SB 177 Maryland Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Procurement - State Department of Education - Local Food Purchasing Program

SB 177 authorizes the Maryland State Department of Education to directly manage procurement of local food for public schools, specifically food grown within 200 miles of schools, from certified local farms, and certified Chesapeake invasive species. This allows the Department to enter master contracts with school systems without approval from other state procurement units. The bill requires the Department to create a centralized platform connecting farmers/distributors with schools and mandates annual reports to the legislature detailing contract volumes and values. It affects local farmers, school systems, and the Department of Education by streamlining how schools source food locally under new procurement rules.

Bill status vetoed 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Nov 2024

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2025

Vetoed

May 2025

Introduced Nov 1, 2024 Vetoed May 16, 2025

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What changed between versions

First - Procurement - State Department of Education - Control Authority - Local Food Purchasing → Third - Procurement - State Department of Education - Local Food Purchasing Program · 5 edits

MODERATE

SB 177 was amended to rename the local food purchasing initiative from a general 'Control Authority' to a specific 'Local Food Purchasing Program,' clarifying its purpose. The bill now explicitly requires coordination with the Departments of General Services and Agriculture to establish a centralized platform for farmers and distributors. Additionally, the program's reporting requirements were expanded to include specific contract details and the number of contracts with certified local farms and invasive species providers.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed and clarified by renaming the initiative to a specific program and adding explicit coordination requirements with other state agencies to establish a centralized procurement platform.

SCOPE

The bill title and purpose were changed from a general 'Control Authority' to a specific 'Local Food Purchasing Program,' indicating a more focused legislative intent.

REQUIREMENT

New requirements mandate that the Department of Education coordinate with the Departments of General Services and Agriculture to establish a centralized platform for encouraging farmer and distributor participation.

Reporting requirements were expanded to include the total number and dollar value of master contracts, plus the number of contracts with certified local farms and invasive species providers.

New preference requirements were added, mandating that the program give preference to providers qualifying under the certified local farm and invasive species categories.

ELIGIBILITY

The eligibility criteria for local food procurement were clarified to include foods grown within a 250-mile radius from schools, in addition to the existing 200-mile radius and certified local farm provisions.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 10, 2025 · House of Delegates Mar 24, 2025

How they voted

44–0

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 46

Mar 10, 2025

D Democratic33

31 Yea 2

93% Yea

R Republican13

13 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 16, 2025

Vetoed

Vetoed by the Governor (Policy)

executive

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Returned Passed

upper

Apr 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable Report by Health and Government Operations

lower

Apr 2, 2025

Committee

Rereferred to Health and Government Operations

lower

Mar 31, 2025

Committee

Referred Rules and Executive Nominations

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Mar 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

upper

Mar 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Budget and Taxation

upper

Mar 24, 2025

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (138-0-1)

house of delegates

Mar 10, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (44-0-2)

senate

Jan 8, 2025

Committee

First Reading Budget and Taxation

upper

Nov 1, 2024

Introduced

Pre-filed

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors