EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0169*
SENATE BILL 169
P1 2lr0047
(PRE–FILED)
By: Chair, Finance Committee (By Request – Departmental – Governor’s Office of
Community Initiatives)
Requested: September 23, 2021
Introduced and read first time: January 12, 2022
Assigned to: Finance
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
State Autism Strategy – Revisions 2
FOR the purpose of altering the date by which the State Coordinator for Autism Strategy 3
must submit a certain annual report and repealing the requirement that the report 4
be submitted to the Secretary of Disabilities; altering the membership of the 5
Advisory Stakeholder Group on Autism–Related Needs; requiring the Governor to 6
designate the chair of the Advisory Stakeholder Group and establishing term 7
requirements for the chair; requiring the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives, 8
rather than the Department of Disabilities, to provide staff to the Advisory 9
Stakeholder Group; and generally relating to the State Autism Strategy. 10
BY transferring 11
Article – Human Services 12
Section 7–111 and 7–112, respectively 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 15
to be 16
Article – State Government 17
Section 9.5–102 and 9.5–103, respectively 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2021 Replacement Volume) 20
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 21
Article – State Government 22
Section 9.5–102(b) and (d) and 9.5–103(b)(11) and (12), (d), and (g) 23
Annotated Code of Maryland 24
(2021 Replacement Volume) 25
(As enacted by Section 1 of this Act) 26 2 SENATE BILL 169
BY adding to 1
Article – State Government 2
Section 9.5–103(b)(12) and (13) and (c) 3
Annotated Code of Maryland 4
(2021 Replacement Volume) 5
(As enacted by Section 1 of this Act) 6
BY repealing 7
Article – State Government 8
Section 9.5–103(c) 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2021 Replacement Volume) 11
(As enacted by Section 1 of this Act) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That Section(s) 7–111 and 7–112, respectively, of Article – Human Services of the 14
Annotated Code of Maryland be transferred to be Section(s) 9.5–102 and 9.5–103, 15
respectively, of Article – State Government of the Annotated Code of Maryland. 16
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Laws of Maryland read 17
as follows: 18
Article – State Government 19
9.5–102. 20
(b) The State Coordinator for Autism Strategy, in consultation with the Advisory 21
Stakeholder Group on Autism–Related Needs established under [§ 7–112] § 9.5–103 of 22
this subtitle, shall: 23
(1) identify and evaluate existing public, private, and nonprofit services 24
for individuals with autism and their families; 25
(2) on or before July 1, 2021, develop a strategic plan for addressing 26
autism–related needs in the State, including, at a minimum, needs in the areas of 27
employment, housing, health care, training for first responders and criminal justice 28
professionals, and identification and intervention; 29
(3) identify national benchmarks and other performance measures to be 30
included in the strategic plan and used in evaluating the success of the State in addressing 31
autism–related needs; and 32
(4) monitor and evaluate the implementation of the strategic plan and the 33
success of the State in addressing autism–related needs, including success in meeting 34
national benchmarks. 35
SENATE BILL 169 3
(d) (1) On or before [July 1] DECEMBER 1 each year, beginning in [2021] 1
2022, the State Coordinator for Autism Strategy shall submit a report to [the Secretary 2
of Disabilities,] the Governor[,] and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of [the State 3
Government Article] THIS ARTICLE , the General Assembly on the development, 4
implementation, and effectiveness of the strategic plan required under subsection (b) of 5
this section. 6
(2) Within 30 days after a report required under paragraph (1) of this 7
subsection is submitted, the State Coordinator for Autism Strategy shall publish the 8
report on the [Department’s] website FOR THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF COMMUNITY 9
INITIATIVES. 10
9.5–103. 11
(b) The Advisory Stakeholder Group on Autism–Related Needs consists of the 12
following members: 13
(11) one representative of Itineris; [and] 14
(12) ONE REPRESENTATIVE F ROM THE SENATE OF MARYLAND, 15
APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE; 16
(13) TWO REPRESENTATIVE S FROM THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES, 17
APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE; AND 18
[(12)] (14) the following members, appointed by the Governor: 19
(i) a school psychologist; 20
(ii) a physical therapist; 21
(iii) a pediatrician; 22
(iv) two parents of children with autism; 23
(v) two self–advocates with autism; 24
(vi) one representative of public universities in the State; 25
(vii) one representative of local public school systems in the State; 26
(viii) one representative from the business community; and 27
(ix) any additional members with expertise or experience in 28
autism–related needs as considered necessary. 29 4 SENATE BILL 169
[(c) The State Coordinator for Autism Strategy shall chair the Advisory 1
Stakeholder Group on Autism–Related Needs.] 2
(C) (1) (I) THE GOVERNOR SHALL DESIGN ATE A CHAIR FROM AMONG 3
THE MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY STAKEHOLDER GROUP ON AUTISM–RELATED 4
NEEDS. 5
(II) THE TERM OF THE CHAIR IS 2 YEARS. 6
(2) AT THE END OF A TERM , THE CHAIR: 7
(I) IS ELIGIBLE FOR REDE SIGNATION; AND 8
(II) CONTINUES TO SERVE U NTIL A SUCCESSOR IS 9
DESIGNATED. 10
(3) A CHAIR WHO IS DESIGNATED AFTER A TERM HAS BEG UN SERVES 11
ONLY FOR THE REMAIND ER OF THE TERM AND U NTIL A SUCCESSOR IS DESIGNATED. 12
(d) The [Department of Disabilities] GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF COMMUNITY 13
INITIATIVES shall provide staff for the Advisory Stakeholder Group on Autism–Related 14
Needs. 15
(g) [(1) The Advisory Stakeholder Group on Autism–Related Needs shall hold 16
its initial meeting on or before December 31, 2020. 17
(2) Beginning in 2021, the] THE Advisory Stakeholder Group on 18
Autism–Related Needs shall meet quarterly each calendar year. 19
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the term of the initial chair 20
appointed under § 9.5–103(c) of the State Government Article, as enacted by Section 2 of 21
this Act, shall begin on the effective date of this Act. 22
SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 23
October 1, 2022. 24