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SB 176

AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HIGHER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jonathon Acosta and 9 co-sponsors

Authorizes MDA to obtain and use soil conservation and water quality plan data held by soil districts to enforce nutrient management laws, with confidentiality safeguards.

04/30/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · SB 176

SB 176 — Agriculture: Soil Conservation & Water Quality Plans — Uses of Information

Status: Introduced (legislative hearing marked as canceled)
Introduced: January 2025 (departmental bill requested by Maryland Department of Agriculture)
Subject area: Agriculture / soil conservation / nutrient management

Main purpose

Authorize the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) to obtain and use information contained in a soil conservation and water quality plan held by a soil conservation district supervisor for purposes of enforcing Maryland’s Nutrient Management Law (Title 8, Subtitle 8 of the Agriculture Article).

Background / intent

  • Under current law soil conservation and water quality plans must be retained by district supervisors and are already available to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) for sediment-control enforcement; MDA may presently use plan data only for limited statistical purposes.
  • The State’s Nutrient Management Law requires many agricultural and livestock operations to have and implement nutrient management plans; MDA administers that program and enforces compliance (including penalties, license actions, and certification of nutrient management consultants).
  • This bill seeks to align access to district-held plan information so MDA can request and use plan information to support nutrient management compliance and enforcement.

Key provisions

  • Amend Article — Agriculture § 8‑306 to authorize a soil conservation district supervisor to make a soil conservation and water quality plan available to MDA for enforcement actions under Title 8, Subtitle 8 (the Nutrient Management Law).
  • Maintains existing confidentiality protections: plan information must be maintained and handled in a manner that protects the identity of the person for whom the plan was prepared (consistent with existing protections for MDE access).
  • Clarifies the scope of authorized uses so MDA can use plan information beyond statistical purposes, specifically for compliance assessment and enforcement under nutrient management statutes and regulations.

Who is affected

  • Maryland Department of Agriculture: gains explicit statutory authority to obtain and use plan information to support nutrient management enforcement.
  • Soil conservation districts and supervisors: required to provide plans on request (subject to confidentiality protections).
  • Farmers, agricultural operations, and nutrient management consultants: their plan contents may be accessed by MDA to evaluate compliance; identity protections remain required.
  • Local governments/agencies: no new local funding or program required beyond current operations.

Fiscal and operational impact

  • MDA and soil conservation districts reported the bill would not materially affect State finances or operations; districts can implement the change with existing resources.
  • Departmental fiscal analysis and the Department of Legislative Services indicated minimal or no fiscal impact; no anticipated significant impact on small businesses.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Departmental bill requested by MDA; introduced in the 2025 session (committee hearing noted as canceled on provided calendar).
  • If enacted, the statutory amendment would take effect upon the bill’s effective date as provided in the legislation.

If you want, I can:
- Draft a short one‑page explainer for outreach to district supervisors or farmers.
- Flag specific regulatory or procedural steps MDA would likely take to implement the new access authority.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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