SB 428

Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act

Sponsor: PresidentCommittee: Education, Energy, and the EnvironmentSubject: Hunting and FishingStatus: First Reading House Rules and Executive Nominations (as of Dec 1, 2025)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Establishing the Maryland Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF) Program; establishing the Maryland Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF) Program Fund to support actions associated with fulfilling the Program's purpose; defining 'fixed natural buffer' as a strip of maintained, native vegetation alongside a body of water; exempting certain holders of certain fishing licenses from the requirement to obtain a certain food establishment license; establishing the Water Quality Monitoring Program; etc.

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Testimony (0)

MGA witness list

FAV 25FavorableFWA 9Favorable with amendmentsUNF 2Unfavorable

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Bassett, Elle	Arundel Rivers Federation	Written (PDF)
FAV	Brown, Jim	Audubon Mid-Atlantic	Written (PDF)
FAV	Smith, Noble	CEJSC	Written (PDF)
FAV	Stegman, Matt	Chesapeake Bay Foundation	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hudson, Lee	Delaware-Maryland Synod, ELCA	Position only
FAV	Middleton, Graysonlobbyist	Delmarva Chicken Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Smith, Virginia	Indivisible HoCo Maryland	Position only
FAV	Zelaya, Michellelobbyist	Maryland Catholic Conference	Written (PDF)
FAV	Atticks, Kevinlobbyist	Maryland Department of Agriculture	Oral
FAV	Jones, Rachel	Maryland Department of Agriculture	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Kurtz, Josh	Maryland Department of Natural Resources	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Baker, Jeremy D	Maryland Department of the Environment	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hough, Tylerlobbyist	Maryland Farm Bureau	Written (PDF)
FAV	Capodanno, Matthewlobbyist	Maryland Food Bank	Written (PDF)
FAV	Olszewski, Marisa	Maryland League of Conservation Voters	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Position only
FAV	Slacum, Ward	Oyster Recovery Partnership	Oral
FAV	Shlagel, Karl	Shlagel Farms	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Sharif, Humnalobbyist	The Nature Conservancy	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kaplowitz, Richard KAP	Year	Written (PDF)
FAV	Jagoz, Emma	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Mauer, William	Individual	Position only
FAV	McHenry, Jenelllobbyist	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	President, President	Individual	Oral
FAV	Thompson, Lindsaylobbyist	Individual	Oral
UNF	Newberry, Captain Robert	Chairman, Delmarva Fisheries Association Inc.	Oral
UNF	Gwin, Jr., Earl R.	Waterman's Association of Worcester County	Written (PDF)
FWA	Swanson, Taylor	Assateague Coastal Trust	Written (PDF)
FWA	Ratul, Saif	Legislative Office of the Governor	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Mortus, Timothy	MWA	Oral
FWA	Brown, Robert	Maryland Watermen's Association	Oral
FWA	Nicholas, Betsy	Potomac Riverkeeper Network	Position only
FWA	Haddaway-Riccio, Jeannielobbyist	R&R Solutions	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Ford, Benjamin	ShoreRivers	Written (PDF)
FWA	Broder, Robin	Waterkeepers Chesapeake	Written (PDF)
FWA	Mullin, James	Individual	Oral

Organizations on record

Arundel Rivers FederationFAV 1

Assateague Coastal TrustFWA 1

Audubon Mid-AtlanticFAV 1

CEJSCFAV 1

Chairman, Delmarva Fisheries Association Inc.UNF 1

Chesapeake Bay FoundationFAV 1

Delaware-Maryland Synod, ELCAFAV 1

Delmarva Chicken AssociationFAV 1

Indivisible HoCo MarylandFAV 1

Legislative Office of the GovernorFWA 1

Maryland Catholic ConferenceFAV 1

Maryland Department of AgricultureFAV 2

Maryland Department of Natural ResourcesFAV 1

Maryland Department of the EnvironmentFAV 1

Maryland Farm BureauFAV 1

Maryland Food BankFAV 1

Maryland League of Conservation VotersFAV 1

Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Maryland Watermen's AssociationFWA 1

MWAFWA 1

Oyster Recovery PartnershipFAV 1

Potomac Riverkeeper NetworkFWA 1

R&R SolutionsFWA 1

Shlagel FarmsFAV 1

ShoreRiversFWA 1

The Nature ConservancyFAV 1

Waterkeepers ChesapeakeFWA 1

Waterman's Association of Worcester CountyUNF 1

YearFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVMiddleton, GraysonDelmarva Chicken AssociationRegistered for: Delmarva Chicken Association

FAVZelaya, MichelleMaryland Catholic ConferenceRegistered for: Maryland Catholic Conference

FAVAtticks, KevinMaryland Department of AgricultureRegistered for: Brewers Association of Maryland; Maryland Distillers Guild; Maryland Wineries Association

FAVHough, TylerMaryland Farm BureauRegistered for: Maryland Farm Bureau

FAVCapodanno, MatthewMaryland Food BankRegistered for: Maryland Food Bank

FAVSharif, HumnaThe Nature ConservancyRegistered for: Nature Conservancy, The

FAVMcHenry, JenellRegistered for: Maryland Agriculture Council, Inc.

FAVThompson, LindsayRegistered for: Alliance to Prevent Legionnaire's Disease; American Farmland Trust; CropLife America; Delaware-Maryland Agribusiness Association; Denali Water Solutions; Horizon Farm Credit…

FWAHaddaway-Riccio, JeannieR&R SolutionsRegistered for: Araminta USA; Dorchester County, Maryland; For All Seasons; Maryland Farm Bureau; Talbot Watermen's Association; Tetrus Corp.…