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.
Italics indicate opposite chamber/conference committee amendments.
*hb0809*
HOUSE BILL 809
D4, O4 (5lr1624)
ENROLLED BILL
— Appropriations/Judicial Proceedings —
Introduced by Delegates Griffith, Wilson, Arentz, Buckel, Chisholm, Cullison, Fair,
Fraser–Hidalgo, Guyton, Hartman, Hornberger, A. Johnson, S. Johnson,
Kaufman, McComas, Moon, M. Morgan, Nawrocki, Pippy, Reilly, Schmidt,
Shetty, Valentine, and Wilkins
Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this
_______ day of _______________ at ________________________ o’clock, ________M.
______________________________________________
Speaker.
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Out–of–Home Placement Providers – Maximum Number of Children – 2
Exemption Individuals Enrolled in Higher Education and Vocational Training 3
Programs 4
FOR the purpose of requiring the Department of Human Services to adopt regulations 5
setting the maximum number of children that may be placed with an out–of–home 6
placement provider; establishing an exemption from the limitation on the number of 7
children that may be placed with an out–of–home placement provider under certain 8
circumstances; authorizing an individual enrolled in an accredited institution of 9
higher education or a residential vocational training program to return to an 10
out–of–home placement provider with whom the individual was previously placed 11
under certain circumstances; requiring an individual to make a request to a local 12 2 HOUSE BILL 809
department of social services within a certain time period to return to an 1
out–of–home placement provider under certain circumstances; requiring a local 2
department to make a recommendation to the Department of Human Services 3
regarding a certain request within a certain period; requiring the Department to 4
make a determination regarding a local department’s recommendation within a 5
certain time period; and generally relating to the placement of children in return of 6
individuals enrolled in higher education and vocational training programs to 7
out–of–home care. 8
BY adding to 9
Article – Family Law 10
Section 5–525.3 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
Article – Family Law 16
5–525.3. 17
(A) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION , THE 18
DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOP T REGULATIONS SETTIN G THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF 19
CHILDREN THAT MAY BE PLACED WITH AN OUT –OF–HOME PLACEMENT PROVI DER. 20
(B) THE LIMITATION ON THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN P LACED WITH AN 21
OUT–OF–HOME PLACEMENT PROVI DER IN ACCORDANCE WI TH SUBSECTION (A) OF 22
THIS SECTION DOES NO T APPLY TO A CHILD E NROLLED IN AN ACCRED ITED 23
INSTITUTION OF HIGHE R EDUCATION: 24
(A) SUBSECT SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION , AN 25
INDIVIDUAL ENROLLED IN AN ACCREDITED INS TITUTION OF HIGHER E DUCATION OR 26
A RESIDENTIAL VOCATI ONAL TRAINING PROGRA M MAY RETURN TO AN 27
OUT–OF–HOME PLACEMENT PROVI DER WITH WHOM THE IN DIVIDUAL WAS 28
PREVIOUSLY PLACED IF : 29
(1) WHO THE INDIVIDUAL IS UNABLE TO REMAIN ON THE 30
INSTITUTION’S OR TRAINING PROGRAM ’S CAMPUS DUE TO A SCHEDULED B REAK, A 31
TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF THE INSTITUTION OR TRAINING PROGRAM , OR A 32
TEMPORARY LEAVE OF A BSENCE; AND 33
(2) WHOSE THE INDIVIDUAL’S LIVING ARRANGEMENT IN THE HOME IS 34
MUTUALLY AGREED TO B Y THE CHILD INDIVIDUAL, THE OUT–OF–HOME PLACEMENT 35
PROVIDER, AND THE PROVIDER AGE NCY; AND 36 HOUSE BILL 809 3
(3) THE DEPARTMENT HAS REVIEW ED AND APPROVED THE 1
INDIVIDUAL’S REQUEST TO RETURN TO THE OUT–OF–HOME PLACEMENT PROVI DER. 2
(B) (1) TO RETURN TO AN OUT –OF–HOME PLACEMENT PROVI DER WITH 3
WHOM AN INDIVIDUAL W AS PREVIOUSLY PLACED DURING A SCHEDULED B REAK OF 4
AN INSTITUTION OF HI GHER EDUCATION OR A RESIDENTIAL VOCATION AL TRAINING 5
PROGRAM, THE INDIVIDUAL SHALL MAKE A REQUEST TO A LOCAL DEPARTMENT TO 6
RETURN TO THE OUT –OF–HOME PLACEMENT PROVI DER AT LEAST 30 DAYS BEFORE 7
THE SCHEDULED BREAK . 8
(2) A LOCAL DEPARTMENT SHA LL MAKE A RECOMMENDA TION TO THE 9
DEPARTMENT REGARDING A REQUEST MADE UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 10
SUBSECTION NOT LATER THAN 21 DAYS BEFORE THE SCHE DULED BREAK . 11
(3) IF A LOCAL DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS APPROVING AN 12
INDIVIDUAL’S REQUEST TO RETURN TO AN OUT–OF–HOME PLACEMENT PROVI DER 13
DURING A SCHEDULED B REAK, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL MAKE A DETERMINATION 14
REGARDING THE LOCAL DEPARTMENT ’S RECOMMENDATION NOT LATER THAN 14 15
DAYS BEFORE THE SCHE DULED BREAK . 16
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 17
1, 2025. 18
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
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President of the Senate.