| Old | New | Differences | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | ||
| 2 | 2 | ||
| 3 | 3 | EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW. | |
| 4 | 4 | [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law. | |
| 5 | - | Underlining indicates amendments to bill. | |
| 6 | - | Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by | |
| 7 | - | amendment. | |
| 8 | 5 | *hb0859* | |
| 9 | 6 | ||
| 10 | 7 | HOUSE BILL 859 | |
| 11 | 8 | J5, P4 5lr2268 | |
| 12 | 9 | CF SB 611 | |
| 13 | - | By: Delegates Solomon, Guyton, D. Jones, and McCaskill McCaskill, Bagnall, | |
| 14 | - | Bhandari, Cullison, Guzzone, Hill, S. Johnson, Kaiser, Kerr, Lopez, | |
| 15 | - | Martinez, Pena–Melnyk, Rosenberg, Ross, Taveras, White Holland, Woods, | |
| 16 | - | and Woorman | |
| 10 | + | By: Delegates Solomon, Guyton, D. Jones, and McCaskill | |
| 17 | 11 | Introduced and read first time: January 30, 2025 | |
| 18 | 12 | Assigned to: Health and Government Operations and Ways and Means | |
| 19 | - | Committee Report: Favorable with amendments | |
| 20 | - | House action: Adopted | |
| 21 | - | Read second time: March 6, 2025 | |
| 22 | 13 | ||
| 23 | - | ||
| 14 | + | A BILL ENTITLED | |
| 24 | 15 | ||
| 25 | 16 | AN ACT concerning 1 | |
| 26 | 17 | ||
| 27 | 18 | Access to Health Insurance for Child Care Professionals – Outreach and 2 | |
| 28 | 19 | Qualifying Nonprofit Satellite Organizations 3 | |
| 29 | 20 | ||
| 30 | 21 | FOR the purpose of requiring the State Department of Education, in collaboration with the 4 | |
| 31 | 22 | Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, to promote access to health insurance for child 5 | |
| 32 | 23 | care professionals; authorizing a child care provider that receives a certain amount 6 | |
| 33 | 24 | of funding from a unit of State, local, or federal government to participate in the 7 | |
| 34 | 25 | State Employee and Retiree Health and Welfare Benefits Program as a satellite 8 | |
| 35 | - | organization | |
| 36 | - | ||
| 26 | + | organization; and generally relating to access to health insurance and health benefits 9 | |
| 27 | + | for child care professionals. 10 | |
| 37 | 28 | ||
| 38 | 29 | BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 11 | |
| 39 | 30 | Article – Education 12 | |
| 40 | 31 | Section 1–101(a) and (f) and 7–1A–01(a) and (i) 13 | |
| 41 | 32 | Annotated Code of Maryland 14 | |
| 42 | 33 | (2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 15 | |
| 43 | 34 | ||
| 44 | 35 | BY adding to 16 | |
| 45 | 36 | Article – Education 17 | |
| 46 | 37 | Section 2–107 18 | |
| 47 | 38 | Annotated Code of Maryland 19 | |
| 48 | - | (2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 20 2 HOUSE BILL 859 | |
| 39 | + | (2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 20 | |
| 40 | + | ||
| 41 | + | BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 21 | |
| 42 | + | Article – State Personnel and Pensions 22 | |
| 43 | + | Section 2–501 23 | |
| 44 | + | Annotated Code of Maryland 24 | |
| 45 | + | (2024 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 25 | |
| 46 | + | ||
| 47 | + | BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 26 | |
| 48 | + | Article – State Personnel and Pensions 27 2 HOUSE BILL 859 | |
| 49 | 49 | ||
| 50 | 50 | ||
| 51 | + | Section 2–512 1 | |
| 52 | + | Annotated Code of Maryland 2 | |
| 53 | + | (2024 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 3 | |
| 51 | 54 | ||
| 52 | - | BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 1 | |
| 53 | - | Article – State Personnel and Pensions 2 | |
| 54 | - | Section 2–501 3 | |
| 55 | - | Annotated Code of Maryland 4 | |
| 56 | - | (2024 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 5 | |
| 55 | + | SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 4 | |
| 56 | + | That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 5 | |
| 57 | 57 | ||
| 58 | - | BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 6 | |
| 59 | - | Article – State Personnel and Pensions 7 | |
| 60 | - | Section 2–512 8 | |
| 61 | - | Annotated Code of Maryland 9 | |
| 62 | - | (2024 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 10 | |
| 58 | + | Article – Education 6 | |
| 63 | 59 | ||
| 64 | - | BY adding to 11 | |
| 65 | - | Article – Insurance 12 | |
| 66 | - | Section 31–125 13 | |
| 67 | - | Annotated Code of Maryland 14 | |
| 68 | - | (2017 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 15 | |
| 60 | + | 1–101. 7 | |
| 69 | 61 | ||
| 70 | - | | |
| 71 | - | ||
| 62 | + | (a) In this article, unless the context requires otherwise, the following words have 8 | |
| 63 | + | the meanings indicated. 9 | |
| 72 | 64 | ||
| 73 | - | ||
| 65 | + | (f) “Department” means the State Department of Education. 10 | |
| 74 | 66 | ||
| 75 | - | ||
| 67 | + | 2–107. 11 | |
| 76 | 68 | ||
| 77 | - | (a) In this article, unless the context requires otherwise, the following words have 20 | |
| 78 | - | the meanings indicated. 21 | |
| 69 | + | THE DEPARTMENT , IN COLLABORATION WIT H THE MARYLAND HEALTH 12 | |
| 70 | + | BENEFIT EXCHANGE, SHALL PROMOTE ACCESS TO HE ALTH INSURANCE FOR CHILD 13 | |
| 71 | + | CARE PROFESSIONALS BY: 14 | |
| 79 | 72 | ||
| 80 | - | ( | |
| 73 | + | (1) PARTNERING WITH : 15 | |
| 81 | 74 | ||
| 82 | - | 2–107. 23 | |
| 75 | + | (I) PREKINDERGARTEN PROVI DER HUB S, AS DEFINED IN § 16 | |
| 76 | + | 7–1A–01 OF THIS ARTICLE; 17 | |
| 83 | 77 | ||
| 84 | - | ||
| 78 | + | (II) CHILD CARE ASSOCIATIO NS; AND 18 | |
| 85 | 79 | ||
| 86 | - | ( | |
| 80 | + | (III) RELEVANT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATI ONS; 19 | |
| 87 | 81 | ||
| 88 | - | ( | |
| 89 | - | ||
| 90 | - | ||
| 82 | + | (2) HELPING CHILD CARE PROFESSIO NALS OBTAIN HEALTH 20 | |
| 83 | + | INSURANCE THROUGH THE MARYLAND HEALTH BENEFIT EXCHANGE OR 21 | |
| 84 | + | MEDICAID; 22 | |
| 91 | 85 | ||
| 92 | - | Article – Insurance 29 | |
| 86 | + | (3) ASSISTING CHILD CARE PROFESSIO NALS WHO LOSE MEDICAID 23 | |
| 87 | + | COVERAGE WITH FINDIN G ALTERNATIVE HEALTH INSURANCE OPTIONS ; 24 | |
| 93 | 88 | ||
| 94 | - | 31–125. 30 | |
| 89 | + | (4) HELPING ENSURE HEALTH PLAN OPTIONS MEET THE BUDGETS 25 | |
| 90 | + | AND HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE NEEDS OF CHILD CARE PROFESSIO NALS AND 26 | |
| 91 | + | CHILD CARE EMPLOYERS ; AND 27 | |
| 92 | + | ||
| 93 | + | (5) PROVIDING INFORMATION AL RESOURCES OR REFE RRALS FOR 28 | |
| 94 | + | ADDITIONAL SUPPORT . 29 | |
| 95 | 95 | HOUSE BILL 859 3 | |
| 96 | 96 | ||
| 97 | 97 | ||
| 98 | - | THE DEPARTMENT , IN COLLABORATION WIT H THE MARYLAND HEALTH 1 | |
| 99 | - | BENEFIT EXCHANGE, SHALL PROMOTE ACCESS TO HEALTH INSURANCE FOR CHILD 2 | |
| 100 | - | CARE PROFESSIONALS B Y: 3 | |
| 98 | + | 7–1A–01. 1 | |
| 101 | 99 | ||
| 102 | - | ( | |
| 100 | + | (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 2 | |
| 103 | 101 | ||
| 104 | - | (I) PREKINDERGARTEN THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF 5 | |
| 105 | - | EDUCATION; 6 | |
| 102 | + | (i) “Prekindergarten provider hub” means a coordinated partnership between 3 | |
| 103 | + | eligible prekindergarten providers and other entities established by the Department under 4 | |
| 104 | + | § 7–1A–09 of this subtitle. 5 | |
| 106 | 105 | ||
| 107 | - | (II) PREKINDERGARTEN PROVIDER HUBS , AS DEFINED IN § 7 | |
| 108 | - | 7–1A–01 OF THIS ARTICLE THE EDUCATION ARTICLE; 8 | |
| 106 | + | Article – State Personnel and Pensions 6 | |
| 109 | 107 | ||
| 110 | - | ||
| 108 | + | 2–501. 7 | |
| 111 | 109 | ||
| 112 | - | ( | |
| 110 | + | (a) In this subtitle the following terms have the meanings indicated. 8 | |
| 113 | 111 | ||
| 114 | - | (2) HELPING HELPING CHILD CARE PROFESSIO NALS OBTAIN HEALTH 11 | |
| 115 | - | INSURANCE THROUGH TH E MARYLAND HEALTH BENEFIT EXCHANGE OR 12 | |
| 116 | - | MEDICAID; 13 | |
| 112 | + | (b) (1) “County board” means the board of education of a county. 9 | |
| 117 | 113 | ||
| 118 | - | ( | |
| 119 | - | ||
| 114 | + | (2) “County board” includes the Baltimore City Board of School 10 | |
| 115 | + | Commissioners. 11 | |
| 120 | 116 | ||
| 121 | - | (4) HELPING HELPING ENSURE HEALTH PLAN O PTIONS MEET THE 16 | |
| 122 | - | BUDGETS AND HEALTH I NSURANCE COVERAGE NE EDS OF CHILD CARE 17 | |
| 123 | - | PROFESSIONALS AND CH ILD CARE EMPLOYERS ; AND 18 | |
| 117 | + | (c) “Program” means the State Employee and Retiree Health and Welfare 12 | |
| 118 | + | Benefits Program. 13 | |
| 124 | 119 | ||
| 125 | - | (5) PROVIDING PROVIDING INFORMATIONAL RESOUR CES OR 19 | |
| 126 | - | REFERRALS FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT , INCLUDING FLYERS , WEBINARS, 20 | |
| 127 | - | IN–PERSON EVENTS , AND OTHER OUTREACH MATER IALS TARGETED TO THE CHILD 21 | |
| 128 | - | CARE PROVIDER COMMUN ITY; AND 22 | |
| 120 | + | (d) “Satellite organization” means any organization or entity whose employees 14 | |
| 121 | + | are eligible to participate in the State Employee and Retiree Health and Welfare Benefits 15 | |
| 122 | + | Program as a separate account. 16 | |
| 129 | 123 | ||
| 130 | - | (6) ASSESSING CURRENT LE VELS OF HEALTH CARE ACCESS ACROSS 23 | |
| 131 | - | THE CHILD CARE COMMU NITY BY CONDUCTING A SURVEY: 24 | |
| 124 | + | (e) “Wellness program” means a program that is designed to: 17 | |
| 132 | 125 | ||
| 133 | - | (I) DEVELOPED IN CONSULT ATION WITH THE STATE 25 | |
| 134 | - | DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND RELEVANT NONP ROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ; AND 26 | |
| 126 | + | (1) promote health or prevent or detect disease or illness; 18 | |
| 135 | 127 | ||
| 136 | - | (II) WITH A PARTICULAR EM PHASIS ON PROVIDERS WHO 27 | |
| 137 | - | ACCEPT CHILD CARE SC HOLARSHIP VOUCHERS . 28 | |
| 128 | + | (2) improve clinical outcomes; 19 | |
| 138 | 129 | ||
| 139 | - | 7–1A–01. 29 | |
| 130 | + | (3) prevent or reduce acute admissions and readmissions to health care 20 | |
| 131 | + | facilities; 21 | |
| 140 | 132 | ||
| 141 | - | (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 30 | |
| 133 | + | (4) improve treatment compliance for chronic conditions; 22 | |
| 134 | + | ||
| 135 | + | (5) promote healthy behaviors; or 23 | |
| 136 | + | ||
| 137 | + | (6) prevent or control injury. 24 | |
| 138 | + | ||
| 139 | + | 2–512. 25 | |
| 140 | + | ||
| 141 | + | (a) In this section, “qualifying nonprofit organization” means an organization 26 | |
| 142 | + | that: 27 | |
| 142 | 143 | 4 HOUSE BILL 859 | |
| 143 | 144 | ||
| 144 | 145 | ||
| 145 | - | (i) “Prekindergarten provider hub” means a coordinated partnership between 1 | |
| 146 | - | eligible prekindergarten providers and other entities established by the Department under 2 | |
| 147 | - | § 7–1A–09 of this subtitle. 3 | |
| 146 | + | (1) (i) 1. receives State funds from the Maryland Department of 1 | |
| 147 | + | Health that cover more than one–third of the organization’s operating expenses; OR 2 | |
| 148 | 148 | ||
| 149 | - | Article – State Personnel and Pensions 4 | |
| 149 | + | 2. IS A CHILD CARE PROV IDER THAT RECEIVES FUNDS 3 | |
| 150 | + | FROM A UNIT OF STATE, LOCAL, OR FEDERAL GOVERNMEN T THAT COVER MORE 4 | |
| 151 | + | THAN TWO–THIRDS OF THE ORGANI ZATION’S OPERATING EXPENSES ; and 5 | |
| 150 | 152 | ||
| 151 | - | ||
| 153 | + | (ii) is: 6 | |
| 152 | 154 | ||
| 153 | - | | |
| 155 | + | 1. described in § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; and 7 | |
| 154 | 156 | ||
| 155 | - | (b) (1) “County board” means the board of education of a county. 7 | |
| 157 | + | 2. exempt from income tax under § 501(a) of the Internal 8 | |
| 158 | + | Revenue Code; 9 | |
| 156 | 159 | ||
| 157 | - | (2) “County board” includes the Baltimore City Board of School 8 | |
| 158 | - | Commissioners. 9 | |
| 160 | + | (2) is the Legal Aid Bureau, Inc.; 10 | |
| 159 | 161 | ||
| 160 | - | ( | |
| 161 | - | ||
| 162 | + | (3) is a corporation, a limited liability company, or any other entity that is 11 | |
| 163 | + | wholly owned by the Legal Aid Bureau, Inc.; or 12 | |
| 162 | 164 | ||
| 163 | - | (d) “Satellite organization” means any organization or entity whose employees 12 | |
| 164 | - | are eligible to participate in the State Employee and Retiree Health and Welfare Benefits 13 | |
| 165 | - | Program as a separate account. 14 | |
| 165 | + | (4) is the Maryland Crime Victims’ Resource Center. 13 | |
| 166 | 166 | ||
| 167 | - | (e) “Wellness program” means a program that is designed to: 15 | |
| 167 | + | (b) The Secretary shall adopt regulations for the enrollment and participation of 14 | |
| 168 | + | employees of a qualifying nonprofit organization to participate in the Program as a satellite 15 | |
| 169 | + | organization. 16 | |
| 168 | 170 | ||
| 169 | - | (1) promote health or prevent or detect disease or illness; 16 | |
| 171 | + | (c) A qualifying nonprofit organization that participates in the Program as a 17 | |
| 172 | + | satellite organization shall: 18 | |
| 170 | 173 | ||
| 171 | - | ( | |
| 174 | + | (1) pay to the State: 19 | |
| 172 | 175 | ||
| 173 | - | (3) prevent or reduce acute admissions and readmissions to health care 18 | |
| 174 | - | facilities; 19 | |
| 176 | + | (i) a premium in the amount determined by the Secretary; and 20 | |
| 175 | 177 | ||
| 176 | - | (4) improve treatment compliance for chronic conditions; 20 | |
| 178 | + | (ii) any costs, as determined by the Secretary, for the administration 21 | |
| 179 | + | of this Program; and 22 | |
| 177 | 180 | ||
| 178 | - | (5) promote healthy behaviors; or 21 | |
| 181 | + | (2) determine the extent to which the organization will subsidize 23 | |
| 182 | + | participation by its employees in the Program. 24 | |
| 179 | 183 | ||
| 180 | - | (6) prevent or control injury. 22 | |
| 184 | + | (d) The participation of a satellite organization in the Program may not impede, 25 | |
| 185 | + | undermine, or conflict with the Program’s federal compliance obligations or governmental 26 | |
| 186 | + | and cafeteria plan status, as defined in 26 U.S.C. § 125. 27 | |
| 181 | 187 | ||
| 182 | - | 2–512. 23 | |
| 183 | - | ||
| 184 | - | (a) In this section, “qualifying nonprofit organization” means an organization 24 | |
| 185 | - | that: 25 | |
| 186 | - | ||
| 187 | - | (1) (i) 1. receives State funds from the Maryland Department of 26 | |
| 188 | - | Health that cover more than one–third of the organization’s operating expenses; OR 27 | |
| 189 | - | HOUSE BILL 859 5 | |
| 190 | - | ||
| 191 | - | ||
| 192 | - | 2. IS A CHILD CARE PROV IDER THAT RECEIVES F UNDS 1 | |
| 193 | - | FROM A UNIT OF STATE, LOCAL, OR FEDERAL GOVERNMEN T THAT COVER MORE 2 | |
| 194 | - | THAN TWO–THIRDS OF THE ORGANI ZATION’S OPERATING EXPENSES ; and 3 | |
| 195 | - | ||
| 196 | - | (ii) is: 4 | |
| 197 | - | ||
| 198 | - | 1. described in § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; and 5 | |
| 199 | - | ||
| 200 | - | 2. exempt from income tax under § 501(a) of the Internal 6 | |
| 201 | - | Revenue Code; 7 | |
| 202 | - | ||
| 203 | - | (2) is the Legal Aid Bureau, Inc.; 8 | |
| 204 | - | ||
| 205 | - | (3) is a corporation, a limited liability company, or any other entity that is 9 | |
| 206 | - | wholly owned by the Legal Aid Bureau, Inc.; or 10 | |
| 207 | - | ||
| 208 | - | (4) is the Maryland Crime Victims’ Resource Center. 11 | |
| 209 | - | ||
| 210 | - | (b) The Secretary shall adopt regulations for the enrollment and participation of 12 | |
| 211 | - | employees of a qualifying nonprofit organization to participate in the Program as a satellite 13 | |
| 212 | - | organization. 14 | |
| 213 | - | ||
| 214 | - | (c) A qualifying nonprofit organization that participates in the Program as a 15 | |
| 215 | - | satellite organization shall: 16 | |
| 216 | - | ||
| 217 | - | (1) pay to the State: 17 | |
| 218 | - | ||
| 219 | - | (i) a premium in the amount determined by the Secretary; and 18 | |
| 220 | - | ||
| 221 | - | (ii) any costs, as determined by the Secretary, for the administration 19 | |
| 222 | - | of this Program; and 20 | |
| 223 | - | ||
| 224 | - | (2) determine the extent to which the organization will subsidize 21 | |
| 225 | - | participation by its employees in the Program. 22 | |
| 226 | - | ||
| 227 | - | (d) The participation of a satellite organization in the Program may not impede, 23 | |
| 228 | - | undermine, or conflict with the Program’s federal compliance obligations or governmental 24 | |
| 229 | - | and cafeteria plan status, as defined in 26 U.S.C. § 125. 25 | |
| 230 | - | ||
| 231 | - | SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 26 | |
| 232 | - | October 1, 2025. 27 | |
| 233 | - | ||
| 188 | + | SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 28 | |
| 189 | + | October 1, 2025. 29 |