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.
*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
Committee Report: Favorable
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 8, 2022
CHAPTER ______
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 2 SENATE BILL 169
Article – State Government 1
Section 9.5–102(b) and (d) and 9.5–103(b)(11) and (12), (d), and (g) 2
Annotated Code of Maryland 3
(2021 Replacement Volume) 4
(As enacted by Section 1 of this Act) 5
BY adding to 6
Article – State Government 7
Section 9.5–103(b)(12) and (13) and (c) 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2021 Replacement Volume) 10
(As enacted by Section 1 of this Act) 11
BY repealing 12
Article – State Government 13
Section 9.5–103(c) 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2021 Replacement Volume) 16
(As enacted by Section 1 of this Act) 17
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
That Section(s) 7–111 and 7–112, respectively, of Article – Human Services of the 19
Annotated Code of Maryland be transferred to be Section(s) 9.5–102 and 9.5–103, 20
respectively, of Article – State Government of the Annotated Code of Maryland. 21
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Laws of Maryland read 22
as follows: 23
Article – State Government 24
9.5–102. 25
(b) The State Coordinator for Autism Strategy, in consultation with the Advisory 26
Stakeholder Group on Autism–Related Needs established under [§ 7–112] § 9.5–103 of 27
this subtitle, shall: 28
(1) identify and evaluate existing public, private, and nonprofit services 29
for individuals with autism and their families; 30
(2) on or before July 1, 2021, develop a strategic plan for addressing 31
autism–related needs in the State, including, at a minimum, needs in the areas of 32
employment, housing, health care, training for first responders and criminal justice 33
professionals, and identification and intervention; 34
(3) identify national benchmarks and other performance measures to be 35
included in the strategic plan and used in evaluating the success of the State in addressing 36
autism–related needs; and 37 SENATE BILL 169 3
(4) monitor and evaluate the implementation of the strategic plan and the 1
success of the State in addressing autism–related needs, including success in meeting 2
national benchmarks. 3
(d) (1) On or before [July 1] DECEMBER 1 each year, beginning in [2021] 4
2022, the State Coordinator for Autism Strategy shall submit a report to [the Secretary 5
of Disabilities,] the Governor[,] and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of [the State 6
Government Article] THIS ARTICLE , the General Assembly on the development, 7
implementation, and effectiveness of the strategic plan required under subsection (b) of 8
this section. 9
(2) Within 30 days after a report required under paragraph (1) of this 10
subsection is submitted, the State Coordinator for Autism Strategy shall publish the 11
report on the [Department’s] website FOR THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF COMMUNITY 12
INITIATIVES. 13
9.5–103. 14
(b) The Advisory Stakeholder Group on Autism–Related Needs consists of the 15
following members: 16
(11) one representative of Itineris; [and] 17
(12) ONE REPRESENTATIVE F ROM THE SENATE OF MARYLAND, 18
APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE; 19
(13) TWO REPRESENTATIVE S FROM THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES, 20
APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE; AND 21
[(12)] (14) the following members, appointed by the Governor: 22
(i) a school psychologist; 23
(ii) a physical therapist; 24
(iii) a pediatrician; 25
(iv) two parents of children with autism; 26
(v) two self–advocates with autism; 27
(vi) one representative of public universities in the State; 28
(vii) one representative of local public school systems in the State; 29 4 SENATE BILL 169
(viii) one representative from the business community; and 1
(ix) any additional members with expertise or experience in 2
autism–related needs as considered necessary. 3
[(c) The State Coordinator for Autism Strategy shall chair the Advisory 4
Stakeholder Group on Autism–Related Needs.] 5
(C) (1) (I) THE GOVERNOR SHALL DESIGN ATE A CHAIR FROM AMONG 6
THE MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY STAKEHOLDER GROUP ON AUTISM–RELATED 7
NEEDS. 8
(II) THE TERM OF THE CHAIR IS 2 YEARS. 9
(2) AT THE END OF A TERM , THE CHAIR: 10
(I) IS ELIGIBLE FOR REDE SIGNATION; AND 11
(II) CONTINUES TO SERVE U NTIL A SUCCESSOR IS 12
DESIGNATED. 13
(3) A CHAIR WHO IS DESIGNATED AFTER A TERM HAS BEG UN SERVES 14
ONLY FOR THE REMAIND ER OF THE TERM AND U NTIL A SUCCESSOR IS DESIGNATED. 15
(d) The [Department of Disabilities] GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF COMMUNITY 16
INITIATIVES shall provide staff for the Advisory Stakeholder Group on Autism–Related 17
Needs. 18
(g) [(1) The Advisory Stakeholder Group on Autism–Related Needs shall hold 19
its initial meeting on or before December 31, 2020. 20
(2) Beginning in 2021, the] THE Advisory Stakeholder Group on 21
Autism–Related Needs shall meet quarterly each calendar year. 22
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the term of the initial chair 23
appointed under § 9.5–103(c) of the State Government Article, as enacted by Section 2 of 24
this Act, shall begin on the effective date of this Act. 25
SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 26
October 1, 2022. 27