§ 2.5-111
Statutes in effect as of October 1, 2026.
Md. Code Ann., Econ. Dev. § 2.5-111 (2026)
Title 2.5. Department of Commerce
Subtitle 1. Organization and General Authority of the Department
§ 2.5-111LinkCopy Citation
(a)
(1)
In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
(2)
“Local source” means a business entity that:
(i)
is headquartered in the State; or
(ii)
has a principal place of business located in the State.
(3)
“Portal” means the Maryland Local Sourcing Portal.
(4)
“Tariff–impacted goods” means commodities, supplies, or raw materials identified by the Secretary as subject to federal import duties or trade volatility.
(b)
(1)
The Department shall develop and maintain a searchable online database, to be known as the Maryland Local Sourcing Portal, to connect businesses in the State with local sources for tariff–impacted goods and other supplies.
(2)
The Portal shall be searchable by North American Industry Classification System codes.
(3)
The Portal shall comply with:
(i)
State and federal accessibility standards for digital content; and
(ii)
the data minimization and security standards of the Maryland Online Data Privacy Act.
(c)
(1)
Participation in the Portal by a local source shall be voluntary.
(2)
The Portal shall enable a local source to list:
(i)
the categories of supplies or inventory held in the State; and
(ii)
a status indicator signifying that inventory is currently available for purchase.
(3)
The Portal is not required to display specific quantities or proprietary stock levels.
(d)
The Department may coordinate with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation, the Office of the Comptroller, and the Department of Information Technology to:
(1)
identify potential local sources for inclusion in the Portal; and
(2)
leverage existing digital infrastructure to minimize the cost of developing and maintaining the Portal.
(e)
The State, the Department, and their employees shall be held harmless for any claims, damages, or losses arising from:
(1)
the accuracy or timeliness of data submitted by a voluntary participant; or
(2)
any transaction or agreement entered into between private parties using the Portal.
(f)
On or before December 31 each year, the Department shall report to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, on the use and effectiveness of the Portal.