# Maryland SB 0300: Economic Development - Rural Readiness Program and Rural Maryland Capacity Building Fund - Establishment

Maryland SB 0300, Economic Development - Rural Readiness Program and Rural Maryland Capacity Building Fund - Establishment, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Katie Fry Hester (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-04-08 (Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed) (as of 2026-10-16).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0300-2026RS
- As of: 2026-10-16
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland SB 0300
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Economic Development - Rural Readiness Program and Rural Maryland Capacity Building Fund - Establishment
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-21
- Last action: 2026-04-08, Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed
- Sponsor: Katie Fry Hester (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 8
- Subjects: Economic Development, Applicants and Applications, Budgets -see also- Capital Budgets, Certifications, Civil Rights and Social Equity, Commerce and Business -see also- ElectrComm; ForeignTr; etc., Committees and Commissions, Community Development, Disparity, Energy Technology and Infrastructure, Grants, Health -see also- COVID19; EnvHlth; MedCon; etc., Housing -see also- Apartments; Condos; Mobile & Manuf Homes, Interest, Intergovernmental Cooperation -see also- AdmAgn; Cmts; etc., Internet Access, Plans and Proposals, Procurement, Reports, Revenue and Taxes -see also- (specific tax), Rural Areas, Studies -see also- Commitees & Commissions; Reports, Transportation -see also- Aircraft; Airports; Boats; etc, Treasurers, Work, Labor, and Employment -see also- JobTrn; Leave; etc., Zoning and Planning
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 1 (43 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Katie Fry Hester (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Benjamin Brooks (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Mary Beth Carozza (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Jason C. Gallion (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Dawn Gile (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Kevin M. Harris (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Shaneka Henson (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Stephen S. Hershey (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Chris West (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-05 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 43 | 0 |   |

## Actions (9)

- 2026-04-08: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2026-04-08: Favorable Report by Economic Matters (House)
- 2026-03-06: Referred Economic Matters (House)
- 2026-03-05: Third Reading Passed (43-0) (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Favorable with Amendments {953929/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Favorable with Amendments Report by Finance (Senate)
- 2026-01-21: Hearing 2/05 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate)
- 2026-01-21: First Reading Finance (Senate)

## Bill text

- Third Reading, 2026-03-03: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0300t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-01-21: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0300f.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
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0300t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0300f.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-SB0300-2026RS (as of 2026-10-16).