EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
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SENATE BILL 281
J1 3lr0368
CF HB 214
By: Senators Lam, Rosapepe, Augustine, Benson, and Salling
Introduced and read first time: January 26, 2023
Assigned to: Finance
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Commission on Public Health – Establishment 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the Commission on Public Health to make 3
recommendations to improve the delivery of foundational public health services in 4
the State; requiring the Commission to conduct a certain assessment on or before a 5
certain date; and generally relating to the Commission on Public Health. 6
BY adding to 7
Article – Health – General 8
Section 13–4801 through 13–4807 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 48. 9
Commission on Public Health” 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Health – General 15
SUBTITLE 48. COMMISSION ON PUBLIC HEALTH. 16
13–4801. 17
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAV E THE MEANINGS 18
INDICATED. 19
(B) “COMMISSION” MEANS THE COMMISSION ON PUBLIC HEALTH. 20
(C) “FOUNDATIONAL PUBLIC H EALTH SERVICES ” INCLUDES: 21
2 SENATE BILL 281
(1) THE FOLLOWING FOUNDAT IONAL AREAS: 1
(I) COMMUNICABLE DISEASE CONTROL; 2
(II) CHRONIC DISEASE AND I NJURY PREVENTION; 3
(III) ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH; 4
(IV) MATERNAL, CHILD, AND FAMILY HEALTH ; AND 5
(V) ACCESS TO AND LINKAGE WITH CLINICAL CARE ; AND 6
(2) THE FOLLOWING FOUNDAT IONAL CAPABILITIES : 7
(I) ASSESSMENT AND SURVEI LLANCE; 8
(II) COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPM ENT; 9
(III) EQUITY; 10
(IV) ORGANIZATIONAL COMPET ENCIES; 11
(V) POLICY DEVELOPMENT AN D SUPPORT; 12
(VI) ACCOUNTABILITY AND PE RFORMANCE MANAGEMENT ; 13
(VII) EMERGENCY PREPAREDNES S AND RESPONSE ; AND 14
(VIII) COMMUNICATIONS . 15
13–4802. 16
THERE IS A COMMISSION ON PUBLIC HEALTH. 17
13–4803. 18
(A) THE COMMISSION CONSISTS O F THE FOLLOWING MEMB ERS: 19
(1) THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC HEALTH, OR THE DEPUTY 20
SECRETARY’S DESIGNEE; 21
(2) THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, OR THE 22
DEPUTY SECRETARY’S DESIGNEE; 23 SENATE BILL 281 3
(3) THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF MINORITY HEALTH AND 1
HEALTH DISPARITIES, OR THE DIRECTOR’S DESIGNEE; 2
(4) THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MARYLAND HEALTH CARE 3
COMMISSION, OR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S DESIGNEE; 4
(5) THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HEALTH SERVICES COST 5
REVIEW COMMISSION, OR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S DESIGNEE; AND 6
(6) THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS , APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR: 7
(I) TWO LOCAL HEALTH OFFI CERS; 8
(II) TWO REPRESENTATIVES F ROM STATE ACADEMIC 9
INSTITUTIONS WITH EXPERTIS E IN PUBLIC HEALTH S YSTEMS; 10
(III) A FACULTY MEMBER FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH PROG RAM AT 11
A HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE OR UNIVERSIT Y; 12
(IV) A STATE RESIDENT WITH E XPERTISE IN PUBLIC H EALTH 13
INFORMATION TECHNOLO GY; 14
(V) A STATE RESIDEN T WITH EXPERTISE IN THE PUBLIC 15
HEALTH WORKFORCE ; 16
(VI) A STATE RESIDENT WITH E XPERTISE IN HEALTH E QUITY; 17
(VII) A STATE RESIDENT WITH E XPERIENCE AS A SAFET Y NET 18
PROVIDER; 19
(VIII) A STATE BUSINESS LEADER WITH DEMONSTRATED 20
EXPERTISE IN IMPROVI NG POPULATION HEALTH IN ALL JURISDICTIONS IN THE 21
STATE; 22
(IX) A CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFI CER OF A HOSPITAL LO CATED IN 23
THE STATE; 24
(X) A CONSUMER HEALTH ADVO CATE IN THE STATE; AND 25
(XI) A HEALTH CARE PROFESSI ONAL LICENSED IN THE STATE. 26
4 SENATE BILL 281
(B) THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION APPOINTED UNDER SUBSECTION 1
(A)(6)(II) OF THIS SECTION SHAL L COCHAIR THE COMMISSION. 2
(C) A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION: 3
(1) MAY NOT RECEIVE COMPE NSATION AS A MEMBER OF THE 4
COMMISSION; BUT 5
(2) IS ENTITLED TO REIMBU RSEMENT FOR EXPENSES UNDER THE 6
STANDARD STATE TRAVEL REGULATIONS, AS PROVIDED IN THE STATE BUDGET . 7
13–4804. 8
THE ACADEMIC INSTITUTION S REPRESENTED BY THE COCHAIRS OF THE 9
COMMISSION SHALL PROV IDE STAFF SUPPORT FOR THE COMMISSION. 10
13–4805. 11
THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMISSION IS TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO 12
IMPROVE THE DELIVERY OF FOUNDATIONAL PUBL IC HEALTH SERVICES I N THE 13
STATE. 14
13–4806. 15
(A) ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER 1, 2024, THE COMMISSION SHALL ASSE SS THE 16
CAPABILITY OF THE DEPARTMENT AND LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS I N THE 17
STATE TO PROVID E FOUNDATIONAL PUBLI C HEALTH SERVICES TO ALL RESIDENTS 18
OF THE STATE. 19
(B) (1) IN CONDUCTING THE ASS ESSMENT REQUIRED UND ER 20
SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION, THE COMMISSION SHALL : 21
(I) CONSIDER THE FOLLOWIN G FACTORS: 22
1. THE STATE’S RESPONSE TO COVID–19; 23
2. THE STATE’S RESPONSE TO OVERDO SE DEATHS; 24
3. RACIAL AND ETHNIC DIS PARITIES IN MATERNAL 25
MORTALITY AND BIRTH OUTCOMES IN THE STATE; AND 26
4. SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , 27
ANY OTHER FACTORS CO NSIDERED APPROPRIATE BY THE COMMISSION; AND 28 SENATE BILL 281 5
(II) HOLD AT LEAST THREE P UBLIC MEETINGS IN DI FFERENT 1
AREAS OF THE STATE THAT INCLUDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBL IC COMMENT. 2
(2) THE COMMISSION MAY NOT CO NSIDER MORE THAN THR EE 3
ADDITIONAL FACTORS U NDER PARAGRAPH (1)(I)4 OF THIS SUBSEC TION. 4
(3) IN CONDUCTING THE ASS ESSMENT REQUIRED UND ER 5
SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION, THE COMMISSION MAY : 6
(I) REQUEST AND OBTAIN DA TA FROM THE DEPARTMENT , 7
LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTM ENTS, AND THE STATE–DESIGNATED HEALTH 8
INFORMATION EXCHANGE ; 9
(II) REQUEST INTERVIEWS WITH STATE AND LOCAL HEALT H 10
OFFICIALS; AND 11
(III) FORM WORKGROUPS . 12
(C) (1) BASED ON THE ASSESSME NT CONDUCTED UNDER S UBSECTION (A) 13
OF THIS SECTION , THE COMMISSION SHALL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 14
REFORM IN THE FOLLOW ING AREAS: 15
(I) ORGANIZATION OF STATE AND LOCAL PUBLI C HEALTH 16
DEPARTMENTS ; 17
(II) INFORMATION TECHNOLOG Y; 18
(III) WORKFORCE, INCLUDING HUMAN RESO URCES; 19
(IV) PROCUREMENT ; 20
(V) FUNDING; AND 21
(VI) ANY OTHER AREA CONSID ERED APPROPRIATE BY THE 22
COMMISSION. 23
(2) THE RECOMMENDATIONS M ADE UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 24
SUBSECTION SHALL INC LUDE WHETHER FUNDING OR LEGISLATION IS RE QUIRED TO 25
IMPLEMENT THE RECOMM ENDATION. 26
(3) THE COMMISSION SHALL JUST IFY EACH RECOMMENDAT ION 27
MADE UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION BASED ON HOW THE 28 6 SENATE BILL 281
RECOMMENDATION CONTR IBUTES TO THE PROVIS ION OF FOUNDATIONAL PUBLIC 1
HEALTH SERVICES . 2
(4) (I) THE COMMISSION SHALL MAKE A DRAFT OF ITS 3
RECOMMENDATIONS AVAI LABLE FOR PUBLIC COM MENT FOR 30 DAYS. 4
(II) THE FINAL REPORT OF T HE COMMISSION S HALL INCLUDE A 5
RESPONSE TO ANY PUBL IC COMMENT RECEIVED ON THE DRAFT 6
RECOMMENDATIONS . 7
(5) (I) THE COMMISSION SHALL USE BEST EFFORTS TO REAC H 8
CONSENSUS ON ITS REC OMMENDATIONS . 9
(II) IF THE COMMISSION CANNOT REA CH CONSENSUS ON ITS 10
RECOMMENDATIONS , THE COMMISSION SHALL INCL UDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR 11
DISSENTING COMMENTS IN THE COMMISSION’S FINAL REPORT. 12
13–4807. 13
ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER 1, 2025, THE COMMISSION SHALL SUBM IT A REPORT 14
OF ITS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO T HE GOVERNOR AND , IN 15
ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE SENATE 16
BUDGET AND TAXATION COMMITTEE, THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE, THE 17
HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, AND THE HOUSE HEALTH AND 18
GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE. 19
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 20
October 1, 2023. It shall remain effective for a period of 4 years and, at the end of September 21
30, 2027, this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be 22
abrogated and of no further force and effect. 23