State Center - Development - Contract, Plan Requirements, and Advisory Group, the official text

WES MOORE, Governor                      Ch. 390

Chapter 390

                   (Senate Bill 818)

AN ACT concerning

State Center – Development – Contract, Plan Requirements, and Advisory
                                                    Group

FOR the purpose of altering certain requirements related to the development of a certain
         project at State Center; establishing a State Center Advisory Group; and generally
         relating to the development of State Center.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
         Article – State Finance and Procurement
         Section 10A–403
         Annotated Code of Maryland
         (2021 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 – State Finance and Procurement

10A–403.

        (a) IN THIS SECTION, “ADVISORY GROUP” MEANS THE STATE CENTER
ADVISORY GROUP.

        (B) This section applies to the project development of the 28–acre State–owned
property in Baltimore City bordered by Dolphin Street, North Howard Street, Martin
Luther King Boulevard, and Madison Avenue, commonly known as State Center.

        [(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, the State or its reporting
agency may not enter into a new or modified contract or plan for the development of State
Center unless the new or modified contract or plan includes provisions that require:

                  (1) an enforceable community benefits agreement between the developer
and the State Center Neighborhood Alliance, Inc. to provide for a concerted and coordinated
effort by the developer and the community throughout the entire planning, development,
and construction phases of the project;

                  (2) a comprehensive local hiring plan for the project that includes goals for
short–term construction jobs, long–term employment opportunities, and job training; and

             (3) an economic improvement plan for the project that includes goals for
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the use of minority– and women–owned and locally owned businesses.]

        (C) (1) THE STATE OR ITS REPORTING AGENCY SHALL CONVENE A STATE
CENTER ADVISORY GROUP.

         (2) THE PURPOSE OF THE ADVISORY GROUP IS TO:

                         (I)  PROVIDE COMMUNITY INPUT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF
STATE CENTER;

                         (II) LEVERAGE BENEFITS FROM THE DEVELOPMENT OF STATE
CENTER FOR NEIGHBORHOODS AND RESIDENTS IN THE SURROUNDING AREA

INFORM THE IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL COMMUNITY BENEFITS ASSOCIATED
WITH THE PROJECT IN THE IMMEDIATE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS THAT

BORDER STATE CENTER; AND

                         (III) FACILITATE TRANSPARENCY AND INFORMATION–SHARING
BETWEEN THE DEVELOPER, THE STATE OR ITS REPORTING AGENCY, AND THE
COMMUNITY SURROUNDING STATE CENTER.

                (3) THE ADVISORY GROUP SHALL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING
MEMBERS:

                         (I) THE PRESIDENT, OR THE PRESIDENT’S DESIGNEE, OF EACH
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION LISTED IN THE BALTIMORE CITY DEPARTMENT OF
PLANNING’S COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION DIRECTORY THAT IS LOCATED IN WHOLE
OR IN PART WITHIN A 1–MILE RADIUS OF STATE CENTER;

         (II) (I)             A DESIGNEE OF EACH ANCHOR INSTITUTION

DESCRIBED UNDER SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION; AND

         (III) (II) A DESIGNEE OF EACH OF THE FOLLOWING ENTITIES:

                              1. ARENA PLAYERS;

                              2. BALTIMORE ALUMNI CHAPTER KAPPA ALPHA PSI

FRATERNITY INC.;

                              3. BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA;

                              4. BOLTON HILL COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION;

                              4. 5. DRUID HEIGHTS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
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                 WES MOORE, Governor                     Ch. 390

CORPORATION;

                 5. 6. GRAND LODGE PRINCE HALL MASONS;

                 6. 7. HERITAGE CROSSING RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION;

                 7. 8. MCCULLOH HOMES RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION;

                 8. 9. MADISON PARK IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION;

                 9. 10. MARBLE HILL ASSOCIATION;

                 11. MARYLAND INSTITUTE COLLEGE OF ART;

                 10. 12.  MIDTOWN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION;

                 11. MT. ROYAL IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION;

                 12. 13.  MT. VERNON BELVEDERE ASSOCIATION;

                 13. 14.  PENNSYLVANIA  AVE        REDEVELOPMENT

COLLABORATIVE;

                 14. 15.  SETON HILL ASSOCIATION;

                 15. 16.  UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE;

                 16. 17.  UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEDICAL SYSTEM

MIDTOWN CAMPUS;

                 17. 18.  UPTON PLANNING COMMITTEE;

                 18. 19.  URBAN LEAGUE BALTIMORE; AND

                 19. 20.  A FAITH–BASED ORGANIZATION LOCATED

WITHIN A 1–MILE RADIUS OF IN THE AREA SURROUNDING STATE CENTER.

                (4) (I) IF AN INDIVIDUAL WHO SERVES ON THE ADVISORY BOARD

AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS EMPLOYED BY AN

ANCHOR INSTITUTION, THE INDIVIDUAL SHALL REPRESENT ONLY THE INTERESTS

OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND MAY NOT REPRESENT THE INTERESTS

OF THE ANCHOR INSTITUTION.

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Ch. 390    2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND

           (II) THE ADVISORY GROUP SHALL:

                                 1. ADOPT A POLICY ON CONFLICTS OF INTEREST FOR
MEMBERS AS PART OF THE GOVERNANCE PROCEDURES OF THE ADVISORY GROUP;

AND

           2. DEVELOP A CONFLICT–OF–INTEREST DISCLOSURE

DOCUMENT.

                         (III) THE ADVISORY GROUP MAY ADDRESS ANY CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST AS SET FORTH IN THE GOVERNANCE PROCEDURES, INCLUDING BY

REQUIRING A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION TO APPOINT A DESIGNEE TO THE

ADVISORY GROUP WHO IS NOT EMPLOYED BY AN ANCHOR INSTITUTION IF DEEMED
NECESSARY TO RESOLVE THE CONFLICT.

                (5) (I) THE MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY GROUP SHALL ELECT
ONE MEMBER TO SERVE AS CHAIR OF THE ADVISORY GROUP BY MAJORITY VOTE OF
THE MEMBERS PRESENT AT THE MEETING TO ELECT A CHAIR.

                         (II) THE CHAIR OF THE ADVISORY GROUP SHALL SERVE FOR A
TERM DESIGNATED BY THE ADVISORY GROUP.

                         (III) THE CHAIR OF THE ADVISORY GROUP SHALL CONTINUE TO
SERVE BEYOND THE TERM OF OFFICE UNTIL A SUCCESSOR IS ELECTED.

                         (IV) THE CHAIR OF THE ADVISORY GROUP SHALL PROVIDE THE
MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY GROUP WITH ALL NOTICES RECEIVED BY THE CHAIR.

        [(c)] (D) Any new or modified development contract or plan shall, to the extent
possible, include:

                (1) [State agencies as the major anchor tenant] ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS
THAT PROVIDE PUBLIC OR COMMUNITY SERVICES, WHICH MAY INCLUDE UNITS OF
THE STATE OR BALTIMORE CITY, AS THE MAJOR TENANTS;

                  (2) space for retail, housing, offices, restaurants, and other private
businesses;

         (3) a high–quality, full–service grocery store;

                (4) [parking facilities designed to reduce parking impacts on the
surrounding communities;

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     WES MOORE, Governor                   Ch. 390

                (5)] elements designed to increase the connection of State Center to the
surrounding communities; and

     [(6)] (5) green space.

        (E) (1) THE STATE OR ITS REPORTING AGENCY AND ANY DEVELOPER
WHO IS PARTY TO A CONTRACT OR PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF STATE CENTER
SHALL ENGAGE WITH THE ADVISORY GROUP THROUGHOUT THE PLANNING AND
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, INCLUDING BY PROVIDING UPDATES ON ANY PUBLIC
APPROVAL PROCEEDING.

                (2) NOTWITHSTANDING SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE FEDERAL LAW AND
NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS TITLE, CONSISTENT WITH ANY
REQUIREMENTS TIED TO PUBLIC FUNDING SOURCES, THE STATE OR ITS REPORTING

AGENCY MAY NOT ENTER INTO A NEW OR MODIFIED CONTRACT OR PLAN FOR THE

DEVELOPMENT OF STATE CENTER UNLESS THE NEW OR MODIFIED CONTRACT OR
PLAN INCLUDES PROVISIONS THAT REQUIRE:

                         (I) A COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL HIRING PLAN FOR THE PROJECT
THAT INCLUDES GOALS:

     1. FOR SHORT–TERM CONSTRUCTION JOBS;

     2. FOR LONG–TERM EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES;

AND

     3. FOR JOB TRAINING;

                         (II) AN ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR THE PROJECT
THAT INCLUDES GOALS FOR THE USE OF MINORITY– AND WOMEN–OWNED AND
LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES; AND

                         (III) A COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
DEVELOPER AND THE ADVISORY GROUP.

        [(d)] (F) The State or its reporting agency shall [include the State Center
Neighborhood Alliance, Inc., and any other interested community association in:

     (1) any selection process for a new development contractor; and

                  (2) the development of any new plans for the State Center project or any
proposed modifications to existing development contracts for the project] ENGAGE IN
COMMUNITY CONSULTATION DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF STATE CENTER

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Ch. 390  2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND

THROUGH COMMUNICATION WITH THE ADVISORY GROUP.

        [(e)] (G) A developer who is a party to a new contract or plan for the development
of State Center shall use best practical efforts to begin construction within [18] 24 months
after execution of the new contract and any associated plans.

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

Approved by the Governor, May 12, 2026.

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