SB 459

SENATE BILL 459
     P2  (6lr1389)
  ENROLLED BILL
  — Budget and Taxation/Government, Labor, and Elections —
     Introduced by Senator Rosapepe Senators Rosapepe, Augustine, Guzzone,
  Hettleman, King, Lewis Young, McCray, and Zucker
  Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
  _______________________________________________
  Proofreader.
  _______________________________________________
  Proofreader.
     Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this
     _______ day of _______________ at ________________________ o’clock, ________M.
  ______________________________________________
  President.
  CHAPTER ______
1 AN ACT concerning
2Procurement – Advertising – Local Maryland News Organizations
3(Local Newspapers News for Maryland Communities Act of 2026)
4 FOR the purpose of requiring a unit of State government to ensure that at least a certain
5      amount of the unit’s total dollar value of procurement contracts for print and digital
6      advertising is being made directly to local Maryland news organizations; authorizing
7      a unit of State government to consult with a certain organization under certain
8      circumstances; and generally relating to procurement contracts made to local
9      Maryland news organizations.
10 BY adding to
11      Article – State Finance and Procurement
12      Section 14–419
13      Annotated Code of Maryland
     EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
  [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
  Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
  Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
  amendment.
  Italics indicate opposite chamber/conference committee amendments.
  *sb0459*
2SENATE BILL 459
1(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
2SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
3 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
4Article – State Finance and Procurement
5 14–419.
6(A)   (1)
  IN THIS SECTION, “LOCAL MARYLAND NEWS ORGANIZATION”
7 MEANS AN ENTITY THAT:
8(I)
  ENGAGES PROFESSIONALS TO CREATE, EDIT, PRODUCE,
9 AND DISTRIBUTE ORIGINAL CONTENT CONCERNING MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST
10 THROUGH REPORTING, CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS, OBSERVING CURRENT EVENTS,
11 OR ANALYZING INFORMATION;
12(II)   HAS AT LEAST ONE FULL–TIME EQUIVALENT EMPLOYEE
13 WHO:
141.   IS EMPLOYED FULL TIME;
152.   IS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING COVERAGE OF EVENTS
16 IN MARYLAND; AND
173. 2. RESIDES IN MARYLAND OR WITHIN 50 MILES OF
18 MARYLAND;
19(III) IN THE CASE OF A PRINT PUBLICATION, HAS PUBLISHED AT
20 LEAST ONE PRINT PUBLICATION PER MONTH OVER THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS AND:
211.   HOLDS A VALID U.S. POSTAL SERVICE PERIODICAL
22 PERMIT; OR
232.  HAS AT LEAST 25% OF ITS CONTENT DEDICATED TO
24 LOCAL MARYLAND NEWS;
25(IV) IN THE CASE OF AN ENTITY THAT PUBLISHES CONTENT
26 ONLY IN DIGITAL FORM:
271.
  HAS PUBLISHED AT LEAST ONE PIECE ABOUT EVENTS
28 IN MARYLAND PER WEEK OVER THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS; AND
  SENATE BILL 459  3
12.
  FOR WHICH AT LEAST 33% OF ITS AUDIENCE,
2 AVERAGED OVER A 12–MONTH PERIOD, IS LOCATED IN MARYLAND;
3(V)   HAS DISCLOSED, IN ITS PRINT PUBLICATION OR ON ITS
4 WEBSITE:
51.   ITS BENEFICIAL OWNERS; OR
62.   IN THE CASE OF A NONPROFIT ENTITY, ITS BOARD OF
7 DIRECTORS; AND
8(VI) IN THE CASE OF AN ENTITY THAT MAINTAINS TAX STATUS
9 UNDER § 501(C)(3) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE, AND IS NOT AN ENTITY
10 DESCRIBED IN ITEM (III) OR (IV) OF THIS PARAGRAPH:
111.
  HAS DECLARED COVERAGE OF LOCAL OR STATE
12 MARYLAND NEWS AS ITS STATED MISSION IN A FILING WITH THE INTERNAL
13 REVENUE SERVICE; OR
142.   HAS RECEIVED A COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANT FROM
15 THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING PRIOR TO 2026; AND
16(VII) AN ENTITY THAT:
171. IS A BROADCAST STATION AS DEFINED UNDER
18 SECTION 3 OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 1934; AND
192.
  HAS A COMMUNITY LICENSE IN MARYLAND ASSIGNED
20 BY THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION.
21(2)  “LOCAL MARYLAND NEWS ORGANIZATION” DOES NOT INCLUDE
22 AN ENTITY THAT RECEIVES MORE THAN 50% OF ITS GROSS RECEIPTS FROM:
23(I)   A POLITICAL ORGANIZATION DESCRIBED IN 26 U.S.C. § 527;
24 OR
25(II) ANY ORGANIZATION THAT MAINTAINS STATUS UNDER 26
26 U.S.C. § 501(C)(4), (5), OR (6).
27      (B)   THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO ANY PROCUREMENT CONTRACT FOR
28 PRINT OR DIGITAL ADVERTISING TO BE PUBLISHED OR BROADCAST WITH THE
29 PRIMARY AUDIENCE FOCUS OUTSIDE OF MARYLAND FOR THE PURPOSES OF:
4SENATE BILL 459
1(1)   PROMOTING TOURISM TO THE STATE; OR
2(2)   EMPLOYEE RECRUITMENT; OR
3(3)   ECONOMIC INVESTMENT.
4(C)   (1)
  A UNIT SHALL STRUCTURE PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES TO
5 ACHIEVE AN OVERALL GOAL OF 50% OF THE UNIT’S TOTAL DOLLAR VALUE OF
6 PROCUREMENT CONTRACTS FOR PRINT OR DIGITAL ADVERTISING BEING MADE
7 DIRECTLY TO LOCAL MARYLAND NEWS ORGANIZATIONS.
8(2)   A UNIT SHALL PRIORITIZE THE USE OF MARYLAND NEWS
9 ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE A PRIMARY MISSION OF REPORTING ON AND SERVING
10 UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN MARYLAND.
11(D)   A UNIT MAY CONSULT WITH A THIRD–PARTY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
12 TO PREPARE AND MAINTAIN A LIST OF ELIGIBLE LOCAL NEWS ORGANIZATIONS
13 UNDER THIS SECTION.
14SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
15 October 1, 2026.
     Approved:
     ________________________________________________________________________________
  Governor.
     ________________________________________________________________________________
  President of the Senate.
     ________________________________________________________________________________
  Speaker of the House of Delegates.