# Maryland HB 0258: Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area Protection Program - Standards and Procedures Maryland HB 0258, Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area Protection Program - Standards and Procedures, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Regina T. Boyce (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-28 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 274) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0258-2026RS - 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 0258 - State: Maryland - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area Protection Program - Standards and Procedures - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-09-30 - Last action: 2026-04-28, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 274 - Sponsor: Regina T. Boyce (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 4 - Subjects: Natural Resources - Generally, Boundaries, Chesapeake Bay -see also- Chesapeake Bay Restoration, Coastal Bays, Committees and Commissions, Evaluations and Reviews, Maps and Charts, Natural Resources -see also- Coal; For&Pks; Rivers; etc., Rules and Regulations, Standards and Best Practices, Time, Trees, Voting -see also- Absentee and Mail-In Voting - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (171 yes, 2 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Property owners can seek map corrections: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, local authorities can approve Critical Area designation changes based on proof of a mapping mistake. The proposed classification must reflect land uses or natural features from the applicable reference date. Those dates are December 1, 1985, for the Chesapeake Bay and Jun… - Development faces limits and county exceptions: mixed, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, Maryland sets location rules for new development areas in the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Areas. New intensely developed areas must be in limited development areas or contiguous and adjoining to existing intensely developed areas. New limited development… - New restoration rules for tree-cutting violations: mixed, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, unlawful tree cutting in either coastal Critical Area can lead to lawsuits, orders to stop violations, replanting, and damages. The Commission chair or a local government can sue; local governments can also request referral to the Attorney General. At the local government… - Local coastal reviews get longer timelines: mixed, low. Beginning October 1, 2026, local governments must review their Critical Area programs every 10 years instead of every 6 years. The Commission gains explicit powers to adopt and amend regulations by affirmative vote, hold hearings, hire contractors, and set program standards. Local governments can s… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Regina T. Boyce (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Marvin E. Holmes (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Robbyn Lewis (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Darrell Odom (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 | 41 | 0 | 3 | | 2026-03-12 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 130 | 2 | 4 | ## Actions (14) - 2026-04-28: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 274 - 2026-04-09: Returned Passed (House) - 2026-04-09: Third Reading Passed (41-0) (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) - 2026-03-13: Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Third Reading Passed (130-2) (House) - 2026-03-10: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House) - 2026-03-10: Favorable with Amendments {113220/1 Adopted (House) - 2026-03-09: 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, 2026-04-28: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_274_hb0258t.pdf) - Third Reading, 2026-03-10: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0258t.pdf) - First Reading, 2026-01-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0258f.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_274_hb0258t.pdf) - [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0258t.pdf) - [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0258f.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-HB0258-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).