On February 16, 2022, Associate Policy Director Dominic Butchko testified before the Senate Budget and Taxation and Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committees in support of SB 541 – Natural Resources – Maryland Park Service and State Parks – Alterations (Great Maryland Outdoors Act) with amendments. This bill seeks to make historic investments in Maryland’s state parks system. Counties want to extend provisions in the bill, creating a pilot partnership park model between the State and counties.

From the MACo testimony: 

Under SB 541, in establishing the Freedman’s State Historical Park, the State will be undertaking an innovative partnership model first implemented between federal and state parks. Counties urge that this provision be expanded to encourage more partnership parks, particularly in those few counties still lacking a state park, or where underserved populations can be more effectively reached.

MACo will be testifying on the bill’s crossfile, HB 727, on February 23, 2022.

More on MACo’s Advocacy:

Follow MACo’s advocacy efforts during the 2022 legislative session on MACo’s Legislative Tracking Database.
Learn more about MACo’s 2022 Legislative Initiatives.
Read more General Assembly News on MACo’s Conduit Street blog.