Pre-filed bills are now visible on the Maryland General Assembly website, including a multi-pronged proposal to target food waste and help better manage solid waste streams through more composting and diversion, funded by a solid waste disposal surcharge.
Among pre-filed legislation for the 2024 session, SB 56 (Senator Hester) and HB 163 (Delegate Charkoudian) seeks to target a longstanding concern with food waste, establishing a series of grants and programs to reduce food waste from agricultural and service facilities.
The full text of the bill is available online, though neither the Senate nor the House bill has yet been scheduled for its public hearing. Grant criteria under the bill are summarized in this segment of the legislation:
The program derives its funding from a $2/ton surcharge on solid waste disposal, collected by the Department of the Environment and managed to support the various grant programs and functions envisioned in the bill.