Maryland HB 801: State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund - Purpose, Use, and Funding - Alterations

Bill Text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0801*

HOUSE BILL 801
M1 8lr2072
CF SB 501
By: Delegates Beitzel, Buckel, and McKay
Introduced and read first time: February 1, 2018
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund – Purpose, Use, and Funding – 2
Alterations 3

FOR the purpose of altering the purpose and use of the State Lakes Protection and 4
Restoration Fund; requiring the Governor, beginning in a certain fiscal year, to 5
include in the annual budget bill a certain appropriation to the Fund; and generally 6
relating to the State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund. 7

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Natural Resources 9
Section 8–205 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2012 Replacement Volume and 2017 Supplement) 12

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 13
Article – Natural Resources 14
Section 8–206 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2012 Replacement Volume and 2017 Supplement) 17

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19

Article – Natural Resources 20

8–205. 21

(a) In this section, “Fund” means the State Lakes Protection and Restoration 22
Fund. 23

(b) There is a State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund. 24

2 HOUSE BILL 801

(c) The purpose of the Fund is to protect and restore State–owned OR 1
STATE–OPERATED lakes BY: 2

(1) REMOVING SEDIMENT; 3

(2) TREATING CONTAMINATED SEDIMENT; 4

(3) PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF INVASIVE SPECIES; 5

(4) IMPROVING ECOLOGICAL AND RECREATIONAL VALUE; AND 6

(5) TAKING ANY OTHER ACTION THE DEPARTMENT DETERMINES IS 7
NECESSARY. 8

(d) The Secretary shall administer the Fund. 9

(e) (1) The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7–302 of 10
the State Finance and Procurement Article. 11

(2) The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately, and the 12
Comptroller shall account for the Fund. 13

(f) The Fund consists of: 14

(1) Money appropriated in the State budget to the Fund; and 15

(2) Any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the 16
Fund. 17

(g) The Fund may be used only for the protection or restoration of State–owned 18
OR STATE–OPERATED lakes BY: 19

(1) REMOVING SEDIMENT; 20

(2) TREATING CONTAMINATED SEDIMENT; 21

(3) PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF INVASIVE SPECIES; 22

(4) IMPROVING ECOLOGICAL AND RECREATIONAL VALUE; AND 23

(5) TAKING ANY OTHER ACTION THE DEPARTMENT DETERMINES IS 24
NECESSARY. 25

(h) (1) The State Treasurer shall invest the money of the Fund in the same 26

HOUSE BILL 801 3

manner as other State money may be invested. 1

(2) Any interest earnings of the Fund shall be credited to the Fund. 2

(i) Expenditures from the Fund may be made only in accordance with the State 3
budget. 4

(j) Money expended from the Fund for the protection or restoration of 5
State–owned OR STATE–OPERATED lakes is supplemental to and is not intended to take 6
the place of funding that would otherwise be appropriated for the protection or restoration 7
of State–owned OR STATE–OPERATED lakes. 8

(K) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020 AND EACH FISCAL YEAR THEREAFTER, THE 9
GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUDE IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET BILL AN APPROPRIATION OF 10
$3,000,000 TO THE FUND. 11

8–206. 12

(a) The Department shall develop a working budget for the funds received from 13
the State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund established under § 8–205 of this subtitle. 14

(b) The Department shall develop, in coordination with local governments, 15
organizations, and citizens, an annual work plan that prioritizes and details projects that 16
will receive funding from the State Lakes Protection and Restoration Fund. 17

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 18
1, 2018. 19