# Maryland HB 0247: Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area Protection Program - Variances - Alterations Maryland HB 0247, Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area Protection Program - Variances - Alterations, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Dylan Behler (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-14 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 79) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0247-2026RS - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maryland HB 0247 - State: Maryland - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area Protection Program - Variances - Alterations - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-09-30 - Last action: 2026-04-14, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 79 - Sponsor: Dylan Behler (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Natural Resources - Generally, Appeals -see also- Judicial Review, Chesapeake Bay -see also- Chesapeake Bay Restoration, Coastal Bays, Conservation -see also- Soil Conservation, Housing -see also- Apartments; Condos; Mobile & Manuf Homes, Natural Resources -see also- Coal; For&Pks; Rivers; etc., Waivers, Zoning and Planning - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (129 yes, 45 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Harder to get critical-area variances: cost, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, local governments cannot accept a variance that allows a use barred by the Critical Area land class, changes required mitigation, or seeks relief already available through an approved administrative process. To get a variance, you must meet every required standard. You mu… - Harder variances for accessory structures: cost, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, when you seek a variance for a new accessory structure or use, the law presumes an existing accessory structure or use on your lot shows reasonable and significant use. That makes it harder to prove hardship for another accessory structure. This presumption does not apply… - Appeals defer to staff findings: cost, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, if you appeal a variance decision by an administrative officer, the local board holds an on‑the‑record hearing. The board must defer to the officer’s findings of fact. It is harder to win an appeal by re‑arguing the facts. - Stricter property comparisons for variances: mixed, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, when you try to show you lost a permitted use, you can compare only to accessory structures that are in the Critical Area, were built after the local program began, were legal when built, are similarly placed, and, if in a modified buffer, met those rules. This limit does… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Dylan Behler (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Dana Stein (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-09 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 33 | 8 | 3 | | 2026-03-18 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 96 | 37 | 3 | ## Actions (15) - 2026-04-14: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 79 - 2026-04-09: Returned Passed (House) - 2026-04-09: Third Reading Passed (33-8) (Senate) - 2026-04-08: Second Reading Passed (Senate) - 2026-04-08: Favorable Adopted (Senate) - 2026-04-08: Favorable Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate) - 2026-03-20: Hearing 3/31 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate) - 2026-03-19: Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate) - 2026-03-18: Third Reading Passed (96-37) (House) - 2026-03-17: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House) - 2026-03-17: Favorable with Amendments {653929/1 Adopted (House) - 2026-03-16: Favorable with Amendments Report by Environment and Transportation (House) - 2026-01-19: Hearing 2/11 at 1:00 p.m. (House) - 2026-01-14: First Reading Environment and Transportation (House) - 2025-09-30: Pre-filed (House) ## Bill text - Enacted, 2026-04-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_79_hb0247t.pdf) - Third Reading, 2026-03-17: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0247t.pdf) - First Reading, 2026-01-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0247f.pdf) ## Related bills - SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - Authorization (became law) - SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishment (became law) - SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law) - SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-1 Specialists Act) (became law) - SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits (became law) - HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law) ## Sources - [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_79_hb0247t.pdf) - [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0247t.pdf) - [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0247f.pdf) ## Related - [SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - A…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0496-2026RS) - [SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishm…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0366-2026RS) - [SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0244-2026RS) - [SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0148-2026RS) - [SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0016-2026RS) - [HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0529-2026RS) - [Maryland bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland/bills) - [Maryland state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0247-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).