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<section article="ghu" article_name="Human Services" number="3-501" title_number="3" title_name="Local Departments of Social Services" subtitle_number="5" subtitle_name="Local Boards">
  <level label="a">
    <text>This section does not apply in Baltimore City.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Each local department shall have a local board.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>A local board consists of at least 9 but no more than 13 members as provided by local law enacted by the local governing authority.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>On July 1 of each year, each local governing authority shall designate one member of the local governing authority to serve as an ex officio member of the local board.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The other members of the local board shall be appointed by the local governing authority.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The local governing authority shall seek out and appoint individuals who:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>have a high degree of interest, capacity, and objectivity; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>in the aggregate, give a countywide representative character to the local board.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>On July 1 of each year, each local board shall select a chairman.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>A member of a local board:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>may not receive compensation; but</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <level label="1">
          <text>Except as provided in subsubparagraph 2 of this subparagraph, the term of an appointed member is 3 years.</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>In Charles County, the term of an appointed member is 4 years.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A term expires on June 30 of the year of expiration.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>At the end of a term, a member continues to serve until a successor is appointed.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Once an appointed member of a local board serves two consecutive full terms, the member is ineligible for reappointment for a period of 1 year.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If a vacancy occurs during the term of a member, the local governing authority shall appoint or designate a successor to serve for the remainder of the term.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>If a member of a local board fails to attend at least 50% of the local board’s meetings during a period of twelve consecutive months:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the member may be considered to have resigned; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the chairman may declare that a vacancy exists.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <level label="1">
      <text>This subsection does not apply to an ex officio member of a local board.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If a member of a local board is elected or appointed to political or public office:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the local governing authority may consider the member to have resigned; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the chairman shall declare that a vacancy exists.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
