Maryland’s Senate Bill 453, titled “Economic Development – Maryland Makerspace Initiative Program”, is officially on its way to the Governor’s desk to be signed after passing both chambers of Maryland’s General Assembly.
This is the first state legislation within the US that has invested in a public network of workshops for the people.
Here is the official synopsis of the bill:
Establishing the Maryland Makerspace Initiative Program in the Maryland Technology Development Corporation to encourage the establishment of makerspaces throughout the State; authorizing the Corporation to partner with a certain entity to provide technical assistance to certain nonprofit entities and to award certain financial assistance to local governments, certain designees of local government, and certain nonprofit entities for the establishment of makerspaces in the State; etc.
Testimony for the bill was officially given by members of the Maryland maker community, including Open Works, Nation of Makers, Stanley Black & Decker, and Maryland Tech Development Corp. (TEDCO).
If signed, the bill will become effective on October 1, 2022.
You can read the full bill on the Maryland General Assembly website.
Maryland State House as seen from College Ave – Wikimedia / Martin Falbisoner / CC BY-SA 3.0
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