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.
*hb0662*
HOUSE BILL 662
O3, P1 EMERGENCY BILL 2lr0928
By: Delegate Guyton
Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2022
Assigned to: Appropriations
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 11, 2022
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Advisory Stakeholder Group on Autism –Related Needs, Interagency Disabilities 2
Board, and the State Coordinator for Autism Strategy – Membership, Staffing, 3
and Appointment 4
FOR the purpose of requiring the Governor to appoint the State Coordinator for Autism 5
Strategy; altering the membership and staffing of the Advisory Stakeholder Group 6
on Autism–Related Needs; adding the State Coordinator for Autism Strategy to the 7
Interagency Disabilities Board; and generally relating to the Advisory Stakeholder 8
Group on Autism–Related Needs, the Interagency Disabilities Board, and the State 9
Coordinator for Autism Strategy. 10
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 11
Article – Human Services 12
Section 7–111(a) and (e), 7–112(b) and (d) 7–112, and 7–128 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 15
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 16
Article – Human Services 17
Section 7–112(a) and 7–127 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 20
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 21
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 22 2 HOUSE BILL 662
Article – Human Services 1
7–111. 2
(a) (1) There is a State Coordinator for Autism Strategy in the Governor’s 3
Office of Community Initiatives. 4
(2) WITH THE ADVICE AND C ONSENT OF THE SENATE, THE 5
GOVERNOR SHALL APPOIN T THE STATE COORDINATOR FOR AUTISM STRATEGY. 6
(e) (1) For fiscal year 2023 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Governor shall 7
include in the annual budget bill an appropriation to fund the position of State Coordinator 8
for Autism Strategy and the Advisory Stakeholder Group on Autism–Related Needs. 9
(2) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 AND EACH FISCAL YEAR THEREAFTER , 10
THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUD E IN THE ANNUAL BUDG ET BILL AN APPROPRIA TION 11
IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICI ENT TO FUND ONE SUPP ORT STAFF POSITION F OR THE STATE 12
COORDINATOR FOR AUTISM STRATEGY. 13
7–112. 14
(a) There is an Advisory Stakeholder Group on Autism–Related Needs. 15
(b) The Advisory Stakeholder Group on Autism–Related Needs consists of the 16
following members: 17
(1) ONE MEMBER OF THE SENATE OF MARYLAND, APPOINTED BY THE 18
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE; 19
(2) TWO MEMBERS O F THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES, APPOINTED BY 20
THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE; 21
[(1)] (3) the State Superintendent of Schools, or the State 22
Superintendent’s designee; 23
[(2)] (4) the Secretary of Disabilities, or the Secretary’s designee; 24
[(3)] (5) the Secretary of Human Services, or the Secretary’s designee; 25
[(4)] (6) the Secretary of Health, or the Secretary’s designee; 26
[(5)] (7) the State Coordinator for Autism Strategy; 27
HOUSE BILL 662 3
[(6)] (8) one representative of the Maryland Speech–Language–Hearing 1
Association; 2
[(7)] (9) one representative of the Maryland Developmental Disabilities 3
Council; 4
[(8)] (10) one representative of the Maryland Occupational Therapy 5
Association; 6
[(9)] (11) one representative of The ARC Maryland; 7
[(10)] (12) one representative of Pathfinders for Autism; 8
[(11)] (13) one representative of Itineris; and 9
[(12)] (14) the following members, appointed by the Governor: 10
(i) a school psychologist; 11
(ii) a physical therapist; 12
(iii) a pediatrician; 13
(iv) two parents of children with autism; 14
(v) two self–advocates with autism; 15
(vi) one representative of public universities in the State; 16
(vii) one representative of local public school systems in the State; 17
AND 18
(viii) one representative from the business community; and 19
(ix) (15) any additional members with expertise or experience in 20
autism–related needs as considered necessary , APPOINTED BY THE STATE 21
COORDINATOR FOR AUTISM STRATEGY. 22
(c) The State Coordinator for Autism Strategy shall chair the Advis ory 23
Stakeholder Group on Autism–Related Needs. 24
(d) The [Department of Disabilities] GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF COMMUNITY 25
INITIATIVES shall provide staff for the Advisory Stakeholder Group on Autism–Related 26
Needs. 27
4 HOUSE BILL 662
(e) IN APPOINTING MEMBERS UNDER SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION , 1
THE APPOINTING AUTHO RITY SHALL CONSIDER THE GEOGRAPHICAL DIV ERSITY OF 2
THE STATE SO THAT THE COM POSITION OF THE ADVISORY STAKEHOLDER GROUP 3
ON AUTISM–RELATED NEEDS REFLECTS THE VA RIOUS COMMUNITIES OF THE 4
STATE. 5
(F) A member of the Advisory Stakeholder Group on Autism–Related Needs: 6
(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Advisory Stakeholder 7
Group on Autism–Related Needs; but 8
(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 9
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 10
[(f)] (G) The Advisory Stakeholder Group on Autism–Related Needs shall work 11
with the State Coordinator for Autism Strategy to: 12
(1) identify and evaluate existing services for individuals with autism and 13
their families; 14
(2) develop a strategic plan for addressing autism–related needs in the 15
State; 16
(3) promote, monitor, and evaluate implementation of the strategic plan; 17
and 18
(4) recommend and implement changes to the strategic plan. 19
[(g)] (H) (1) The Advisory Stakeholder Group on Autism–Related Needs shall 20
hold its initial meeting on or before December 31, 2020. 21
(2) Beginning in 2021, the Advisory Stakeholder Group on Autism–Related 22
Needs shall meet quarterly each calendar year. 23
7–127. 24
(a) There is an Interagency Disabilities Board convened by the Governor. 25
(b) The purpose of the Board is to develop the State Disabilities Plan. 26
7–128. 27
The Board consists of the following members: 28
(1) the Secretary of Disabilities; 29
HOUSE BILL 662 5
(2) the Secretary of Aging, or the Secretary’s designee; 1
(3) the Secretary of Commerce, or the Secretary’s designee; 2
(4) the Secretary of Budget and Management, or the Secretary’s designee; 3
(5) the Secretary of Health, or the Secretary’s designee; 4
(6) the Secretary of Housing and Community Development, or the 5
Secretary’s designee; 6
(7) the Secretary of Human Services, or the Secretary’s designee; 7
(8) the Secretary of Labor, or the Secretary’s designee; 8
(9) the Secretary of Planning, or the Secretary’s designee; 9
(10) the State Superintendent of Schools, or the Superintendent’s designee; 10
(11) the Secretary of Transportation, or the Secretary’s designee; 11
(12) the Deputy Director of the Division of Children and Youth of the 12
Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services, or the Deputy Director’s 13
designee; 14
(13) the Director of the Governor’s Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, 15
or the Director’s designee; 16
(14) the Secretary of Juvenile Services, or the Secretary’s designee; 17
(15) the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services, or the 18
Secretary’s designee; 19
(16) the Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, 20
Youth, and Victim Services, or the Executive Director’s designee; [and] 21
(17) THE STATE COORDINATOR FOR AUTISM STRATEGY OF THE 22
GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF COMMUNITY INITIATIVES, OR THE COORDINATOR ’S 23
DESIGNEE; AND 24
[(17)] (18) representatives from any other unit of State government that the 25
Governor designates. 26
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FUR THER ENACTED, That this Act is an emergency 27
measure, is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health or safety, has 28
been passed by a yea and nay vote supported by three–fifths of all the members elected to 29 6 HOUSE BILL 662
each of the two Houses of the General Assembly, and shall take effect from the date it is 1
enacted October 1, 2022. 2
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.