EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0542*
HOUSE BILL 542
D4, O4 4lr0736
CF 4lr2507
By: Delegates Vogel, Acevero, Grossman, Kaufman, Palakovich Carr, Wilkins, and
Wu
Introduced and read first time: January 24, 2024
Assigned to: Judiciary
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Department of Human Services – Children in Foster Care – Luggage 2
FOR the purpose of requiring the Department of Human Services to establish and maintain 3
a decentralized supply of new luggage to be used to transport the personal belongings 4
of a child in foster care; requiring the Department to provide new luggage to a child 5
who is being removed from a household under certain circumstances; requiring the 6
Department to maintain certain records regarding luggage and children in foster 7
care; and generally relating to the Department of Human Services and children in 8
foster care. 9
BY adding to 10
Article – Family Law 11
Section 5–505.2 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
Article – Family Law 17
5–505.2. 18
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION, “NEW LUGGAGE” MEANS A SUITCASE , DUFFEL 19
BAG, BACKPACK, OR SIMILAR CONTAINER THAT: 20
(I) IS DESIGNED TO HOLD AN INDIVIDUAL’S PERSONAL 21
BELONGINGS ; AND 22
2 HOUSE BILL 542
(II) HAS NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY USED. 1
(2) “NEW LUGGAGE” DOES NOT INCLUDE A DISPOSABLE BAG . 2
(B) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL : 3
(1) ESTABLISH AND MAINTA IN A DECENTRALIZED S UPPLY OF NEW 4
LUGGAGE TO BE USED T O TRANSPORT THE PERSONAL BELONGINGS OF A CHILD IN 5
FOSTER CARE; AND 6
(2) DEVELOP PROCEDURES F OR THE STORAGE AND D ISTRIBUTION OF 7
NEW LUGGAGE INTENDED FOR CHILDRE N IN FOSTER CARE. 8
(C) (1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPHS (2) AND (3) OF THIS SUBSECTION , THE 9
DEPARTMENT SHALL PROV IDE NEW LUGGAGE TO A CHILD IN FOSTER CARE WHO IS 10
BEING REMOVED FROM A HOUSEHOLD . 11
(2) NEW LUGGAGE PROVIDED TO A CHILD UNDER THIS SUBSECTIO N: 12
(I) IS THE PROPERTY OF THE CHILD; AND 13
(II) MAY NOT BE RECLAIMED BY THE DEPARTMENT OR 14
RETAINED BY THE CHIL D’S FOSTER PARENT . 15
(3) THE DEPARTMENT IS NOT REQ UIRED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL 16
NEW LUGGAGE UNDER TH IS SUBSECTION TO A C HILD WHO: 17
(I) IS CHANGING PLACEMEN T; AND 18
(II) IS IN POSSESSION OF NEW LUGGAGE PREVIOUSLY 19
PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT . 20
(D) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL MAIN TAIN A RECORD OF EAC H 21
INSTANCE IN WHICH A DISPOSABLE BAG IS USED TO MOVE THE PERSONAL 22
BELONGINGS OF A CHILD IN FOSTER CARE. 23
(2) THE RECORD REQUIRED U NDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 24
SUBSECTION SHALL INC LUDE THE REASON THE DEPARTMENT DID NOT PR OVIDE 25
THE CHILD WITH NEW LUGGAGE TO MOVE THE CHILD’S PERSONAL BELONGING S. 26
(E) THE DEPARTMENT MAY SOLICI T AND ACCEPT GIFTS, GRANTS, AND 27
DONATIONS OF ANY KIN D AND FROM ANY SOURC E TO CARRY OUT THE P ROVISIONS 28
OF THIS SECTION. 29 HOUSE BILL 542 3
(F) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1 EACH YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL 1
REPORT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE 2
STATE GOVERNME NT ARTICLE, THE FOLLOWING INFORM ATION: 3
(1) THE NUMBER OF INSTANCES IN WHICH A DISPOSABLE BAG WAS 4
USED TO TRANSPORT THE PERSONAL BELONGINGS OF A CHILD IN FOSTER CARE AND 5
THE REASON THE DEPARTMENT FAILED TO PROVIDE THE CHILD IN FOSTER CARE 6
WITH NEW LUGGAGE; AND 7
(2) THE DEPARTMENT ’S SUPPLY INVENTORY A ND INVENTORY 8
MANAGEMENT PR OCEDURES FOR THE NEW LUGGAGE SUPPLY MAINT AINED UNDER 9
SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION. 10
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 11
October 1, 2024. 12