EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0660*
HOUSE BILL 660
F1 2lr1664
By: Delegates Guyton, Boyce, Forbes, Griffith, Jackson, Lehman, Metzgar, Rogers,
Terrasa, and Valentino–Smith
Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2022
Assigned to: Ways and Means
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Commission to Study the Division of Rehabilitative Services 2
(Student Job Training Reformation Act) 3
FOR the purpose of establishing the Commission to Study the Division of Rehabilitative 4
Services to evaluate and make recommendations on improving various aspects of the 5
Division of Rehabilitative Services’ programs and services; and generally relating to 6
the Commission to Study the Division of Rehabilitative Services. 7
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 8
That: 9
(a) There is a Commission to Study the State Department of Education’s Division 10
of Rehabilitative Services. 11
(b) The Commission consists of the following members: 12
(1) one member of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the President of 13
the Senate; 14
(2) one member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the 15
House; and 16
(3) the following members, appointed by the State Superintendent of 17
Schools: 18
(i) one parent of a student who reported a favorable outcome after 19
working with the Division of Rehabilitative Services; 20
(ii) one parent of a student who reported an unfavorable outcome 21
after working with the Division of Rehabilitative Services; 22 2 HOUSE BILL 660
(iii) one individual who reported a favorable outcome after working 1
with the Division of Rehabilitative Services; 2
(iv) one individual who reported an unfavorable outcome after 3
working with the Division of Rehabilitative Services; 4
(v) one individual employed by a local school system as a transition 5
specialist; 6
(vi) one individual employed by a private school as a transition 7
specialist; 8
(vii) one individual employed by a local school system as a special 9
education teacher; 10
(viii) one individual employed by a private school as a special 11
education teacher; 12
(ix) one individual employed by the State Department of Education 13
as a transition specialist; 14
(x) one individual employed by the Division of Rehabilitative 15
Services with experience participating in individualized education program team meetings; 16
(xi) one individual employed by the Division of Rehabilitative 17
Services with experience working in the Division’s training programs; 18
(xii) the State Coordinator for Autism Strategy; 19
(xiii) one community behavioral health provider who provides 20
vocational programs and employment support; 21
(xiv) one representative of a residential community and vocational 22
program; 23
(xv) one representative of the State Board of Education; 24
(xvi) one representative of the Developmental Disabilities 25
Administration; 26
(xvii) one representative of the Maryland Association of Nonpublic 27
Special Education Facilities; 28
(xviii) one representative of the Maryland Developmental Disabilities 29
Council; 30
HOUSE BILL 660 3
(xix) one representative of Arc Maryland; 1
(xx) one representative of Disability Rights Maryland who: 2
1. is an attorney; and 3
2. has experience working with the Division of Rehabilitative 4
Services; 5
(xxi) one attorney who: 6
1. represents children and young adults with disabilities; 7
and 8
2. has experience working with the Division of Rehabilitative 9
Services; 10
(xxii) one representative of a community college; and 11
(xxiii) other members considered necessary by the State 12
Superintendent of Schools. 13
(c) The Assistant State Superintendent of the Division of Rehabilitative Services 14
shall chair the Commission. 15
(d) The Division of Rehabilitative Services shall provide staff for the Commission. 16
(e) A member of the Commission: 17
(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Commission; but 18
(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 19
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 20
(f) The Commission shall evaluate and make recommendations on: 21
(1) methods for improving stakeholder input on the Division of 22
Rehabilitative Services’ programs and services; 23
(2) methods for improving the relationship and communication between 24
transition professionals working at the Division of Rehabilitative Services and the 25
Developmental Disabilities Administration; 26
(3) methods for improving the amount of time it takes to provide vocational 27
rehabilitation and transitional services; 28
(4) methods for improving public–private partnerships to assist more 29 4 HOUSE BILL 660
Division of Rehabilitative Services’ clients; 1
(5) methods for improving accountability and transparency of the Division 2
of Rehabilitative Services’ programs and services; 3
(6) whether the eligibility criteria for the Division of Rehabilitative 4
Services’ programs and services should be altered; 5
(7) whether the Division of Rehabilitative Services should continue to be a 6
division of the State Department of Education or should be transferred to another State 7
agency; 8
(8) if the Commission determines that the Division of Rehabilitative 9
Services should continue to be a division of the State Department of Education, whether 10
the Division of Rehabilitative Services should have a governing board separate from the 11
State Board of Education; 12
(9) whether there are specific budgetary requests that could support the 13
job training programs provided by the Division of Rehabilitative Services; and 14
(10) any other improvements to the Division of Rehabilitative Services’ 15
programs and services the Commission considers appropriate. 16
(g) The Commission shall meet at least five times between June 1, 2022, and 17
December 15, 2022. 18
(h) On or before December 15, 2022, the Commission shall report its findings and 19
recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State 20
Government Article, the General Assembly. 21
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 22
1, 2022. It shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and 1 month and, at the end of June 23
30, 2023, this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be 24
abrogated and of no further force and effect. 25