HB 61 Maryland House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

School Buildings - Solar Technologies - Parking Lot Solar Canopies

HB 61 requires Maryland public schools to include underground infrastructure in new construction or major renovation projects involving parking lots, starting after December 31, 2025. This infrastructure must be designed to support future installation of solar canopies over parking areas. The bill directly affects all public school projects that include parking lot construction or renovation after the 2025 deadline. It does not mandate solar canopies themselves but ensures the necessary underground systems are built in advance. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Oct 2024

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Oct 3, 2024 Last action Apr 4, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Public School Construction and Renovation - Solar Canopies for School Parking Lots - Underground Infrastructure → Third - School Buildings - Solar Technologies - Parking Lot Solar Canopies · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to expand its scope from focusing solely on parking lot solar canopies and underground infrastructure to include a broader evaluation of solar technologies for school buildings. The bill now requires an evaluation of solar technologies (including parking lot solar canopies) for all school construction or major renovation projects, and mandates reporting on the use of these technologies.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from requiring underground infrastructure for parking lot solar canopies to requiring an evaluation of all solar technologies (including parking lot solar canopies) for school construction and major renovation projects.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for an evaluation of solar technologies (including parking lot solar canopies) based on life cycle costs for all school construction or major renovation projects.

Added requirement for a report explaining why solar technologies are not appropriate if the evaluation determines they are not suitable for a project.

ENFORCEMENT

Added requirement for the Interagency Commission to submit an annual report on the number of public school construction and major renovation projects using solar technologies to the Governor and General Assembly.

SCOPE

Changed the bill's purpose from focusing on underground infrastructure for parking lot solar canopies to including a broader evaluation of solar technologies for school buildings.

TIMELINE

Added a requirement for the Interagency Commission to submit an annual report on solar technology usage by December 31 of each year.

Floor votes · House of Delegates Feb 28, 2025

How they voted

115–21

Passed · 3 other

Total votes 139

Feb 28, 2025

D Democratic100

97 Yea 3

97% Yea

R Republican39

18 Yea 21 Nay

53% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 31, 2025

Committee

Rereferred to Budget and Taxation

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Committee

Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

Mar 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Mar 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

lower

Mar 10, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Appropriations

lower

Feb 28, 2025

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (115-21-3)

house of delegates

Jan 8, 2025

Committee

First Reading Appropriations

lower

Oct 3, 2024

Introduced

Pre-filed

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors