EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0111*
HOUSE BILL 111
O1, C5, J1 3lr0449
(PRE–FILED) CF SB 26
By: Delegate Charkoudian
Requested: September 26, 2022
Introduced and read first time: January 11, 2023
Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Maryland Medical Assistance Program , Maryland Children’s Health Program, 2
and Social Services Programs – Eligibility and Enrollment 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Department of Health to establish an Express 4
Lane Eligibility Program to enroll individuals, based on certain eligibility, in the 5
Maryland Medical Assistance Program and the Maryland Children’s Health 6
Program; requiring the Department of Human Services to enroll individuals, based 7
on certain eligibility, in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; requiring 8
the Office of Home Energy Programs to enroll individuals, based on certain 9
eligibility, in certain Office of Home Energy Programs assistance programs; altering 10
the eligibility requirements for the electric universal service program; and generally 11
relating to eligibility for and enrollment in the Maryland Medical Assistance 12
Program and social services programs. 13
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 14
Article – Health – General 15
Section 15–103(a)(1) 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 18
BY adding to 19
Article – Health – General 20
Section 15–103(a)(5) 21
Annotated Code of Maryland 22
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 23
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 24
Article – Human Services 25
Section 5–501 and 5–5A–07 26
Annotated Code of Maryland 27 2 HOUSE BILL 111
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 1
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 2
Article – Human Services 3
Section 5–5A–01(a) and (d) 4
Annotated Code of Maryland 5
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 6
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – Public Utilities 8
Section 7–512.1(a)(1) 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 11
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13
Article – Health – General 14
15–103. 15
(a) (1) The Secretary shall administer the Maryland Medical Assistance 16
Program. 17
(5) ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2025, SUBJECT TO THE LIMIT ATIONS 18
OF THE STATE BUDGET, AND AS PERMITTED BY FEDERAL LAW , THE DEPARTMENT : 19
(I) SHALL E STABLISH AN EXPRESS LANE ELIGIBILITY 20
PROGRAM TO ENROLL INDIVIDUALS IN THE MARYLAND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE 21
PROGRAM AND MARYLAND CHILDREN’S HEALTH PROGRAM BASED ON ELIGIBILITY 22
FINDINGS BY THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM; 23
(II) MAY NOT CONSIDER ANY OTHER INCOME OR ELIGIBILITY 24
REQUIREMENTS ; 25
(III) TO THE EXTENT THAT A WAIVER IS NEEDED T O MAXIMIZE 26
THE NUMBER OF STATE RESIDENTS WHO M AY QUALIFY FOR THE EXPRESS LANE 27
ELIGIBILITY PROGRAM, SHALL APPLY TO THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND 28
MEDICAID SERVICES FOR A WAIVER UNDER § 1115 OF THE FEDERAL SOCIAL 29
SECURITY ACT TO IMPLEMENT THE EXPRESS LANE ELIGIBILITY PROGRAM; AND 30
(IV) SHALL MAKE ALL REASONABLE EFFORTS TO EXPEDITE 31
ENROLLMENT OF ELIGIB LE INDIVIDUALS IN THE EXPRESS LANE ELIGIBILITY 32
PROGRAM. 33
HOUSE BILL 111 3
Article – Human Services 1
5–501. 2
(a) (1) The Department may implement a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 3
Program in accordance with the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. 4
(2) The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program shall include: 5
(i) a Restaurant Meals Program in accordance with § 5–505 of this 6
subtitle; and 7
(ii) a Heat and Eat Program in accordance with § 5–506 of this 8
subtitle. 9
(b) The State shall bear the nonfederal portion of the administrative costs of the 10
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for each county. 11
(c) Each local department shall administer the Supplemental Nutrition 12
Assistance Program: 13
(1) under the supervision and control of the Department; and 14
(2) in accordance with the regulations of the Department and federal law. 15
(d) If a household includes an individual who is at least 62 years old and receives 16
a federally funded benefit in an amount less than $40 per month under the Supplemental 17
Nutrition Assistance Program, the State shall provide a supplement to increase the total 18
benefit to $40 per month. 19
(E) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ENRO LL IN THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION 20
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO MEETS THE FINANC IAL ELIGIBILITY 21
REQUIREMENTS ESTABLI SHED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR A RECIPIENT OF 22
SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME. 23
5–5A–01. 24
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 25
(d) “Office” means the Office of Home Energy Programs. 26
5–5A–07. 27
(a) (1) The Office shall: 28
(i) carry out an energy emergency crisis intervention program to 29
prevent low–income households, including the near poor, the elderly, households with 30 4 HOUSE BILL 111
children, and those on fixed incomes from experiencing danger to health or survival as a 1
result of an energy emergency; 2
(ii) establish intake procedures for those experiencing an energy 3
emergency; 4
(iii) establish guidelines for the income and program eligibility of 5
applicants; and 6
(iv) identify local public or private agencies to administer the crisis 7
intervention program. 8
(2) (i) The Office shall make payments to fuel vendors and utility 9
vendors that have provided service to persons qualifying for the crisis intervention 10
program. 11
(ii) The amount of assistance shall be based on need. 12
(b) (1) The Office shall carry out one or more fuel and utility assistance 13
programs to make payments on behalf of qualified households to defray fuel and utility 14
costs. 15
(2) (I) The Office shall determine program and income eligibility 16
guidelines. 17
(II) THE OFFICE SHALL ENROLL IN ANY FUEL AND UTILITY 18
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM A NY INDIVIDUAL WHO MEETS THE FINANCIAL E LIGIBILITY 19
REQUIREMENTS ESTABLI SHED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR A RECIPIENT OF: 20
1. THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE 21
PROGRAM; 22
2. TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES; 23
3. SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME; OR 24
4. MEANS–TESTED VETERANS AFFAIRS BENEFITS. 25
(3) The amount of assistance shall be based on need. 26
(c) For fiscal year 2023 only, the Governor shall appropriate to the Office an 27
amount equal to the unexpended appropriation to the Office for fiscal year 2021 funding 28
that was included in Supplemental Budget No. 5. 29
Article – Public Utilities 30
HOUSE BILL 111 5
7–512.1. 1
(a) (1) The Commission shall establish an electric universal service program 2
to assist electric customers with annual incomes[: 3
(i) at or below 175% of the federal poverty level; or 4
(ii) for a customer at least 67 years of age,] at or below 200% of the 5
federal poverty level. 6
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 7
October 1, 2023. 8