Maryland HB 450: State Department of Education - Soccer Opportunities Program - Establishment

Bill Text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0450*

HOUSE BILL 450
F5 4lr1240
CF SB 433
By: Delegates Martinez, Acevero, Alston, Bagnall, Fair, Lehman, R. Lewis, Woods,
and Young
Introduced and read first time: January 22, 2024
Assigned to: Ways and Means

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

State Department of Education – Soccer Opportunities Program – 2
Establishment 3

FOR the purpose of establishing the Soccer Opportunities Program in the State 4
Department of Education to increase opportunities for minority students to 5
participate in soccer in their communities; and generally relating to the Soccer 6
Opportunities Program. 7

BY adding to 8
Article – Education 9
Section 2–305.1 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 12

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14

Article – Education 15

2–305.1. 16

(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 17
INDICATED. 18

(2) “AGENCY” MEANS A LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY SERVING A 19
POPULATION OF STUDENTS AT LEAST 80% OF WHICH ARE MINORITY STUDENTS. 20

(3) “MINORITY STUDENT” HAS THE MEANING STATED IN 21
REGULATIONS ADOPTED BY THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT. 22

2 HOUSE BILL 450

(4) “YOUTH SOCCER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION” MEANS A 1
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT: 2

(I) IS LOCATED IN A COUNTY WITH AN AGENCY; 3

(II) PROVIDES SOCCER OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN UNDER 4
THE AGE OF 18 YEARS; AND 5

(III) IS RECOGNIZED BY US YOUTH SOCCER AS A MEMBER OF 6
THE MARYLAND STATE YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION. 7

(B) (1) THERE IS A SOCCER OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM IN THE 8
DEPARTMENT. 9

(2) THE PURPOSE OF THE SOCCER OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM IS TO 10
INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MINORITY STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN SOCCER 11
IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. 12

(C) THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT SHALL DEVELOP AND ADMINISTER THE 13
SOCCER OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM. 14

(D) (1) AN AGENCY OR A YOUTH SOCCER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION MAY 15
SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO THE DEPARTMENT TO RECEIVE A GRANT FOR A 16
PROGRAM THAT IS IN FURTHERANCE OF THE PURPOSE OF THE SOCCER 17
OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM. 18

(2) AN APPLICATION SHALL INCLUDE: 19

(I) A DESCRIPTION OF THE SCOPE AND PURPOSE OF THE 20
PROPOSED PROGRAM; 21

(II) A BUSINESS PLAN THAT INCLUDES THE ESTIMATED TOTAL 22
COST OF THE PROPOSED PROGRAM; AND 23

(III) ANY OTHER INFORMATION REQUIRED BY THE 24
DEPARTMENT. 25

(E) IN AWARDING A GRANT UNDER THE SOCCER OPPORTUNITIES 26
PROGRAM, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL: 27

(1) REQUIRE THE GRANTEE TO PROVIDE MATCHING FUNDS FROM 28
ANY COMBINATION OF FEDERAL, COUNTY, MUNICIPAL, OR PRIVATE SOURCES; AND 29

HOUSE BILL 450 3

(2) ENSURE THAT THE GRANT DOES NOT EXCEED 50% OF THE TOTAL 1
ANNUAL COST OF THE GRANTEE’S PROGRAM. 2

(F) THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OR THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT’S 3
DESIGNEE SHALL: 4

(1) REVIEW GRANT APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED IN ACCORDANCE 5
WITH SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION; AND 6

(2) TO THE EXTENT FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE, PROVIDE GRANTS TO 7
AGENCIES AND YOUTH SOCCER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT MEET THE 8
REQUIREMENTS FOR A GRANT UNDER THIS SECTION. 9

(G) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 AND EACH FISCAL YEAR THEREAFTER, THE 10
GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUDE IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET BILL AN APPROPRIATION OF 11
AT LEAST $80,000 FOR THE SOCCER OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM. 12

(H) THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY 13
OUT THIS SECTION. 14

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 15
1, 2024. 16