EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0999*
HOUSE BILL 999
P1, F2, C8 4lr3303
By: Delegates Hill, Crutchfield, Guzzone, Kaiser, Qi, Ruth, and Wu
Introduced and read first time: February 5, 2024
Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Workgroup on Establishing a Science and Tech nology Best Practices and 2
Innovation Network 3
FOR the purpose of establishing the Workgroup on Establishing a Science and Technology 4
Best Practices and Innovation Network; and generally relating to the Workgroup on 5
Establishing a Science and Technology Best Practices and Innovation Network. 6
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 7
That: 8
(a) There is a Workgroup on Establishing a Science and Technology Best 9
Practices and Innovation Network. 10
(b) The Workgroup consists of the following members: 11
(1) one member of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the President of 12
the Senate; 13
(2) one member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the 14
House; 15
(3) the Secretary of the Environment, or the Secretary’s designee; 16
(4) the Secretary of Transportation, or the Secretary’s designee; 17
(5) the Secretary of Higher Education, or the Secretary’s designee; 18
(6) the Secretary of Energy, or the Secretary’s designee; 19
(7) the Secretary of Commerce, or the Secretary’s designee; 20
2 HOUSE BILL 999
(8) the Secretary of Agriculture, or the Secretary’s designee; 1
(9) the Executive Director of the Maryland Health Care Commission, or the 2
Executive Director’s designee; 3
(10) the Executive Director of the Maryland Technology Development 4
Corporation, or the Executive Director’s designee; 5
(11) five representatives of institutions of higher education in the State with 6
expertise in current science or technology research, industry, or innovation, appointed by 7
the Governor, including at least one representative each from: 8
(i) a historically Black college or university; 9
(ii) an independent institution of higher education; and 10
(iii) a community college; 11
(12) three representatives from the private sector with expertise in current 12
developments in science or technology research, industry, or innovation; and 13
(13) three representatives from the nonprofit sector with expertise in or 14
history of recognized advocacy on behalf of ethical and human practices and protections in 15
science and technology research, industry, or innovation. 16
(c) The Workgroup shall elect a chair from among its members. 17
(d) The University of Maryland, Baltimore County shall provide staff for the 18
Workgroup. 19
(e) A member of the Workgroup: 20
(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Workgroup; but 21
(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 22
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 23
(f) The Workgroup shall: 24
(1) identify and analyze options for establishing and maintaining a 25
network of experts in science, technology, and industry to: 26
(i) facilitate voluntary collaboration; 27
(ii) facilitate the open exchange of state –of–the–art and 28
evidence–based data and information; 29
HOUSE BILL 999 3
(iii) inform State policy and practices; and 1
(iv) promote solution development and decision making based on 2
sound science, innovation, and best practices; 3
(2) identify and evaluate methods for: 4
(i) establishing a digital or virtual referral network of experts in 5
science, technology, and industry, including expansion of existing entities and networks; 6
(ii) registering expert participants; and 7
(iii) making network expertise available to the public; 8
(3) examine the costs of developing and maintaining a network of experts 9
in science, technology, and industry; and 10
(4) make recommendations regarding the establishment of a science and 11
technology best practices and innovation network. 12
(g) On or before December 1, 2024, the Workgroup shall report its findings and 13
recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State 14
Government Article, the General Assembly. 15
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 16
1, 2024. It shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and 1 month and, at the end of June 17
30, 2025, this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be 18
abrogated and of no further force and effect. 19