EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0999*
HOUSE BILL 999
P1, F2, C8 4lr3303
By: Delegates Hill, Crutchfield, Guzzone, Kaiser, Qi, Ruth, and Wu Wu, Alston,
Bagnall, Bhandari, Chisholm, Cullison, Hutchinson, S. Johnson, Kerr,
R. Lewis, Martinez, M. Morgan, Pena–Melnyk, Reilly, Rosenberg, Szeliga,
Taveras, White Holland, and Woods
Introduced and read first time: February 5, 2024
Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 5, 2024
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Workgroup on Establishing a Science and Technology 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 2 HOUSE BILL 999
(4) the Secretary of Transportation, or the Secretary’s designee; 1
(5) the Secretary of Higher Education, or the Secretary’s designee; 2
(6) the Secretary of Energy, or the Secretary’s designee; 3
(7) the Secretary of Commerce, or the Secretary’s designee; 4
(8) the Secretary of Agriculture, or the Secretary’s designee; 5
(9) the Executive Director of the Maryland Health Care Commission, or the 6
Executive Director’s designee; 7
(10) (3) the Executive Director of the Maryland Technology Development 8
Corporation, or the Executive Director’s designee; 9
(4) one representative of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 10
designated by the President of the University; 11
(5) five representatives appointed by the Governor who: 12
(i) have expertise or experience in fostering community–based 13
applications and using science or technology in teaching, mentoring, or hobbying; and 14
(ii) reflect the racial, ethnic, religious, gender, and geographic 15
diversity of the State; 16
(11) (6) five representatives of institutions of higher education in the 17
State with expertise in current science or technology research, industry, or innovation, 18
appointed by the Governor, including at least one representative each from: 19
(i) a historically Black college or university; 20
(ii) an independent institution of higher education; and 21
(iii) a community college; 22
(12) (7) three two representatives from the private sector with expertise 23
in current developments in science or technology research, industry, or innovation; and 24
(13) (8) three two representatives from the nonprofit sector with 25
expertise in or history of recognized advocacy on behalf of ethical and human practices and 26
protections in science and technology research, industry, or innovation. 27
(c) The Workgroup shall elect a chair from among its members. 28
HOUSE BILL 999 3
(d) The University of Maryland, Baltimore County shall provide staff for the 1
Workgroup. 2
(e) A member of the Workgroup: 3
(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Workgroup; but 4
(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 5
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 6
(f) The Workgroup shall: 7
(1) identify and analyze options for establishing and maintaining a an open 8
access science, technology, and innovation network of or hub of citizen scientists and 9
experts in science, technology, and industry to: 10
(i) facilitate noninstitutional voluntary collaboration; 11
(ii) facilitate the open exchange of ideas and nonproprietary 12
state–of–the–art and evidence–based data and information; and 13
(iii) inform State policy and practices; and 14
(iv) (iii) promote solution development and decision making based 15
on sound science, innovation, and best practices; 16
(2) identify and evaluate methods for: 17
(i) establishing a digital or virtual referral network of experts in 18
science, technology, and industry, including expansion of existing entities and networks; 19
(ii) registering expert participants; and 20
(iii) making network expertise available to the public; and 21
(3) examine the costs of developing and maintaining a network of experts 22
in science, technology, and industry; and 23
(4) (3) make recommendations regarding the establishment of a science and 24
technology best practices and innovation network. 25
(g) On or before December 1, 2024, the Workgroup shall report its findings and 26
recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State 27
Government Article, the General Assembly. 28
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 29
1, 2024. It shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and 1 month and, at the end of June 30 4 HOUSE BILL 999
30, 2025, this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be 1
abrogated and of no further force and effect. 2
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.