) (1) In this subsection, “Waldorf core zone” means a geographical area in
Charles County within the following boundaries:
(i) North of Billingsley Road;
(ii) South of Mattawoman Creek;
(iii) East of Bensville Road; and
(iv) West of Maryland Route 5.
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Ch. 271 2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
(2) It is the intent of the General Assembly that if the State acquires
property in the Waldorf core zone for the purpose of making the property a State park, the
property shall be a partnership park established and maintained in a manner substantially
similar to the requirements established under subsections (b) through (d) of this section.
(j) It is the intent of the General Assembly that if the State acquires Hill Road
Park in Prince George’s County for the purpose of making the property a State park, the
property shall be a partnership park established and maintained in a manner substantially
similar to the requirements established under subsections (b) through (d) of this section.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 2026.
Approved by the Governor, April 28, 2026.
–8–Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.