<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="ged" article_name="Education" number="18-1905" title_number="18" title_name="Student Financial Assistance" subtitle_number="19" subtitle_name="Maryland 529 Program">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The State Treasurer:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Shall appoint a deputy treasurer to administer the Program; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>May employ additional Program staff in accordance with the budget.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Except for employees described in subparagraph (ii) or (iii) of this paragraph, the employees shall be skilled service employees subject to the provisions of the State Personnel and Pensions Article that govern skilled service employees.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>An employee is in the professional service and subject to the provisions of the State Personnel and Pensions Article that govern professional service employees if the position:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>Requires knowledge of an advanced type in a field of science or learning customarily acquired by a course of specialized intellectual instruction and study; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Normally requires a professional license, an advanced degree, or both.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>An employee is in the management service and subject to the provisions of the State Personnel and Pensions Article that govern management service employees if the position:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>Primarily involves direct responsibility for the oversight and management of personnel and financial resources;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Requires the exercise of discretion and independent judgment; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>Is not in the executive service.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The State Treasurer may retain the services of consultants, administrators, and other personnel, as necessary, to administer the Trust, the Plan, the Broker–Dealer Plan, or the Maryland ABLE Program.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The budget for the Program and staff retained by the State Treasurer to administer the Program are subject to review by the General Assembly for information purposes only.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The State Treasurer may adopt any regulations that the State Treasurer considers necessary to carry out the provisions of this subtitle or Subtitle 19A, Subtitle 19B, or Subtitle 19C of this title.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>In administering the Program, the State Treasurer may:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Execute contracts and other necessary instruments;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Hold, buy, and sell instruments, obligations, securities, and other investments consistent with its comprehensive investment plan;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Enter into agreements with eligible institutions of higher education and other public or private entities for the promotion, administration, or marketing of the Program, the Trust, the Plan, the Broker–Dealer Plan, or the Maryland ABLE Program;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Invest funds not required for immediate disbursement;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>Solicit and accept gifts, grants, loans, or other aid from any source or participate in any government program for purposes consistent with this subtitle and Subtitles 19A, 19B, and 19C of this title;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>Subject to the review of the General Assembly, impose, collect, and distribute across Maryland 529 programs reasonable administrative fees for any transactions under the Trust, the Plan, the Broker–Dealer Plan, or the Maryland ABLE Program or involving prepaid contracts or transactions affecting the Program, the Trust, the Plan, the Broker–Dealer Plan, or the Maryland ABLE Program;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>Procure insurance against any loss of assets of the Program, the Trust, the Plan, the Broker–Dealer Plan, or the Maryland ABLE Program;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>Endorse insurance coverage written exclusively for the purpose of protecting:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A prepaid contract under the Trust and the account holder and the qualified beneficiary of the contract;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>An investment account under the Plan, or the Broker–Dealer Plan, and the account holder and qualified designated beneficiary of the investment account; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>An ABLE account under the Maryland ABLE Program and the ABLE account holder;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="9">
      <text>Designate terms under which money may be withdrawn from the Program, the Trust, the Plan, the Broker–Dealer Plan, or the Maryland ABLE Program;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="10">
      <text>Establish additional procedural and substantive requirements for participation in and the administration or marketing of the Program, the Trust, the Plan, the Broker–Dealer Plan, or the Maryland ABLE Program;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="11">
      <text>Appear before boards, commissions, or other governmental agencies; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="12">
      <text>Take any other action that the State Treasurer considers appropriate to implement and administer the Program, the Trust, the Plan, the Broker–Dealer Plan, or the Maryland ABLE Program.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The State Treasurer may:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Delegate, wholly or partly, the exercise of fiduciary duties related to the Trust; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Contract for support services necessary to carry out the State Treasurer’s fiduciary duties related to the Trust.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
