Sales and Use Tax - Elementary or Secondary School Book Fairs - Exemption
HB0358 establishes a new Soccer Opportunities Program within the Maryland State Department of Education. The program is intended to increase opportunities for minority students to participate in soccer in their communities by providing grants to eligible youth soccer nonprofit organizations. To qualify, an organization must serve children under 18, be recognized by the U.S. Soccer Federation as part of the Maryland State Youth Soccer Association, and operate a program that is either at least 50% minority players or at least 50% students eligible for free lunch under the National School Lunch Program.
The bill directs the State Superintendent to develop, administer, and regulate the program, review grant applications, and award grants when funds are available. Grant applications must describe the program, include a business plan and estimated costs, and meet matching-fund requirements from federal, county, municipal, or private sources. State grants may not exceed 50% of a grantee’s total annual program cost. The bill also requires the Governor to include at least $100,000 annually in the budget for fiscal years 2027 through 2029, and the act takes effect July 1, 2025.
HB0358 would add a new section to the Education Article, creating a state grant program administered by the Maryland State Department of Education for youth soccer nonprofits. It would impose new duties on the State Superintendent, establish eligibility and application standards, and require annual budget appropriations for the program in specified fiscal years. The bill would affect youth soccer organizations, minority and low-income students, and state budgeting and grant administration practices.
The available context suggests the bill is moving through the legislative process without recorded opposition in the provided materials, but there are no committee transcripts or vote tallies to show detailed debate. The bill’s stated purpose reflects a supportive policy goal of expanding access to youth soccer for minority students and students from lower-income families. Overall, the measure appears framed positively as an equity and youth opportunity initiative.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided transcripts or votes. Potential areas of legislative concern, based on the bill text, could include the mandated annual appropriation, the requirement that grants be matched by other funding sources, and the use of race- or income-based eligibility criteria for program participation. However, the provided record does not show which legislators or stakeholders raised these issues.