WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 346
– 1 –
Chapter 346
(House Bill 542)
AN ACT concerning
Department of Human Services – Children in Foster Care – Luggage
FOR the purpose of requiring the Department of Human Services to establish and maintain
a decentralized supply of new luggage to be used to transport the personal belongings
of a child in foster care; requiring the Department to provide new luggage to a child
who is being removed from a household in foster care under certain circumstances;
prohibiting the Department from using disposable bags or trash bags to transport
any items for a child in foster care; requiring the Department to maintain certain
records regarding luggage and children in foster care; and generally relating to the
Department of Human Services and children in foster care.
BY adding to
Article – Family Law
Section 5–505.2
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
Article – Family Law
5–505.2.
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION, “NEW LUGGAGE ” MEANS A SUITCASE , DUFFEL
BAG, BACKPACK, OR SIMILAR CONTAINER THAT:
(I) IS DESIGNED TO HOLD AN INDIVIDUAL ’S PERSONAL
BELONGINGS ; AND
(II) HAS NOT BEEN PREVIOU SLY USED.
(2) “NEW LUGGAGE ” DOES NOT INCLUDE A D ISPOSABLE BAG OR
TRASH BAG.
(B) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL :
(1) ESTABLISH AND MAINTA IN A DECENTRALIZED S UPPLY OF NEW
LUGGAGE TO BE USED T O TRANSPORT THE PERS ONAL BELONGINGS OF A CHILD IN
FOSTER CARE; AND Ch. 346 2024 LAWS OF MARYLAND
– 2 –
(2) DEVELOP PROCEDURES F OR THE STORAGE AND D ISTRIBUTION OF
NEW LUGGAGE INTENDED FOR CHILDREN IN FOST ER CARE.
(C) (1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPHS (2) AND (3) THROUGH (4) OF THIS
SUBSECTION, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROV IDE NEW LUGGAGE TO A CHILD IN
FOSTER CARE WHO IS BEING REMOVED FROM A HOUSEHOLD :
(I) ENTERING FOSTER CARE ;
(II) MOVING FROM ONE FOST ER CARE PLACEMENT TO
ANOTHER; OR
(III) EXITING FOSTER C ARE.
(2) NEW LUGGAGE PROVIDED TO A CHILD UNDER THI S SUBSECTION:
(I) IS THE PROPERTY OF T HE CHILD; AND
(II) MAY NOT BE RECLAIMED BY THE DEPARTMENT OR
RETAINED BY THE CHIL D’S FOSTER PARENT .
(3) THE DEPARTMENT IS NOT REQ UIRED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL
NEW LUGGAGE UNDER TH IS SUBSECTION TO A C HILD WHO:
(I) IS CHANGING PLACEMEN T; AND
(II) IS IN POSSESSION OF NEW LUGGAGE PREVIOUS LY
PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT .
(4) WHEN PROVIDING NEW LU GGAGE TO A CHILD IN FOSTER CARE ,
THE DEPARTMENT SHAL L TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE CHILD’S:
(I) AGE;
(II) MOBILITY;
(III) PERSONAL ITEMS TO BE TRANSPORTED ; AND
(IV) PREFERENCES .
(D) (1) THE DEPARTMENT MAY NOT US E DISPOSABLE BAGS OR TRASH
BAGS TO TRANSPORT AN Y ITEMS OF A CHILD I N FOSTER CARE .
WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 346
– 3 –
(2) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL MAIN TAIN A RECORD OF EAC H
INSTANCE IN WHICH A DISPOSABLE BAG OR TRASH BAG IS USED TO MOVE THE
PERSONAL BELONGINGS OF A CHILD IN FOSTER CARE.
(2) (3) THE RECORD REQUIRED U NDER PARAGRAPH (1) (2) OF
THIS SUBSECTION SHAL L INCLUDE TH E REASON THE DEPARTMENT DID NOT
PROVIDE THE CHILD WI TH NEW LUGGAGE TO MO VE THE CHILD ’S PERSONAL
BELONGINGS .
(E) THE DEPARTMENT MAY SOLICI T AND ACCEPT GIFTS , GRANTS, AND
DONATIONS OF ANY KIN D AND FROM ANY SOURC E TO CARRY OUT THE P ROVISIONS
OF THIS SECTION.
(F) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1 EACH YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL
REPORT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE
STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE FOLLOWING INFORM ATION:
(1) THE NUMBER OF INSTAN CES IN WHICH A DISPO SABLE BAG OR
TRASH BAG WAS USED TO TRANSPORT THE PERSONAL BELONGI NGS OF A CHILD IN
FOSTER CARE AND THE REASON THE DEPARTMENT FAILED TO PROVIDE THE CHILD
IN FOSTER CARE WITH NEW LUGGAGE ; AND
(2) THE DEPARTMENT ’S SUPPLY INVENTORY A ND INVENTORY
MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE S FOR THE NEW L UGGAGE SUPPLY MAINTA INED UNDER
SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 2024.
Approved by the Governor, April 25, 2024.