Maryland Heritage Area Authority and Heritage Areas - Alterations

SB 226 changes the structure and operations of Maryland's Heritage Area Authority. It increases the required quorum from nine to ten voting members, adds new membership requirements (including a climate resiliency expert and a heritage tourism specialist), and removes the requirement for the Authority to send boundary maps to county clerks. The bill replaces previous mandates for state officials to create program statements with new obligations requiring them to directly support heritage area activities and coordinate with management plans. Additionally, it updates grant and loan rules to allow the Authority to require matching funds and set project cost limits for certified heritage area development. This bill directly affects the Authority, state agencies, and local jurisdictions managing certified heritage areas.