<section article="glg" article_name="Local Government" number="30-101" title_number="30" title_name="Baltimore City Police Department Death Relief Fund" subtitle_number="1"> <level label="a"> <text>In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <text>“Board” means the Board of Trustees for the Fund.</text> </level> <level label="c"> <text>“Department” means the Baltimore City Police Department.</text> </level> <level label="d"> <text>“Fund” means the Baltimore City Police Department Death Relief Fund.</text> </level> </section> <section article="glg" article_name="Local Government" number="30-102" title_number="30" title_name="Baltimore City Police Department Death Relief Fund" subtitle_number="1"> <level label="a"> <text>There is a Baltimore City Police Department Death Relief Fund.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <level label="1"> <text>The Fund is an instrumentality of the State.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>The Fund is the successor relief fund to any previous relief fund administered by the Police Commissioner of Baltimore City.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="glg" article_name="Local Government" number="30-103" title_number="30" title_name="Baltimore City Police Department Death Relief Fund" subtitle_number="1"> <text>The Board shall administer the Fund.</text> </section> <section article="glg" article_name="Local Government" number="30-104" title_number="30" title_name="Baltimore City Police Department Death Relief Fund" subtitle_number="1"> <level label="a"> <level label="1"> <text>The Board consists of the following members elected from the Department:</text> <level label="i"> <text>one member of the rank of major or higher;</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>one member of the rank of deputy major;</text> </level> <level label="iii"> <text>one member of the rank of lieutenant;</text> </level> <level label="iv"> <text>one member of the rank of sergeant;</text> </level> <level label="v"> <text>three patrol officers; and</text> </level> <level label="vi"> <text>one civilian employee.</text> </level> </level> <level label="2"> <text>The Director of Fiscal Affairs Division of the Department serves as an ex officio member.</text> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <level label="1"> <text>The elected members of the Board shall be elected at large by the officers and civilian employees of the Department.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <level label="i"> <text>The term of an elected member is 4 years.</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>Elections are held every 2 years with the terms of the major or higher ranked member, sergeant, and two patrol officers ending at alternate 2–year periods with those of the deputy major, lieutenant, one patrol officer, and the civilian employee.</text> </level> <level label="iii"> <text>At the end of a term, a member continues to serve until a successor is elected.</text> </level> </level> <level label="3"> <level label="i"> <text>Nominations for elected members shall be submitted in writing to the secretary of the Board at least 15 days before the election.</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <level label="1"> <text>Nominations for elected members shall be signed by at least 20 officers or civilian employees of the Department.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>No more than half of the individuals signing the nomination may be from the same district or unit.</text> </level> </level> </level> <level label="4"> <text>The nominees who correspond to the vacancies on the Board and receive the highest number of votes shall be declared elected.</text> </level> <level label="5"> <text>Elections may be held concurrent with the election of members to the Personnel Service Board as provided in the Code of Public Local Laws of Baltimore City, 1979 Edition, § 16–12.</text> </level> </level> <level label="c"> <level label="1"> <text>A vacancy on the Board shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term from the nominees of comparable rank or status who received the next highest number of votes in descending order from the nominees actually elected during the preceding election.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>If there is no nominee available as provided in paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Board shall elect from the Department at large a member of the same rank or status to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.</text> </level> </level> <level label="d"> <level label="1"> <text>A Board member shall take an oath of office that the member will diligently and faithfully perform the duties of a member in accordance with law.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>The oath shall be administered by the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, subscribed by the Board member making it, within 10 days after the Board member’s term begins, and filed in the Clerk’s office.</text> </level> </level> <level label="e"> <text>A Board member:</text> <level label="1"> <text>may not receive compensation as a member of the Board; but</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>shall be reimbursed from the Fund for expenses.</text> </level> </level> <level label="f"> <level label="1"> <text>Each Board member is entitled to one vote.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>Five members are a quorum.</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>The Board shall act by majority vote.</text> </level> <level label="4"> <text>From among its members, the Board shall elect officers.</text> </level> </level> <level label="g"> <text>The Board may adopt rules and regulations providing for:</text> <level label="1"> <text>the amount of benefits;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>the administration of the Fund; and</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>the transaction of the Board’s business.</text> </level> </level> <level label="h"> <level label="1"> <text>The legal adviser to the Department is the legal adviser to the Board.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>On request of the Board, the legal adviser shall assist and advise the Board during the conduct of a hearing.</text> </level> </level> <level label="i"> <text>The Board may sue and be sued.</text> </level> <level label="j"> <text>The Board shall adopt an official seal.</text> </level> <level label="k"> <text>A Board member:</text> <level label="1"> <text>may be liable only for the member’s own negligence or default; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>is not liable for the conduct of any predecessor or cotrustee or any agent, representative, custodian, or depository selected with reasonable care.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="glg" article_name="Local Government" number="30-105" title_number="30" title_name="Baltimore City Police Department Death Relief Fund" subtitle_number="1"> <level label="a"> <level label="1"> <text>If requested, the Board shall provide an opportunity for a full hearing, including the right to counsel and cross–examination for all interested parties, in a proceeding regarding any benefit provided under this title.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <level label="i"> <text>Through the member presiding at a hearing, the Board may:</text> <level label="1"> <text>administer oaths; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>apply to the circuit court of any county for a subpoena for a witness.</text> </level> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>If the Board applies for a subpoena under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph, the circuit court shall grant the subpoena if the court finds that:</text> <level label="1"> <text>the evidence of the witness is necessary to provide a fair hearing; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>requiring attendance by the witness would not be oppressive.</text> </level> </level> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <level label="1"> <text>The Board shall keep a record of its proceedings.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>The record shall be open to public inspection.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="glg" article_name="Local Government" number="30-106" title_number="30" title_name="Baltimore City Police Department Death Relief Fund" subtitle_number="1"> <level label="a"> <level label="1"> <text>The Board may accept and shall credit to the Fund any gifts, devises, and bequests to be administered in accordance with this title.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>The Board may pay from the Fund the expenses necessary to carry out this title, including:</text> <level label="i"> <text>organization, clerical, and office expenses; and</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>for the conduct of its proceedings, including expenses for investigation, medical or other advice, and stenographic service.</text> </level> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <level label="1"> <level label="i"> <text>If the balance of the Fund falls below $75,000, the Board may assess a fee not to exceed 10 cents per week on each officer and civilian employee of the Department.</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>The fee shall be collected through payroll deductions and credited to the Fund.</text> </level> <level label="iii"> <level label="1"> <text>The Board shall determine the period of time over which the fee will be collected.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>The assessment shall end when the balance of the Fund reaches $200,000 and may only be reimposed when the balance of the Fund falls below $75,000.</text> </level> </level> </level> <level label="2"> <level label="i"> <text>On written request of at least 10% of the total number of officers and civilian employees of the Department, the action of the Board requiring an assessment under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be submitted to a secret ballot vote of the officers and civilian employees of the Department.</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>If a majority of the votes cast are against the assessment, the assessment may not be imposed.</text> </level> </level> <level label="3"> <level label="i"> <text>If the Fund is not replenished, the Fund shall be used until exhausted.</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>Once the assets of the Fund have been exhausted, the Fund shall cease.</text> </level> </level> </level> <level label="c"> <level label="1"> <text>The Board shall deposit sufficient money from the Fund in federally insured savings accounts to meet the anticipated benefit payments for each year.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>The Board may invest the remaining assets of the Fund in any other manner the Board considers prudent.</text> </level> </level> <level label="d"> <level label="1"> <text>The Fund shall be audited from time to time by an independent certified public accountant that the Board retains.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>On or before May 1 of each year, the Board shall publish a report for the previous calendar year that includes the fiscal transactions of the Fund and a detailed balance sheet.</text> </level> <level label="3"> <level label="i"> <text>The Board shall provide copies of the report to all members of the Board by electronic mail and post copies of the report on the Department’s Intranet.</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>The Board shall keep copies of the report on file and make the report available to any officer or civilian employee of the Department or potential beneficiary of any deceased officer or civilian employee.</text> </level> </level> </level> </section> <section article="glg" article_name="Local Government" number="30-107" title_number="30" title_name="Baltimore City Police Department Death Relief Fund" subtitle_number="1"> <level label="a"> <text>The Fund shall pay special death benefits, as provided in this title, for an officer or a civilian employee of the Department whose death is proximately caused by injuries sustained or by harm inflicted on the body in the course of the performance of the officer’s or employee’s duties.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <text>The Fund shall pay death benefits, as provided in this title, for an active officer or a civilian employee of the Department whose death is not proximately caused by injuries sustained or by harm inflicted on the body in the course of the performance of the officer’s or employee’s duties.</text> </level> </section> <section article="glg" article_name="Local Government" number="30-108" title_number="30" title_name="Baltimore City Police Department Death Relief Fund" subtitle_number="1"> <level label="a"> <level label="1"> <text>Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection:</text> <level label="i"> <text>the amount of benefit payable under § 30–107(a) of this title is $10,000; and</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>the amount of benefit payable under § 30–107(b) of this title is $500.</text> </level> </level> <level label="2"> <text>The Board may prospectively and uniformly establish by resolution an amount of benefit payable under this title that is greater than the amount specified in this subsection.</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>The benefit provided for under this title shall be in addition to all other benefits provided by law or by voluntary action of any person.</text> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <level label="1"> <text>On the death of an officer or a civilian employee of the Department, the benefit provided for under this title is payable to the following individuals:</text> <level label="i"> <text>the surviving spouse;</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>if there is no surviving spouse, to the minor children, in equal shares;</text> </level> <level label="iii"> <text>if there is no surviving spouse or minor children, to the dependent parents, in equal shares; or</text> </level> <level label="iv"> <text>if there is no surviving spouse, minor child, or dependent parent, to any other dependents or the estate of the officer or employee.</text> </level> </level> <level label="2"> <text>Any benefit paid under paragraph (1)(iv) of this subsection shall:</text> <level label="i"> <text>not exceed the maximum benefit provided in subsection (a) of this section; and</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>be paid in proportions determined by the Board.</text> </level> </level> <level label="3"> <level label="i"> <text>Any benefit payable to a minor shall be made to the minor’s legal guardian in the State.</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>If a benefit is payable to a minor who does not have a legal guardian in the State, the benefit is payable on behalf of the minor to a person determined by the Board under conditions set by the Board.</text> </level> </level> <level label="4"> <text>A beneficiary’s eligibility is not affected by whether the deceased officer or civilian employee paid into the Fund.</text> </level> </level> <level label="c"> <text>The benefit provided for under this title is not subject to:</text> <level label="1"> <text>execution, garnishment, attachment, or any other process; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>assignment until the benefits are paid to the beneficiary.</text> </level> </level> </section>