---
type: "Bill"
title: "Department of Natural Resources - Water Resources - Identification of Vernal Pools (Jack Cover Vernal Pools Act of 2026)"
description: "Department of Natural Resources - Water Resources - Identification of Vernal Pools (Jack Cover Vernal Pools Act of 2026)"
jurisdiction: "us/states/md"
legislature: "Maryland General Assembly"
session: "2026"
identifier: "SB 523"
citation: "Maryland SB 523 (2026)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["M. Washington"]
version_count: 4
action_count: 18
vote_count: 4
first_action: "2026-02-04"
last_action: "2026-04-28"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/f14ba391-896d-4faf-ad62-74382b05370e"
source_url: "http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/sb0523?ys=2026RS"
source_hash: "703fb30a7149b9d74a529973f5813287809a1c8a9949e83b6d4a8510c413e756"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-md"]
---

# Maryland SB 523 (2026) — Department of Natural Resources - Water Resources - Identification of Vernal Pools (Jack Cover Vernal Pools Act of 2026)

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Chapter - Department of Natural Resources - Water Resources - Identification of Vernal Pools (Jack Cover Vernal Pools Act of 2026)** (committee substitute) — [source](http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_164_sb0523e.pdf)
2. **Enrolled - Department of Natural Resources - Water Resources - Identification of Vernal Pools (Jack Cover Vernal Pools Act of 2026)** (committee substitute) — [source](http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0523e.pdf)
3. **First - Department of the Environment - Water Resources - Protection of Vernal Pools (Vernal Pool Wetlands Protection Act of 2026)** (committee substitute) — [source](http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0523f.pdf)
4. **Third - Department of Natural Resources - Water Resources - Identification of Vernal Pools** (committee substitute) — [source](http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0523t.pdf)

## Votes

- On Third Reading (Amend) — **97–36** (pass) · lower
- FLA Del. Adams /843526/1 — **38–89** (fail) · lower
- On Third Reading — **44–0** (pass) · upper
- Bill is on Third Reading for Final Passage. — **41–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- M. Washington — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2026-02-04** First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment `referral-committee`
- **2026-02-05** Hearing 2/24 at 1:00 p.m.
- **2026-03-20** Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-03-20** Favorable with Amendments { `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-03-20** Second Reading Passed with Amendments
- **2026-03-23** Third Reading Passed `passage`
- **2026-03-23** Referred Environment and Transportation `referral-committee`
- **2026-03-25** Hearing 4/02 at 1:00 p.m.
- **2026-04-08** Favorable with Amendments Report by Environment and Transportation `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-04-09** Favorable with Amendments { `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-04-09** Motion Special Order until Later This Session (Delegate Adams) Adopted
- **2026-04-09** Floor Amendment {
- **2026-04-09** Second Reading Passed with Amendments
- **2026-04-10** Third Reading Passed `passage`
- **2026-04-10** Senate Concurs House Amendments
- **2026-04-10** Third Reading Passed `passage`
- **2026-04-10** Passed Enrolled
- **2026-04-28** Approved by the Governor - Chapter 164 `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/f14ba391-896d-4faf-ad62-74382b05370e`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Maryland legislature records).