State Center – Development – Contract, Plan Requirements, and Advisory Group

HB 1619 requires developers working on Maryland's 28-acre State Center property in Baltimore City to include three key provisions in new or modified development contracts: (1) enforceable community benefits agreements with the State Center Neighborhood Alliance, (2) comprehensive local hiring plans targeting construction jobs and long-term employment, and (3) economic improvement plans prioritizing minority-, women-, and locally-owned businesses. It also establishes a State Center Advisory Group composed of neighborhood association representatives, anchor institutions (like universities and hospitals), and community organizations within a 1-mile radius. The group must provide community input, leverage development benefits for surrounding neighborhoods, and ensure transparency between the developer, state, and residents. This bill directly affects developers, the State Center Neighborhood Alliance, and Baltimore City residents near the State Center site.