WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 709
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Chapter 709
(House Bill 597)
AN ACT concerning
Growing Apprenticeships and the Public Safety Workforce (GAPS) Act
FOR the purpose of altering the Law Enforcement Cadet Apprenticeship Program in the
Maryland Department of Labor to be the Public Safety Apprenticeship Program;
expanding the purpose and scope of the Program to promote careers with certain
public safety agencies; increasing the maximum amount of a grant altering the
eligibility criteria and the types of grants that may be awarded under the Program;
requiring the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission to develop
certain mental health wellness policies to be implemented in certain law
enforcement agencies and correctional facilities; establishing the Workgroup on
Growing Engagement in the Law Enforcement and Corrections Workforce to study
and make recommendations on increasing law enforcement employment in the State;
and generally relating to the Public Safety Apprenticeship Program, the duties of
the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission, and the Workgroup on
Growing Engagement in the Law Enforcement and Corrections Workforce.
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article – Labor and Employment
Section 11–603
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2016 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement)
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
Article – Public Safety
Section 3–201(a), (b), and (d)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement)
BY adding to
Article – Public Safety
Section 3–207(m)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2022 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 – Labor and Employment
11–603.
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(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
[(2) “Cadet Program” means the Law Enforcement Cadet Apprenticeship
Program.]
[(3)] (2) “Law enforcement agency” means the police department of a
county, municipal corporation, [or] university in the State, OR STATE AGENCY .
(3) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE PUBLIC SAFETY APPRENTICESHIP
PROGRAM.
(4) “PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCY ” INCLUDES:
(I) A CORRECTIONAL UNIT , AS DEFINED IN § 2–401 OF THE
CORRECTIONAL SERVICES ARTICLE;
(II) A LAW ENFORCEMENT AG ENCY; AND
(III) A PUBLIC SAFETY AGEN CY, AS DEFINED IN § 1–301 OF THE
PUBLIC SAFETY ARTICLE.
(b) There is a [Law Enforcement Cadet] PUBLIC SAFETY Apprenticeship
Program in the Department.
(c) The purposes of the [Cadet] Program are to:
(1) provide young individuals opportunities to begin a career [in law
enforcement] WITH A PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCY;
(2) foster positive relationships between the public, particularly young
individuals, and [law enforcement] PUBLIC SAFETY agencies;
(3) develop a cohort of individuals qualified to join a [law enforcement]
PUBLIC SAFETY agency;
(4) encourage [law enforcement] PUBLIC SAFETY agencies to hire
apprentices; and
(5) help [law enforcement] PUBLIC SAFETY agencies offset additional
costs, if any, associated with hiring apprentices.
(d) THE PROGRAM SHALL CONSIST OF START –UP GRANTS AND
STABILIZATION GRANTS .
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(E) A PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCY OR A GROUP OF PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCI ES
PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM SHALL :
(1) DEVELOP A REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGR AM; AND
(2) ESTABLISH A REGISTER ED APPRENTICESHIP PR OGRAM THAT
DEVELOPS A CAREER PA TH THAT ENABLES AN I NDIVIDUAL TO WORK IN A PUBLIC
SAFETY AGENCY .
(F) (1) The Department shall:
(i) administer the [Cadet] Program; and
(ii) award START–UP AND STABILIZATION grants under the
[Cadet] Program on a competitive basis to [law enforcement] PUBLIC SAFETY agencies
that meet the requirements under paragraph (2) of this subsection A PUBLIC SAFETY
AGENCY OR A GROUP OF PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCI ES THAT MEET THE REQ UIREMENTS
OF THIS SECTION.
(2) (I) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF THIS
PARAGRAPH , THE DEPARTMENT MAY AWARD :
1. A START–UP GRANT NOT EXCEEDI NG $200,000 TO A
PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCY OR A GROUP OF PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES FOR
DEVELOPMENT AND LAUN CH OF A PUBLIC SAFET Y AGENCY’S REGISTERED
APPRENTICESHIP PROGR AM UNDER THIS SECTIO N; AND
2. A STABILIZATION GRANT NO T EXCEEDING $5,000 TO A
PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCY OR A GROUP OF PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES ON T HE INITIAL
ENROLLMENT OF EACH A PPRENTICE IN THE PUB LIC SAFETY AGENCY ’S REGISTERED
APPRENTICESHIP PROGR AM.
(II) THE DEPARTMENT MAY NOT AW ARD A START–UP OR
STABILIZATION GRANT UNDER THIS SECTION T O A PUBLIC SAFETY AG ENCY OR A
GROUP OF PUBLIC SAFE TY AGENCIES THAT FAI L TO BARGAIN WITH TH E
APPROPRIATE EXCLUSIV E REPRESENTATIVE REG ARDING ANY ADJUSTMEN TS TO
WAGES, HOURS, OR OTHER TERMS AND C ONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT THAT ARE
REQUIRED FOR INDIVID UALS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCY’S
REGISTERED APPRENTIC ESHIP PROGRAM .
(2) A [law enforcement] PUBLIC SAFETY agency is eligible to receive a
grant if the [law enforcement] PUBLIC SAFETY agency employs at least one apprentice
who: Ch. 709 2024 LAWS OF MARYLAND
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(i) has been employed by the agency for at least 7 months; AND
(ii) is enrolled in the first year of an apprenticeship program
registered with the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council under § 11–405(b) of
this title[; and
(iii) lives in a zip code in which at least 10% of the population is below
the poverty level as established by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the
Census, in the most recently released data].
(e) [(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the] THE
amount of a grant awarded under the [Cadet] Program:
[(i)] (1) shall be based on the number of apprentices who meet the
description in subsection [(d)(2)(i) through (iii)] (D)(2) of this section who are employed by
the eligible [law enforcement] PUBLIC SAFETY agency; and
[(ii)] (2) may not exceed [$2,000] $5,000 for each apprentice who
meets the description in subsection [(d)(2)(i) through (iii)] (D)(2) of this section who is
employed by the eligible law enforcement agency.
[(2) The amount of a grant awarded to an eligible university law
enforcement agency may not exceed $1,000 for each apprentice who meets the description
in subsection (d)(2)(i) through (iii) of this section who is employed by the eligible university
law enforcement agency.]
(f) (G) For fiscal year 2021 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Governor shall include
in the State budget an appropriation of at least $750,000 for the [Cadet] Program to:
(1) provide grants to eligible [law enforcement] PUBLIC SAFETY agencies;
and
(2) cover the administrative costs of operating the [Cadet] Program.
(g) (H) The Department shall adopt regulations necessary to carry out this
section, including regulations to:
(1) develop requirements for grant applications;
(2) develop a process for reviewing grant applications and awarding grants
to eligible [law enforcement] PUBLIC SAFETY agencies; and
(3) determine the maximum amount that an eligible [law enforcement] WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 709
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PUBLIC SAFETY agency OR A GROUP OF PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES may be awarded
under the [Cadet] Program each fiscal year.
Article – Public Safety
3–201.
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.
(b) “Commission” means the Maryland Police Training and Standards
Commission.
(d) (1) “Law enforcement agency” means a governmental police force, sheriff’s
office, or security force or law enforcement organization of the State, a county, or a
municipal corporation that by statute, ordinance, or common law is authorized to enforce
the general criminal laws of the State.
(2) “Law enforcement agency” does not include members of the Maryland
National Guard who:
(i) are under the control and jurisdiction of the Military
Department;
(ii) are assigned to the military property designated as the Martin
State Airport; and
(iii) are charged with exercising police powers in and for the Martin
State Airport.
3–207.
(M) (1) IN THIS SUBSECTION , “CORRECTIONAL FACILIT Y” MEANS A
STATE CORRECTIONAL FA CILITY AND A LOCAL C ORRECTIONAL FACILITY , AS
DEFINED IN § 1–101 OF THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES ARTICLE.
(2) THE COMMISSION SHALL DEVE LOP MENTAL HEALTH WE LLNESS
POLICIES TO BE IMPLE MENTED IN LAW ENFORC EMENT AGENCIES AND
CORRECTIONAL FACILIT IES IN THE STATE BY:
(I) DETERMINING WAYS TO PROMOTE SAFETY AND W ELLNESS
AT EVERY LEVEL OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGEN CY AND A CORRECTIONAL F ACILITY;
(II) INCORPORATING INTO T RAININGS STRESS MANA GEMENT
TECHNIQUES DESIGNED BY LAW ENFO RCEMENT OFFICERS AND CORRECTIONAL
OFFICERS; Ch. 709 2024 LAWS OF MARYLAND
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(III) ESTABLISHING CONFIDENTIAL PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM S;
(IV) OFFERING PSYCHOLOGIC AL PROGRAMMING TO HE LP
OFFICERS MANAGE STRE SS; AND
(V) UTILIZING MEASURING TOOLS TO TRACK EFFEC TIVENESS.
(2) (3) ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2025, AND EACH JANUARY 1
THEREAFTER , THE COMMISSION SHALL REPO RT TO THE GOVERNOR AND , IN
ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY ON THE STATU S OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION O F THE
POLICIES DESCRIBED UNDER PARA GRAPH (1) (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION A ND THE
EFFECTS OF THE POLIC IES.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That:
(a) There is a Workgroup on Growing Engagement in the Law Enforcement and
Corrections Workforce.
(b) The Workgroup consists of the following members:
(1) one member of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the President of
the Senate;
(2) one member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the
House;
(3) the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services, or the
Secretary’s designee;
(2) (4) the Secretary of Higher Education, or the Secretary’s designee;
(3) (5) the Executive Director of the Maryland Association of Counties,
or the Executive Director’s designee;
(4) (6) the Chief Executive Officer of the Maryland Municipal League,
or the Chief Executive Officer’s designee;
(5) (7) the Executive Director of the Maryland Association of
Community Colleges, or the Executive Director’s designee;
(6) (8) the State Superintendent of Schools, or the Superintendent’s
designee;
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(7) (9) the Secretary of Labor, or the Secretary’s designee;
(8) (10) the Secretary of State Police, or the Secretary’s designee;
(9) (11) the President of the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association, or the
President’s designee;
(10) (12) the President of the Maryland Sheriffs’ Association, or the
President’s designee; and
(11) (13) the President of the Maryland Fraternal Order of Police, or the
President’s designee; and
(14) the following members designated by the President of the Maryland
Correctional Administrators Association (MCAA):
(i) one State member of MCAA; and
(ii) one county member of MCAA.
(c) The Governor shall designate the Chair of the Workgroup.
(d) The Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission shall staff the
Workgroup.
(e) A member of the Workgroup or any subgroup established under subsection (g)
of this section:
(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Workgroup or
subgroup; but
(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget.
(f) The Workgroup shall:
(1) identify and study the shortage of employees in the law enforcement
and corrections fields;
(2) determine ways to advertise and promote law enforcement and
corrections employment opportunities across the State; and
(3) explore recruitment and retention strategies used in the law
enforcement and corrections fields that have been successful in other states and countries;
and
Ch. 709 2024 LAWS OF MARYLAND
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(4) make recommendations on incentives or other methods to increase the
number of employees in the law enforcement and corrections workforce.
(g) (1) The Workgroup may establish a subgroup within the Workgroup to
assist the Workgroup in carrying out its duties, including by conducting research and
producing reports.
(2) A subgroup established under paragraph (1) of this subsection may
include an individual who is not a member of the Workgroup.
(h) On or before January 1, 2025, the Workgroup shall report its findings and
recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State
Government Article, the General Assembly.
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act may not be construed
as reducing or lowering the minimum qualifications for employment in a public safety
agency, as defined in § 11–603(a)(4) of the Labor and Employment Article, as enacted by
this Act.
SECTION 3. 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effe ct
June 1, 2024. Section 2 of this Act shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and 1 month
and, at the end of June 30, 2025, Section 2 of this Act, with no further action required by
the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no further force and effect.
Approved by the Governor, May 16, 2024.