MD
Maryland House Bill HB55

Maryland 2024 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB55 Compare Versions

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1- WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 9
21
3-– 1 –
4-Chapter 9
5-(House Bill 55)
62
7-AN ACT concerning
3+EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4+ [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5+ Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
6+ Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
7+amendment.
8+ *hb0055*
89
9-Maryland Commission on Veterans and Military Families
10+HOUSE BILL 55
11+P1 4lr1042
12+ (PRE–FILED) CF SB 88
13+By: Delegate Pruski Delegates Pruski, Alston, Bagnall, Bhandari, Chisholm,
14+Cullison, Guzzone, Hill, Hutchinson, S. Johnson, Kaiser, Kerr, Kipke,
15+R. Lewis, Lopez, Martinez, M. Morgan, Pena–Melnyk, Reilly, Rosenberg,
16+Taveras, and White Holland
17+Requested: October 18, 2023
18+Introduced and read first time: January 10, 2024
19+Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
20+Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
21+House action: Adopted
22+Read second time: February 6, 2024
1023
11-FOR the purpose of establishing the Maryland Commission on Veterans and Military
12-Families to study developing and implementing a strategic plan to make Maryland
13-the best state for veterans and military families; and generally relating to the
14-Maryland Commission on Veterans and Military Families.
24+CHAPTER ______
1525
16- SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
17-That:
26+AN ACT concerning 1
1827
19- (a) There is a Commission on Veterans and Military Families.
28+Maryland Commission on Veterans and Military Families 2
2029
21- (b) The Commission consists of the following members:
30+FOR the purpose of establishing the Maryland Commission on Veterans and Military 3
31+Families to study developing and implementing a strategic plan to make Maryland 4
32+the best state for veterans and military families; and generally relating to the 5
33+Maryland Commission on Veterans and Military Families. 6
2234
23- (1) the following members, appointed by the President of the Senate:
35+ SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 7
36+That: 8
2437
25- (i) a member of the Senate of Maryland who is also a member of the
26-Maryland Senate Veterans Caucus;
38+ (a) There is a Commission on Veterans and Military Families. 9
2739
28- (ii) a former member of the Senate of Maryland who is also a former
29-member of the Maryland Senate Veterans Caucus; and
40+ (b) The Commission consists of the following members: 10
3041
31- (iii) a representative of an organization that advocates on behalf of
32-veterans and military families;
42+ (1) the following members, appointed by the President of the Senate: 11
3343
34- (2) the following members, appointed by the Speaker of the House:
44+ (i) a member of the Senate of Maryland who is also a member of the 12
45+Maryland Senate Veterans Caucus; 13
3546
36- (i) a member of the House of Delegates who is also a member of the
37-Maryland House Veterans Caucus;
47+ (ii) a former member of the Senate of Maryland who is also a former 14
48+member of the Maryland Senate Veterans Caucus; and 15 2 HOUSE BILL 55
3849
39- (ii) a former member of the House of Delegates who is also a former
40-member of the Maryland House Veterans Caucus; and
4150
42- (iii) a representative of an organization that advocates on behalf of
43-veterans and military families;
4451
45- (3) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or the Secretary’s designee;
52+ (iii) a representative of an organization that advocates on behalf of 1
53+veterans and military families; 2
4654
47- (4) the Adjutant General, or the Adjutant General’s designee;
48- Ch. 9 2024 LAWS OF MARYLAND
55+ (2) the following members, appointed by the Speaker of the House: 3
4956
50-– 2 –
51- (5) the chair of the Maryland Veterans Commission, or the chair’s
52-designee;
57+ (i) a member of the House of Delegates who is also a member of the 4
58+Maryland House Veterans Caucus; 5
5359
54- (6) the chair of the Maryland Veterans’ Home Commission, or the chair’s
55-designee;
60+ (ii) a former member of the House of Delegates who is also a former 6
61+member of the Maryland House Veterans Caucus; and 7
5662
57- (7) the chair of the Maryland College Collaboration for Student Veterans
58-Commission, or the chair’s designee; and
63+ (iii) a representative of an organization that advocates on behalf of 8
64+veterans and military families; 9
5965
60- (8) the following members, appointed by the Governor:
66+ (3) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or the Secretary’s designee; 10
6167
62- (i) a representative of an organization that advocates on behalf of
63-woman veterans; and
68+ (4) the Adjutant General, or the Adjutant General’s designee; 11
6469
65- (ii) a representative of the reserve component of any branch of the
66-armed forces of the United States, not including the National Guard;
70+ (5) the chair of the Maryland Veterans Commission, or the chair’s 12
71+designee; 13
6772
68- (iii) an individual who is a military spouse or a representative of a
69-military spouse advocacy group;
73+ (6) the chair of the Maryland Veterans’ Home Commission, or the chair’s 14
74+designee; 15
7075
71- (iv) an individual with experience in health care, whether somatic
72-health care or mental health care; and
76+ (7) the chair of the Maryland College Collaboration for Student Veterans 16
77+Commission, or the chair’s designee; and 17
7378
74- (v) an individual with experience in workforce development.
79+ (8) the following members, appointed by the Governor: 18
7580
76- (c) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or the Secretary’s designee, shall serve as
77-chair of the Commission.
81+ (i) a representative of an organization that advocates on behalf of 19
82+woman veterans; and 20
7883
79- (d) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall provide staff for the Commission.
84+ (ii) a representative of the reserve component of any branch of the 21
85+armed forces of the United States, not including the National Guard; 22
8086
81- (e) A member of the Commission:
87+ (iii) an individual who is a military spouse or a representative of a 23
88+military spouse advocacy group; 24
8289
83- (1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Commission; but
90+ (iv) an individual with experience in health care, whether somatic 25
91+health care or mental health care; and 26
8492
85- (2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State
86-Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget.
93+ (v) an individual with experience in workforce development. 27
8794
88- (f) The Commission shall:
95+ (c) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or the Secretary’s designee, shall serve as 28
96+chair of the Commission. 29
97+ HOUSE BILL 55 3
8998
90- (1) study and make recommendations for developing and implementing a
91-statewide strategic plan to make Maryland the best state for veterans and military families,
92-including legislative and budgetary recommendations;
9399
94- (2) while forming the recommendations and drafting the study required
95-under item (1) of this subsection, consult with the Office of Military and Federal Affairs
96-and the Maryland Military Installation Council in the Department of Commerce; and WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 9
100+ (d) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall provide staff for the Commission. 1
97101
98-– 3 –
102+ (e) A member of the Commission: 2
99103
100- (2) (3) identify key performance indicators that can be compared to
101-those of other states in order to assess the quality of life for veterans and military families
102-in Maryland relative to other states.
104+ (1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Commission; but 3
103105
104- (g) On or before December 1, 2024, the Commission shall report its findings and
105-recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State
106-Government Article, the General Assembly.
106+ (2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 4
107+Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 5
107108
108- SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June
109-1, 2024. It shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and 1 month and, at the end of June
110-30, 2025, this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be
111-abrogated and of no further force and effect.
109+ (f) The Commission shall: 6
112110
113-Approved by the Governor, April 9, 2024.
111+ (1) study and make recommendations for developing and implementing a 7
112+statewide strategic plan to make Maryland the best state for veterans and military families, 8
113+including legislative and budgetary recommendations; 9
114+
115+ (2) while forming the recommendations and drafting the study required 10
116+under item (1) of this subsection, consult with the Office of Military and Federal Affairs 11
117+and the Maryland Military Installation Council in the Department of Commerce; and 12
118+
119+ (2) (3) identify key performance indicators that can be compared to 13
120+those of other states in order to assess the quality of life for veterans and military families 14
121+in Maryland relative to other states. 15
122+
123+ (g) On or before December 1, 2024, the Commission shall report its findings and 16
124+recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State 17
125+Government Article, the General Assembly. 18
126+
127+ SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 19
128+1, 2024. It shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and 1 month and, at the end of June 20
129+30, 2025, this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be 21
130+abrogated and of no further force and effect. 22
131+
132+
133+
134+
135+Approved:
136+________________________________________________________________________________
137+ Governor.
138+________________________________________________________________________________
139+ Speaker of the House of Delegates.
140+________________________________________________________________________________
141+ President of the Senate.