MD SB197

Restructures required elements of comprehensive plans for Maryland charter counties and local jurisdictions from the current 9 elements (development regulations, housing, sensitive areas, transportation, water resources, community facilities, land use, goals/objectives, and area of critical State concern) to 8 new elements: Land, Transportation, Housing, Economy, Equity, Resilience, Place, and Ecology

Requires each plan element to be informed by specific state plans and data sources, with State agencies mandated to provide technical assistance and relevant data to local jurisdictions upon request

Adds new Equity element requiring jurisdictions to address needs of overburdened and underserved communities and populations that typically have not participated in the planning process

Consolidates previous standalone elements into subelements within larger categories (e.g., sensitive areas, water resources, mineral resources, and fisheries become subelements under Land or Ecology elements; community facilities becomes a subelement under Land)

Takes effect October 1, 2026, and applies only prospectively to comprehensive plans amended, revised, readopted, or modified after that date