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<section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="10-1103.1" title_number="10" title_name="Governmental Procedures" subtitle_number="11" subtitle_name="Equal Access to Public Services for Individuals With Limited English Proficiency">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this section, “Advisory Group” means the Maryland Language Advisory Group.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>On or before January 1, 2026, the Office and the Department of Disabilities shall convene the Maryland Language Advisory Group to make findings and recommendations on oversight, monitoring, investigation, and enforcement of this subtitle.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The Advisory Group shall include:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the Director, or the Director’s designee;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the Director of the Office of the Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing, or the Director’s designee;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the Secretary of Disabilities, or the Secretary’s designee;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>the Secretary of Labor, or the Secretary’s designee;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>the Secretary of Human Services, or the Secretary’s designee;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>the Secretary of Health, or the Secretary’s designee;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>the Secretary of Information Technology, or the Secretary’s designee; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>the State Superintendent of Schools, or the State Superintendent’s designee.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The Director or the Director’s designee and the Secretary of Disabilities or the Secretary’s designee are the co–chairs of the Advisory Group.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The staffing responsibilities shall be shared by the Office and the Department of Disabilities.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>The Advisory Group shall meet at least twice each year.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Advisory Group may establish workgroups as necessary to complete the duties of the Advisory Group.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A workgroup established under paragraph (1) of this subsection may include members that are not listed under subsection (c) of this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>On or before July 1 each year, the Advisory Group shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>in consultation with the appropriate State and local agencies and community organizations:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>review any language access plans, as defined in § 10–1102 of this subtitle, developed by State departments, agencies, and programs to develop a template language access plan;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>review laws and best practices of local jurisdictions and other states relating to language access;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>develop a template language access plan, as defined in § 10–1102 of this subtitle, for State departments, agencies, or programs;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>develop a template language access policy and template language access standard operating procedure for State departments, agencies, or programs;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>recommend at least one State department, agency, or program to perform oversight, monitoring, investigation, and enforcement of this subtitle;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>establish a framework to assess if State departments, agencies, and programs are in compliance with § 10–1103 of this subtitle; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>solicit input from the stakeholders identified under item (2) of this subsection;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>solicit input from:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>legal and social services organizations that provide services to individuals with limited English proficiency, as defined in § 10–1102 of this subtitle;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>legal and social services organizations that provide services to individuals with disabilities;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>disability rights advocacy organizations;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>immigrants’ rights advocacy organizations;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>individuals with lived experience with limited English proficiency, as defined in § 10–1102 of this subtitle, sign language, visual disabilities, or other communication disabilities; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>other relevant stakeholders.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <level label="1">
      <text>On or before June 1 each year, the Advisory Group shall submit an annual report to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of this article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The report shall include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a description of the work of the Advisory Group; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>any recommendations of the Advisory Group.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
