EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0668*
SENATE BILL 668
D4, O4 4lr2507
CF HB 542
By: Senator Charles
Introduced and read first time: January 29, 2024
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Department of Human Services – Children in Foster Care – Luggage 2
FOR the purpose of requiring the Department of Human Services to establish and maintain 3
a decentralized supply of new luggage to be used to transport the personal belongings 4
of a child in foster care; requiring the Department to provide new luggage to a child 5
who is being removed from a household under certain circumstances; requiring the 6
Department to maintain certain records regarding luggage and children in foster 7
care; and generally relating to the Department of Human Services and children in 8
foster care. 9
BY adding to 10
Article – Family Law 11
Section 5–505.2 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
Article – Family Law 17
5–505.2. 18
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION, “NEW LUGGAGE ” MEANS A SUITCASE , DUFFEL 19
BAG, BACKPACK, OR SIMILAR CONTAINER THAT: 20
(I) IS DESIGNED TO HOLD AN INDIVIDUAL’S PERSONAL 21
BELONGINGS ; AND 22
(II) HAS NOT BEEN PREVIOU SLY USED. 23 2 SENATE BILL 668
(2) “NEW LUGGAGE ” DOES NOT INCLUDE A D ISPOSABLE BAG . 1
(B) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL : 2
(1) ESTABLISH AND MAINTA IN A DECENTRALIZED S UPPLY OF NEW 3
LUGGAGE TO BE USED T O TRANSPORT THE PER SONAL BELONGINGS OF A CHILD IN 4
FOSTER CARE; AND 5
(2) DEVELOP PROCEDURES F OR THE STORAGE AND D ISTRIBUTION OF 6
NEW LUGGAGE INTENDED FOR CHILDREN IN FOST ER CARE. 7
(C) (1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPHS (2) AND (3) OF THIS SUBSECTION , THE 8
DEPARTMENT SHALL PROV IDE NEW LUGGAGE TO A CHILD I N FOSTER CARE WHO IS 9
BEING REMOVED FROM A HOUSEHOLD . 10
(2) NEW LUGGAGE PROVIDED TO A CHILD UNDER THI S SUBSECTION: 11
(I) IS THE PROPERTY OF T HE CHILD; AND 12
(II) MAY NOT BE RECLAIMED BY THE DEPARTMENT OR 13
RETAINED BY THE CHIL D’S FOSTER PARENT. 14
(3) THE DEPARTMENT IS NOT REQ UIRED TO PROVIDE ADD ITIONAL 15
NEW LUGGAGE UNDER TH IS SUBSECTION TO A C HILD WHO: 16
(I) IS CHANGING PLACEMEN T; AND 17
(II) IS IN POSSESSION OF NEW LUGGAGE PREVIOUS LY 18
PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT . 19
(D) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL MAIN TAIN A RECORD OF EAC H 20
INSTANCE IN WHICH A DISPOSABLE BAG IS US ED TO MOVE THE PERSO NAL 21
BELONGINGS OF A CHIL D IN FOSTER CARE . 22
(2) THE RECORD REQUIRED U NDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 23
SUBSECTION SHALL INC LUDE THE REASON THE DEPARTMENT DID N OT PROVIDE 24
THE CHILD WITH NEW L UGGAGE TO MOVE THE C HILD’S PERSONAL BELONGING S. 25
(E) THE DEPARTMENT MAY SOLICI T AND ACCEPT GIFTS , GRANTS, AND 26
DONATIONS OF ANY KIN D AND FROM ANY SOURC E TO CARRY OUT THE P ROVISIONS 27
OF THIS SECTION. 28
SENATE BILL 668 3
(F) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1 EACH YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL 1
REPORT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE 2
STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE FOLLOWING INFORM ATION: 3
(1) THE NUMBER OF INSTAN CES IN WHICH A DISPO SABLE BAG WAS 4
USED TO TRANSPORT TH E PERSONAL BELONGING S OF A CHILD IN FOSTER CARE AND 5
THE REASON THE DEPARTMENT FAILED TO PROVIDE THE CHILD IN FOSTER CARE 6
WITH NEW LUGGAGE ; AND 7
(2) THE DEPARTMENT ’S SUPPLY INVENTORY A ND INVENTORY 8
MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE S FOR THE NEW LUGGAG E SUPPLY MAINTAINED UNDER 9
SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION. 10
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 11
October 1, 2024. 12