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SB 315

More Transparency/Efficiency in Utiliz. Rev.

2025-2026 Session Introduced by Ted Alexander and 15 co-sponsors

Replaces State Treasurer with Secretary of Planning on MES Board and adds two nonvoting legislators, with terms rules adjusted for these new members.

Passed 1st Reading
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Bill Summary · SB 315

Summary — SB 315: Maryland Environmental Service — Membership of Board of Directors — Alterations

  • Bill number: SB 315
  • Subject: Maryland Environmental Service (MES) — Board membership changes
  • Introduced: February 11, 2025 (per file)
  • Status: Approved by the Governor — Chapter 47 (approved April 8, 2025)
  • Effective date: July 1, 2025
  • Cross-file: HB 344

Main purpose

Modify the statutory composition and certain appointment/term rules for the Maryland Environmental Service (MES) Board of Directors to (1) replace the State Treasurer’s slot with the Secretary of Planning (or designee), (2) add two nonvoting legislative members (one Senator and one Delegate), and (3) clarify that some standard term provisions do not apply to those added/affected officers.

Key provisions and changes

  • Replaces the State Treasurer on the MES Board with the Secretary of Planning (or the Secretary’s designee).
  • Adds two nonvoting legislative members to the Board: one member of the Senate (appointed by the President of the Senate) and one member of the House of Delegates (appointed by the Speaker).
  • Specifies that certain statutory provisions governing board member terms (e.g., term length and staggering) do not apply to the Secretary of Planning, the Executive Director, and the two legislative members.
  • Prohibits the Secretary of Planning and the legislative members from serving as the Board’s Secretary, Treasurer, or Chair.
  • Retains Board composition otherwise: Executive Director (nonvoting), three public-sector environmental/water/wastewater/solid-waste management positions, and three private-sector members with specified expertise (technical/financial/development/legal; financial; business ethics).
  • Maintains quorum and voting thresholds (five members constitute a quorum; at least five affirmative votes required for Board actions).
  • Confirms that the Board selects Secretary and Treasurer from among its members, subject to the new prohibitions.

Board composition after enactment (high level)

  • Executive Director — nonvoting
  • One Secretary of Planning (or designee) — voting member (but cannot be Secretary/Treasurer/Chair)
  • One member of the Senate (nonvoting)
  • One member of the House (nonvoting)
  • Three public-sector environmental/water/wastewater/solid-waste members — voting
  • Three private-sector members with specified expertise — voting

Who is affected

  • Maryland Environmental Service (board governance/operations)
  • Maryland Department of Planning (new participation via the Secretary or designee)
  • Maryland State Treasurer’s Office (removal from MES Board; DLS notes administrative efficiencies)
  • Governor (appointments) and legislative leadership (appointing the two nonvoting legislators)
  • Current and future MES board members (term/eligibility rules)

Fiscal and administrative impact

  • Department of Legislative Services (DLS) fiscal note: the bill is not anticipated to materially affect State finances.
  • Administrative effect: removal of the Treasurer from the board yields modest efficiencies for the State Treasurer’s Office; the Maryland Department of Planning can meet obligations with existing resources.
  • Local governments and small businesses: no direct fiscal effect indicated.

Procedural/timeline highlights

  • Enacted as Chapter 47; effective July 1, 2025.
  • Cross-filed as HB 344.
  • DLS and agency inputs note the full MES board meets monthly, with two subcommittees meeting semiannually.

Additional context

  • The change shifts an ex officio finance office role (State Treasurer) to a planning-office role (Secretary of Planning), and formalizes legislative observation/participation through nonvoting members. The statute preserves a supermajority-style voting rule (five affirmative votes) for Board action.

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

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