# Maryland SB 0610: Natural Resources - Invasive Blue Catfish Pilot Program - Alterations

Maryland SB 0610, Natural Resources - Invasive Blue Catfish Pilot Program - Alterations, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Johnny Mautz (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-14 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 42) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0610-2026RS
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland SB 0610
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Natural Resources - Invasive Blue Catfish Pilot Program - Alterations
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-02-05
- Last action: 2026-04-14, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 42
- Sponsor: Johnny Mautz (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Hunting and Fishing, Boundaries, Commerce and Business -see also- ElectrComm; ForeignTr; etc., Emergency Bills, Fish and Fishing -see also- Aquaculture; FishNets&Dev, Fishing Nets and Devices, Invasive Species -see also- Animals; Insects; Plants, Licenses -see also- AB Lic; Certifications; DrLic; Permits, Natural Resources -see also- Coal; For&Pks; Rivers; etc., Natural Resources, Department of, Pilot Programs, Reports, Sunset
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (175 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- New blue catfish pilot for fishers: mixed, medium. The Department of Natural Resources runs a Blue Catfish Pilot in the Chesapeake Bay. Eligible for-hire and commercial operators can run both trip types at the same time. The Department authorizes finfish trotlines south of the William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge where feasible, and can close a…
- Old trotline license for catfish repealed: mixed, low. The law repeals the commercial finfish trotline license for blue and flathead catfish. The $15 annual fee and the nontransferable rule under that statute are gone.
- Law takes effect now, ends 2030: mixed, low. This emergency law takes effect on the day it is enacted. It stays in place through June 30, 2030, and then ends.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Johnny Mautz (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-09 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 132 | 0 | 4 |
| 2026-03-23 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 43 | 0 |   |

## Actions (13)

- 2026-04-14: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 42
- 2026-04-10: Returned Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-09: Third Reading Passed (132-0) (House)
- 2026-04-03: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2026-04-03: Favorable Report by Environment and Transportation (House)
- 2026-03-25: Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-03-24: Referred Environment and Transportation (House)
- 2026-03-23: Third Reading Passed (43-0) (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Favorable with Amendments {893922/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Hearing 3/10 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate)
- 2026-02-05: First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-04-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_42_sb0610t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-20: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0610t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-02-05: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0610f.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_42_sb0610t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0610t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0610f.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0610-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).