EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0279*
HOUSE BILL 279
P1 2lr1252
HB 1358/21 – HGO CF SB 654
By: Delegates Rogers, Bartlett, Charles, Crosby, Henson, Hill, R. Jones, Kaiser,
Kerr, Kipke, Love, Patterson, Saab, Sample–Hughes, Szeliga, and Williams
Williams, Bagnall, Belcastro, Bhandari, Carr, Chisholm, Cullison, Johnson,
Kelly, Krebs, Landis, R. Lewis, Morgan, Pena–Melnyk, Reilly, Rosenberg,
and K. Young
Introduced and read first time: January 17, 2022
Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 22, 2022
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Veterans Affairs – Office of Communications and Public Affairs 2
Communications, Outreach, and Advocacy Program – Veterans Advocacy and 3
Education Act 4
FOR the purpose of altering the name of the Outreach and Advocacy Program in the 5
Department of Veterans Affairs to be the Office of Communications and Public 6
Affairs Communications, Outreach, and Advocacy Program; requiring the Office 7
Program, in collaboration with the Maryland Higher Education Commission, to 8
actively help veterans and their dependents become aware of and access certain 9
benefits; altering certain responsibilities of the director of the Office Program; 10
repealing a certain requirement that the Department develop and maintain a certain 11
database of veterans in the State; altering certain responsibilities of the Department; 12
altering certain responsibilities of the Office Program; and generally relating to the 13
Office of Communications and Public Affairs Communications, Outreach, and 14
Advocacy Program. 15
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 16
Article – State Government 17
Section 9–940 through 9–940 and 9–942 through 9–944 to be under the amended 18
part “Part V. Office of Communications and Public Affairs Communications, 19
Outreach, and Advocacy Program”; and 9–946 20 2 HOUSE BILL 279
Annotated Code of Maryland 1
(2021 Replacement Volume) 2
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 3
Article – State Government 4
Section 9–941 5
Annotated Code of Maryland 6
(2021 Replacement Volume) 7
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 8
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 9
Article – State Government 10
Part V. [Outreach COMMUNICATIONS , OUTREACH, and Advocacy Program] OFFICE 11
OF COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS. 12
9–940. 13
(a) In this part, [“Program”] “OFFICE” means PART, “PROGRAM” MEANS the 14
[Outreach COMMUNICATIONS , OUTREACH, and Advocacy Program] OFFICE OF 15
COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS. 16
(b) There is an A [Outreach COMMUNICATIONS , OUTREACH, and Advocacy 17
Program] OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS in the Department. 18
(c) The purpose of the [Program] OFFICE is to ensure that: 19
(1) veterans are informed of the services, benefits, and assistance available 20
to them from the State and federal government AND COMMUNITY ORGANI ZATIONS; and 21
(2) general issues relating to veterans needs are brought to the attention 22
of the Governor and the General Assembly in order for them to be addressed. 23
9–941. 24
(a) The Secretary shall appoint a director for the [Program] OFFICE. 25
(b) The director is entitled to the salary provided in the State budget. 26
(c) The director shall administer and coordinate the [Program] OFFICE. 27
9–942. 28
HOUSE BILL 279 3
(a) The [Outreach and Advocacy Program] OFFICE shall actively help veterans 1
and their dependents become aware of and access any service or benefit to which they are 2
entitled including: 3
(1) tax benefits; 4
(2) health care benefits; 5
(3) disability benefits; AND 6
(4) pension benefits[; and 7
(5) education]. 8
(B) THE OFFICE PROGRAM, IN COLLABORATION WIT H THE MARYLAND 9
HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION, SHALL ACTIVELY HELP VETERANS AND THEIR 10
DEPENDENTS BECOME AW ARE OF AND ACCESS EDUCATION AND TRAINING BENEFITS 11
TO WHICH THEY ARE EN TITLED. 12
[(b)] (C) The director of the [Program] OFFICE shall: 13
(1) support veterans and their dependents through the service or benefit 14
process; and 15
[(2) keep in contact with the appropriate governmental unit as to the status 16
of each claim of a veteran, a veteran’s dependent, or a veteran’s survivor.] 17
(2) REFER VETERANS , VETERANS’ DEPENDENTS , AND VETERANS ’ 18
SURVIVORS TO THE APP ROPRIATE GOVERNMENTA L UNIT FOR CLAIM ASS ISTANCE. 19
9–943. 20
(a) (1) For the purposes of reaching any veteran, veteran’s dependent, or 21
veteran’s survivor in need of assistance in obtaining services or benefits granted by the law, 22
the director shall develop and implement [an outreach] A COMMUNICATIONS AND 23
PUBLIC AFFAIRS OUTREACH plan. 24
(2) In order to carry out the director’s responsibilities under paragraph (1) 25
of this subsection, the director may: 26
(i) enter into contracts; and 27
(ii) work with governmental units and community –based 28
organizations, including the Maryland Department of Health, the Department of Aging, 29
faith–based groups, veterans groups, senior centers, adult day care centers, institutions of 30
higher education, and other entities the director considers appropriate. 31 4 HOUSE BILL 279
(b) (1) The director shall develop mechanisms for outreach to be disseminated 1
by direct mail and through community–based veterans organizations, the Department of 2
Veterans Affairs, the Department of Human Services, the Maryland Department of Health, 3
and any other State agency or unit the director considers appropriate. 4
(2) [The mechanisms for outreach] COMMUNICATION MECHANI SMS 5
shall include: 6
(i) [the development of a pamphlet] DESIGNING MARKETING 7
MATERIALS describing the services provided by the [Outreach and Advocacy Program] 8
DEPARTMENT; 9
(ii) a regular ELECTRONIC newsletter; 10
(iii) brochures describing various benefits or any other issue or 11
benefit of interest to veterans or their dependents; and 12
(iv) other measures the director considers appropriate. 13
(c) The Department shall [develop and maintain a database of veterans in the 14
State] COMMUNICATE WELCOME HOME INFORMATION TO VETERANS RETURNING T O 15
THE STATE. 16
(d) The Department, in conjunction with the types of community –based 17
organizations listed in subsection (a)(2) of this section, shall develop [a survey] 18
COMMUNICATION TOOLS to assist in identifying veterans and dependents who may be 19
eligible for [pension programs] BENEFITS AND PROGRAM S OFFERED BY THE 20
DEPARTMENT . 21
(e) The [Program] OFFICE shall: 22
(1) [in conjunction with other governmental units and community–based 23
groups, seek out veterans and their dependents who may be eligible for pension program 24
benefits; and] MANAGE THE MARYLAND VETERANS SERVICE ANIMAL PROGRAM AND 25
FUND ESTABLISHED UNDE R PART VIII OF THIS SUBTITLE; 26
(2) [provide wounded or disabled veterans with information on available 27
services and benefits and support in obtaining these services and benefits] COORDINATE 28
THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF VETERANS’ SERVICES SPECIALISTS DESIGNATED UNDER 29
§ 9–944 OF THIS SUBTITLE ; AND 30
(3) MANAGE DEPARTMENT MEDIA RELA TIONS, WEB CONTENT , 31
SOCIAL MEDIA, INTERNAL AND EXTERNA L COMMUNICATIONS , CUSTOMER SERVICE 32
TRAINING, AND INTERGOVERNMENTA L RELATIONS. 33 HOUSE BILL 279 5
(F) THE DIRECTOR SHALL SE RVE, AS NECESSARY , AS THE SECRETARY’S 1
DESIGNEE TO APPROPRI ATE COMMISSIONS , WORKGROUPS , AND COUNCILS . 2
9–944. 3
(a) In this section, “specialist” means an employee designated by a governmental 4
unit who is responsible for responding to and assisting veterans who are employed by the 5
unit or who contact the unit for assistance. 6
(b) Each governmental unit shall: 7
(1) designate an employee of the unit, who to the extent practicable is a 8
veteran, as a veterans’ services specialist for the unit and whose duties include the 9
coordination of veterans’ services with the Department; 10
(2) provide the Department with any nonprotected or nonprivate 11
information about services the unit provides to veterans; and 12
(3) post on the unit’s website: 13
(i) all services available for veterans from the unit; 14
(ii) the contact information for the unit’s veterans’ services 15
specialist; and 16
(iii) a link to the Department with the contact information for the 17
director of the [Outreach and Advocacy Program in the Department] OFFICE. 18
(c) The veterans’ services specialist shall: 19
(1) coordinate the provision of veterans’ services available through the unit 20
with the Department; and 21
(2) attend annual training that the Department provides concerning the 22
coordination of veterans’ services. 23
(d) On request for services by a veteran, a governmental unit that does not 24
provide services to veterans shall direct the veteran to contact the Department and provide 25
the veteran with the Department contact information. 26
(e) The Department shall: 27
(1) coordinate a meeting each quarter, or as otherwise necessary, with 28
governmental units to discuss and receive information concerning the implementation of 29
the requirements of this section; and 30
6 HOUSE BILL 279
(2) on or before January 15 each year, report on the implementation of the 1
requirements of this section to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of this article, 2
the General Assembly. 3
Part VI. Reporting. 4
9–946. 5
The Secretary shall submit a report by December 31 of each year to the Governor 6
and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of this article, the General Assembly, that includes: 7
(1) the number of: 8
(i) requests for help in obtaining benefits; [and] 9
(ii) [veterans, veterans’ dependents, and veterans’ survivors helped] 10
PUBLIC CONTACTS MADE by the [Outreach and Advocacy Program by category] OFFICE 11
OF COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS BY THE COMMUNICATIONS , 12
OUTREACH, AND ADVOCACY PROGRAM; 13
[(2) the benefits obtained through the Outreach and Advocacy Program by 14
category; 15
(3) the average length of time it takes to process benefit requests and for a 16
recipient to access health benefits;] 17
(III) VETERANS ENROLLED IN THE UNITED STATES VETERANS 18
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION ; AND 19
(IV) VETERANS RECEIVING B ENEFITS; 20
[(4)] (2) the average amount of disability and pension benefits received 21
by qualified individuals in this State compared to individuals in other states; 22
[(5) a detailed description of the outreach plan in the Outreach and 23
Advocacy Program;] 24
[(6)] (3) an account of the costs of operating the [Outreach 25
COMMUNICATIONS , OUTREACH, and Advocacy Program ] OFFICE OF 26
COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS; 27
[(7)] (4) a status of the accomplishments for, efficacy of, efficiency of, and 28
level of resources available for each of the following programs: 29
(i) cemetery; 30
HOUSE BILL 279 7
(ii) memorial; 1
(iii) service; 2
(iv) veterans homes; [and] 3
[(v) outreach COMMUNICATIONS , OUTREACH, and advocacy;] 4
(V) OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS; 5
(VI) MARYLAND VETERANS SERVICE ANIMAL PROGRAM AND 6
FUND; AND 7
(VII) VETERANS’ SERVICES SPECIALISTS ; 8
[(8)] (5) a general assessment of the status of veterans in the State; 9
[(9)] (6) the estimated impact current military operations are likely to 10
have on the needs of veterans in the future; 11
[(10)] (7) the status of federal veterans programs as they relate to 12
Maryland veterans; and 13
[(11)] (8) any other issues concerning veterans that the Secretary 14
considers appropriate. 15
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 16
1, 2022. 17
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.