House Environment and Transportation Committee approves broad slate of local, safety and conservation bills; boating fee increase draws opposition

The House Environment and Transportation Committee on Wednesday, March 5 approved a series of local and statewide measures addressing hotel-tax language, boating fees and grants, pesticide application rules, oyster-harvest penalties, housing tools and several safety measures.

The committee's voting session covered more than a dozen bills. Several passed with little debate; others prompted recorded opposition from a group of delegates over funding and notice provisions, most notably a bill (HB 7 19) that adjusts the Waterway Improvement Fund, authorizes expanded matching state funding and raises boat-related fees.

Why it matters: The package includes bills that change local tax references and municipal authority, alter funding rules for marine and land improvement programs, tighten controls on pesticide application and public-safety risks related to gas piping, and expand tools for housing and land-bank authorities. Several measures affect counties directly (Anne Arundel, St. Mary's, Montgomery, Prince George's, Washington) and touch state agencies such as the Department of Natural Resources and the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

Major items and committee action

- HB 7 19 (Waterway Improvement Fund) The subcommittee reported HB 7 19 as favorable with amendments. The bill raises the thresholds for full state funding from the Waterway Improvement Fund, authorizes up to 50% matching funds above the full funding thresholds for certain projects, increases small-project thresholds and increases fees related to boat manufacturer/dealer licensing, certificates of number, Maryland use stickers and titles. Committee discussion noted that boating fees had not been raised since 1984 and that the sponsor's office said the increases were calibrated to inflation. The measure passed but drew recorded opposition from Delegates Jacobs, Otto, Naraki, Morgan and Baker.

- HB 155 (DHCD energy loans and Climate Solutions Act implementation) The committee approved a departmental bill that allows the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to issue loans in addition to grants for energy conservation and renewable-energy projects required by the Climate Solutions Act of 2022, and clarifies how DHCD may calculate greenhouse-gas emissions reductions. Amendments were adopted and the bill passed; recorded opposition was noted from Delegates Jacobs, Otto, Naraki, Morgan and Baker.

- HB 114 (pesticide application and restricted-use pesticides) The committee advanced a departmental bill that eliminates the ability for non-certified individuals to perform commercial applications of restricted-use pesticides under supervision and tightens requirements for private applications under certified private applicators. The bill also repeals obsolete provisions about discontinued pesticide products. The bill passed; the record indicates Delegates Naraki, Morgan and Baker were recorded in opposition.

- HB 222 (sale/distribution restrictions and state fire marshal study on corrugated stainless steel tubing) The committee passed an amended bill prohibiting sale, transfer and distribution of certain non-arc-resistant jacketed corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST), imposes civil penalties for improper uses, and directs the Office of the State Fire Marshal to study and recommend measures to reduce fire hazards associated with common gas piping systems. The bill passed with no recorded opposition.

- HB 8 93 (oyster authorizations, suspensions and reinstatements) The committee approved amendments that establish a five-year suspension for a first oyster-harvest violation and revocation for subsequent violations, clarify reinstatement rules for authorizations revoked before July 1, 2025, and repeal a required hearing time period. The bill passed as amended.

- HB 3 90 (county pilot agreements for rental housing tax exemptions) The committee approved a bill allowing county governments to exempt real property used for rental housing from county property tax if owners maintain a specified percentage of affordable units and enter into a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes pilot agreement. Committee members stressed the bill authorizes but does not require counties to adopt such programs. The bill passed; a single recorded opposition was noted (Delegate Naraki spelled variably in the transcript).

- HB 11 28 (land bank authority powers) The committee approved a bill that authorizes land bank authorities to create a special fund to pledge assets to leverage private investment, make loans or grants, enter partnerships and, where authorized, exercise a municipality's or county's powers to pursue in rem foreclosure of vacant, uninhabitable properties. The bill passed; Delegates Jacobs, Otto, Naraki, Morgan and Baker were recorded in opposition.

- HB 4 69 (Anne Arundel County hotel tax language) The committee approved a local bill that updates obsolete references in the Local Government Article by changing a reference from the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Conference and Visitors Bureau to Visit Annapolis and Anne Arundel County, Inc. The bill passed on a voice vote.

Other measures passed

The committee also approved a number of additional departmental and local bills on the consent calendar, including: HB 4 90 and HB 4 91 (St. Mary's County local sponsorship amendments), HB 10 63 (repeal of WSSC $2,000,000 design-build contract threshold), HB 10 65 (clarifying appointments to Prince George's County board of appeals), HB 7 49 (Washington County agritourism occupancy/exemption), HB 11 81 (task force to study a veterans-focused state park with reporting due by Dec. 1, 2026), HB 3 72 (making Prince George's County Gateway Development Authority permanent), HB 10 85 (property-tax treatment for nonprofits created by public housing authorities), HB 7 85 (prohibiting HOAs and similar community covenants from restricting family child-care homes beyond State limits), HB 2 22 (CSST and Office of the State Fire Marshal study), HB 3 72, HB 7 49, HB 2 30 (ethics training and financial disclosure clarifications), HB 9 32 (governor blind trust and related disclosures), and HB 1 128 (land bank authority bill listed above as HB 11 28). Several of these passed without recorded opposition; others had named delegates recorded in opposition as noted above.

Votes at a glance (bill — committee outcome — notable recorded opposition if any)

HB 4 69 — approved — no recorded opposition listed HB 4 90 — approved — no recorded opposition listed HB 4 91 — approved — no recorded opposition listed HB 10 63 — approved (repeal of WSSC threshold) — passed unanimously as stated HB 10 65 — approved — no recorded opposition listed HB 114 — approved — recorded opposition: Delegate Naraki; Delegate Morgan; Delegate Baker HB 513 — approved (urban rooster/enclosure rules, amendments adopted) — approved HB 7 49 — approved (Washington County agritourism occupancy exemption) — approved HB 11 81 — approved (task force to study veterans state park; report due 12/01/2026) — approved HB 7 19 — approved (Waterway Improvement Fund; fee increases; authorizes matching funds) — recorded opposition: Delegate Jacobs; Delegate Otto; Delegate Naraki; Delegate Morgan; Delegate Baker HB 8 93 — approved (oyster authorization suspensions/revocations and reinstatement rules) — approved HB 155 — approved (DHCD loans for energy projects under Climate Solutions Act of 2022) — recorded opposition: Delegate Jacobs; Delegate Otto; Delegate Naraki; Delegate Morgan; Delegate Baker HB 2 22 — approved (CSST sale/distribution prohibition; state fire marshal study) — approved HB 3 72 — approved (Prince George's Gateway Development Authority made permanent) — approved HB 3 90 — approved (county-authorized pilot real-estate tax exemptions for rental housing; minimum percentage lowered to 25%) — recorded opposition: Delegate Naraki (recorded) HB 10 85 — approved (property-tax treatment for nonprofit entities created by public housing authorities) — approved HB 7 85 — approved (restricting HOA covenants on family child-care homes) — recorded opposition: Delegate Jacobs; Delegate Otto; Delegate Naraki; Delegate Morgan; Delegate Baker HB 2 30 — approved (ethics training and disclosure clarifications) — approved HB 9 32 — approved (governor blind trust and disclosure rules; penalties added) — approved HB 11 28 — approved (land bank authority powers, in rem foreclosure authorization) — recorded opposition: Delegate Jacobs; Delegate Otto; Delegate Naraki; Delegate Morgan; Delegate Baker

What the record shows and limits of the committee's actions

- Where the transcript records named delegates as requesting to be recorded in opposition, this article records those names exactly as entered on the committee record. Where votes were taken by voice and no roll-call or recorded opposition was captured in the transcript, the article reports only the committee's adopted outcome.

- Several items were departmental bills that the committee characterized as technical or administrative; for these the committee frequently declined a lengthy debate and the transcript records members saying the committee would not "do a pile on," indicating no extended floor debate at this session.

- The committee set a reporting date for the veterans state-park task force (HB 11 81): the task force must report to the governor and specified legislative committees by Dec. 1, 2026, and the bill would terminate June 30, 2027, unless otherwise provided.

Clarifying details recorded in committee discussion

- Boat- and title-fee history and changes: committee discussion noted boat titles cost $2 in 1984 and had increased to $20; committee speakers described current licensing and sticker fees in the context of a biannual fee structure and said increases reflected inflation. The transcript contains multiple references to fee levels but also inconsistent phrasing; the sponsor described the increases as designed to avoid "overcharging" while aligning with historic inflation. (Numbers cited are committee remarks and reflect the transcript discussion.)

- Reinstatement and effective dates: HB 8 93 sets a five-year suspension for first oyster-harvest violations and allows for reinstatement of authorizations revoked before 07/01/2025 after five years. HB 11 81 (veterans state-park task force) would be effective July 1 with termination 06/30/2027.

Meeting context

The committee convened for a midday voting session that proceeded through a long consent-and-general calendar, taking up both local delegation bills and statewide departmental bills. Several measures were amended in subcommittee and presented as "favorable with amendments." The chair announced a recess and return time for later hearings at 1:40 p.m.

Ending note

The committee advanced a broad set of measures that affect public safety, local taxes and land-use tools and set out follow-up steps for items that require reports or further implementation guidance from state agencies. Where delegates asked to be recorded in opposition, those names were entered into the committee record during the vote on the relevant bill.