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.
*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
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 8, 2022
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Commission to Study the Division of Rehabilitative Rehabilitation Services 2
(Student Job Training Reformation Act) 3
FOR the purpose of establishing the Commission to Study the Division of Rehabilitative 4
Rehabilitation Services to evaluate and make recommendations on improving 5
various aspects of the Division of Rehabilitative Rehabilitation Services’ programs 6
and services; and generally relating to the Commission to Study the Division of 7
Rehabilitative Rehabilitation Services. 8
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 9
That: 10
(a) There is a Commission to Study the State Department of Education’s Division 11
of Rehabilitative Rehabilitation Services. 12
(b) The Commission consists of the following members: 13
(1) one member of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the President of 14
the Senate; 15
(2) one member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the 16
House; and 17
2 HOUSE BILL 660
(3) the following members, appointed by the State Superintendent of 1
Schools: 2
(i) (1) one parent of a student who reported a favorable outcome 3
after working with the Division of Rehabilitative Rehabilitation Services; 4
(ii) (2) one parent of a student who reported an unfavorable 5
outcome after working with the Division of Rehabilitative Rehabilitation Services; 6
(iii) (3) one individual who reported a favorable outcome after 7
working with the Division of Rehabilitative Rehabilitation Services; 8
(iv) (4) one individual who reported an unfavorable outcome after 9
working with the Division of Rehabilitative Rehabilitation Services; 10
(v) (5) one individual employed by a local school system as a 11
transition specialist; 12
(vi) (6) one individual employed by a private school as a transition 13
specialist; 14
(vii) (7) one individual employed by a local school system as a 15
special education teacher; 16
(viii) (8) one individual employed by a private school as a special 17
education teacher; 18
(ix) (9) one individual employed by the State Department of 19
Education as a transition specialist; 20
(x) (10) one individual employed by the Division of Rehabilitative 21
Rehabilitation Services with experience participating in individualized education program 22
team meetings; 23
(xi) (11) one individual employed by the Division of Rehabilitative 24
Rehabilitation Services with experience working in the Division’s training programs; 25
(xii) (12) the State Coordinator for Autism Strategy; 26
(xiii) (13) one community behavioral health provider who provides 27
vocational programs and employment support; 28
(xiv) (14) one representative of a residential community and 29
vocational program; 30
(xv) (15) one representative of the State Board of Education; 31
HOUSE BILL 660 3
(xvi) (16) one representative of the Developmental Disabilities 1
Administration; 2
(xvii) (17) one representative of the Maryland Association of 3
Nonpublic Special Education Facilities; 4
(xviii) (18) one representative of the Maryland Developmental 5
Disabilities Council; 6
(xix) (19) one representative of Arc Maryland; 7
(xx) (20) one representative of Disability Rights Maryland who: 8
1. (i) is an attorney; and 9
2. (ii) has experience working with the Division of Rehabilitative 10
Rehabilitation Services; 11
(xxi) (21) one attorney who: 12
1. (i) represents children and young adults with disabilities; 13
and 14
2. (ii) has experience working with the Division of Rehabilitative 15
Rehabilitation Services; 16
(xxii) (22) one representative of a community college; and 17
(xxiii) (23) other members considered necessary by the State 18
Superintendent of Schools. 19
(c) The Assistant State Superintendent of the Division of Rehabilitative 20
Rehabilitation Services shall chair the Commission. 21
(d) The Division of Rehabilitative Rehabilitation Services shall provide staff for 22
the Commission. 23
(e) A member of the Commission: 24
(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Commission; but 25
(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 26
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 27
(f) The Commission shall evaluate and make recommendations on: 28
4 HOUSE BILL 660
(1) methods for improving stakeholder input on the Division of 1
Rehabilitative Rehabilitation Services’ programs and services; 2
(2) methods for improving the relationship and communication between 3
transition professionals working at the Division of Rehabilitative Rehabilitation Services 4
and the Developmental Disabilities Administration; 5
(3) methods for improving the amount of time it takes to provide vocational 6
rehabilitation and transitional services; 7
(4) methods for improving public–private partnerships to assist more 8
Division of Rehabilitative Rehabilitation Services’ clients; 9
(5) methods for improving accountability and transparency of the Division 10
of Rehabilitative Rehabilitation Services’ programs and services; 11
(6) whether the eligibility criteria for the Division of Rehabilitative 12
Rehabilitation Services’ programs and services should be altered; 13
(7) whether the Division of Rehabilitative Rehabilitation Services should 14
continue to be a division of the State Department of Education or should be transferred to 15
another State agency; 16
(8) if the Commission determines that the Division of Rehabilitative 17
Rehabilitation Services should continue to be a division of the State Department of 18
Education, whether the Division of Rehabilitative Rehabilitation Services should have a 19
governing board separate from the State Board of Education; 20
(9) whether there are specific budgetary requests that could support the 21
job training programs provided by the Division of Rehabilitative Rehabilitation Services; 22
and 23
(10) any other improvements to the Divisi on of Rehabilitative 24
Rehabilitation Services’ programs and services the Commission considers appropriate. 25
(g) The Commission shall meet at least five times between June 1, 2022, and 26
December 15, 2022. 27
(h) On or before December 15, 2022, the Commission shall report its findings and 28
recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State 29
Government Article, the General Assembly. 30
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 31
1, 2022. It shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and 1 month and, at the end of June 32
30, 2023, this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be 33
abrogated and of no further force and effect. 34