<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<subtitle article="gsg" title_number="2" subtitle_number="12" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1201" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>“Department” means the Department of Legislative Services.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>“Executive Director” means the Executive Director of the Department.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1202" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <text>There is a Department of Legislative Services in the Legislative Branch of the State government.</text>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1203" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>The head of the Department is the Executive Director, who shall be appointed jointly by the President and the Speaker.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>The Executive Director:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>serves without a fixed term and may be removed by the Legislative Policy Committee on the recommendation of the President and the Speaker;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>is entitled to the salary provided in the State budget;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>shall devote full time to the duties of the Office; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>shall serve in a nonpartisan capacity and ensure that the activities of the Department are conducted in a nonpartisan manner.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>Subject to the policies and directives of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House and the Legislative Policy Committee, the Executive Director has general administrative control of the operation of the Department and its units.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1204" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <text>The Executive Director, under the direction of the President and the Speaker, shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>oversee the activities of the Department to ensure that its functions are performed correctly, efficiently, and in a timely and nonpartisan manner;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>coordinate the activities of the offices of the Department to ensure that the responsibilities of each office are carried out, maximize cooperation among the Department’s employees, and achieve the greatest efficiency in the use of personnel and other resources;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>prepare the annual budget for the Department after consultation with the office directors;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>conduct an annual evaluation of the performance of each office director;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>communicate the opinions, needs, and concerns of the Department’s employees to the President and the Speaker; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>perform any other function required by the President and the Speaker.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1205" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>The Department shall employ a staff and engage other staff and consultant services in accordance with the State budget.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>Positions in the Department are subject to the personnel guidelines established under subsection (c) of this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>The Legislative Policy Committee shall adopt guidelines that are not inconsistent with law and that, for employees of the Department, govern:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>hiring;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>probationary periods;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>tenure;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>promotion;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="5">
        <text>overtime compensation;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="6">
        <text>discrimination;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="7">
        <text>compensatory work for absences due to religious beliefs;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="8">
        <text>holidays;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="9">
        <text>part-time employment;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="10">
        <text>grievance procedures;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="11">
        <text>removal; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="12">
        <text>political activity.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="d">
      <text>The provisions of § 2-304 of the State Personnel and Pensions Article do not apply to an employee of the Department.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1206" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>The following units are in the Department:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>the Office of Legislative Audits;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>the Office of Policy Analysis;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>the Office of Operations and Support Services; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="5">
        <text>any other offices as may be designated by the President and the Speaker.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>With the approval of the President and the Speaker and in consultation with the minority leader of the Senate and the minority leader of the House of Delegates, the Executive Director shall appoint the following office directors:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>the director of the Office of Legislative Audits;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>the director of the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>the director of the Office of Policy Analysis;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>the director of the Office of Operations and Support Services; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="5">
        <text>any director of an office designated by the President and the Speaker under subsection (a)(5) of this section.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>Each office director serves without a fixed term and, subject to the approval of the President and the Speaker and in consultation with the minority leader of the Senate and the minority leader of the House of Delegates, may be removed by the Executive Director.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="d">
      <text>Each office director shall serve in a nonpartisan capacity and ensure that all activities of the office are conducted in a nonpartisan manner.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="e">
      <text>Each office director is entitled to the salary provided in the State budget.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="f">
      <text>After consultation with the Executive Director, each office director may appoint an appropriate number of qualified individuals to serve in management functions in the respective offices.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1207" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <text>In addition to any duties set forth elsewhere, the Department shall provide:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>budget and fiscal review, analysis, research, studies, and reports;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>legislative drafting and statutory revision services;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>legal research, review, analysis, studies, and reports;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>general research and policy analysis;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>fiscal/compliance, financial statement, and performance audits of units of the State government;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>legislative research, legislative document and material collection and preservation, and other library services;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>public information services about legislative activities;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>document preparation and publication services;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="9">
      <text>legislative information systems maintenance, development, and support; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="10">
      <text>administrative support services for the Department and, where appropriate, for the General Assembly relating to finance, personnel, distribution, telecommunications, printing and copying, supplies, housekeeping, and maintenance.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1208" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>The staff and facilities of the Department shall be available to prepare fiscal, legal, and policy reports for and otherwise help:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>any standing committee;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>any statutory committee;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>any special committee of the Legislative Policy Committee; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>with the consent of the President and the Speaker, any joint legislative and executive body that the Governor appoints.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>The Executive Director shall assign, to the staff of the Department or to a special research or consulting agency, the preparation of any fiscal, legal, or policy report that the Legislative Policy Committee or a standing committee requests.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1209" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <text>On or before December 1 of the year immediately preceding the beginning of a term of the General Assembly, the Department of Legislative Services, in consultation with agencies and institutions in State government and all other entities required by law to submit reports at specified times and on specified matters to the General Assembly or the Governor, shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>review the laws of the State that require the submission of reports at specified times and on specified matters to the General Assembly or the Governor; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>make recommendations to the Legislative Policy Committee and prepare legislation for introduction to repeal or modify those statutory requirements to submit reports if the reports are no longer warranted because they have become obsolete, duplicative, impractical, inefficient, or otherwise unnecessary.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1211" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>In this part the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>“Director” means the Director of the Office of Operations and Support Services.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>“Office” means the Office of Operations and Support Services.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1212" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>There is an Office of Operations and Support Services in the Department.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>The head of the Office is the Director.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1213" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <level label="1">
        <text>The Office shall receive and analyze requests from members of the General Assembly for reimbursement and from other persons for payment of legislative expenses, including:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>office rent;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>secretarial and other services;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>telephone and other communication expenses;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iv">
          <text>equipment;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="v">
          <text>supplies; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="vi">
          <text>travel.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>The Office shall provide the reimbursement or make payments as provided in the State budget and account for the reimbursements and payments.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>The Office shall make payments and reimbursements consistent with the policies of the President and the Speaker, the Management Subcommittee, and the Legislative Policy Committee.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <level label="1">
        <text>The President and the Speaker may authorize the Office to create accounts for revenues received from payment of fees or charges and to utilize the funds to provide services to individuals, organizations, or other units of State or local governments.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>Funds in the accounts may only be expended in accordance with the budget or by budget amendment.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>On directive by the President and the Speaker, unexpended revenues in the accounts may revert to the State or may be retained for expenditure in a subsequent budget.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>The Comptroller’s Office shall be notified of accounts created in accordance with this section.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1214" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>The Office shall manage all personnel activities of the Department and generally carry out the duties set forth in § 2–1205 of this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>The Office shall manage the personnel activities of the General Assembly as assigned by the President and the Speaker.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <level label="1">
        <text>The Office shall maintain electronic records that include:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>the name of each member of the General Assembly, each employee of the General Assembly, and each employee of the Department who takes workplace harassment prevention training;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>the date the workplace harassment prevention training was completed; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>the name of the person who conducted the training.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>The Office shall:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>maintain the records required under paragraph (1) of this subsection for at least 5 years after the member or employee takes workplace harassment prevention training; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>publish the records related to training of members of the General Assembly on the website of the General Assembly.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1215" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <text>In addition to any other duties set forth elsewhere, the Office shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>provide for the preparation and publication of legislation, session laws, journals of proceedings, indexes, and other documents;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>directly supervise support services to the General Assembly that are not assigned to one of the Department’s other offices; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>perform any other function required by the Executive Director, the President and the Speaker, or the Legislative Policy Committee.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1216" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <text>The Office shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>develop, coordinate, support, and maintain the physical and online services, technology, applications, and information systems that support the work and meet the needs of the General Assembly and the Department;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>evaluate and make recommendations regarding the physical and online services, technology, applications, and information systems that support the work of the General Assembly to ensure maximum efficiency;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>evaluate and ensure that appropriate systems are in place to address cybersecurity threats to the work of the General Assembly and the Department;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>plan for the future information systems needs of the General Assembly, its staff, and the Department; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>carry out any other function required by the Executive Director, the President and the Speaker, or the Legislative Policy Committee.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1217" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <text>There is an Office of Legislative Audits in the Department.</text>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1218" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>The head of the Office of Legislative Audits is the director of the Office of Legislative Audits, who shall serve as the Legislative Auditor.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>The Legislative Auditor must:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>be licensed as a certified public accountant in the State;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>at the time of appointment, have at least 3 years’ auditing experience; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>while in office, be covered by a surety bond or an insurance policy of the type and in the amount of coverage determined by the State Treasurer under § 5–108 of this article.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>Subject to the policies and directives of the President and the Speaker, the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee, and the overall supervision and control of the Executive Director, the Legislative Auditor has general administrative control of the operation of the Office of Legislative Audits.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1219" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>With the approval of the Executive Director, the Legislative Auditor shall appoint a Deputy Legislative Auditor and other professional staff and may contract with consultants as authorized representatives.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <level label="1">
        <text>The Deputy Legislative Auditor must be licensed as a certified public accountant in the State.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>The Deputy Legislative Auditor:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>has the duties delegated by the Legislative Auditor; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>may be designated by the Executive Director to act as Legislative Auditor if the office is vacant or the Legislative Auditor is unable to perform the duties of office.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>With the approval of the Executive Director, the Legislative Auditor shall appoint professional staff to conduct audits of local school systems in accordance with § 2-1220(e) of this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1219.1" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <text>In this subtitle, “examination” includes all authorized work and required audits under § 2-1220 of this subtitle.</text>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1220" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <level label="1">
        <text>In this subsection, “unit” includes each State department, agency, unit, and program, including each clerk of court and each register of wills.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <level label="i">
          <text>The Office of Legislative Audits shall conduct a fiscal/compliance audit of each unit of the State government, except for units in the Legislative Branch.</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>The audit of each unit shall be conducted at an interval ranging from 3 to 4 years unless the Legislative Auditor determines, on a case–by–case basis, that more frequent audits are required.</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>In determining the audit interval for a unit, the Office of Legislative Audits shall take into consideration:</text>
          <level label="1">
            <text>the materiality and risk of the unit’s fiscal activities with respect to the State’s fiscal activities;</text>
          </level>
          <level label="2">
            <text>the complexity of the unit’s fiscal structure; and</text>
          </level>
          <level label="3">
            <text>the nature and extent of audit findings in the unit’s prior audit reports.</text>
          </level>
        </level>
        <level label="iv">
          <text>Each agency or program may be audited separately or as part of a larger organizational unit of State government.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>Performance audits or financial statement audits shall be conducted when authorized by the Legislative Auditor, when directed by the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee or the Executive Director, or when otherwise required by law.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <level label="i">
          <text>In addition to the audits required under paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Office of Legislative Audits may conduct a review when the objectives of the work to be performed can be satisfactorily fulfilled without conducting an audit as prescribed in § 2–1221 of this subtitle.</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <level label="1">
            <text>The Office of Legislative Audits has the authority to conduct a separate investigation of an act or allegation of fraud, waste, or abuse in the obligation, expenditure, receipt, or use of State resources.</text>
          </level>
          <level label="2">
            <text>The Legislative Auditor shall determine whether an investigation shall be conducted in conjunction with an audit undertaken in accordance with this subsection or separately.</text>
          </level>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="5">
        <text>If, on request of the Comptroller, the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee so directs, the Office of Legislative Audits shall audit or review a claim that has been presented to the Comptroller for payment of an expenditure or disbursement and that is alleged to have been made by or for an officer or unit of the State government.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="6">
        <text>The Office of Legislative Audits shall conduct an audit or review to determine the accuracy of information about or procedures of a unit of the State government, as directed by the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee or the Executive Director.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>If the General Assembly, by resolution, or the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee so directs, the Office of Legislative Audits shall conduct an audit or review of a corporation or association to which the General Assembly has appropriated money or that has received funds from an appropriation from the State Treasury.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>The Office of Legislative Audits may audit any county officer or unit that collects State taxes.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="d">
      <level label="1">
        <text>The Office of Legislative Audits shall review any audit report prepared under the authority of:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>§§ 16–305 through 16–308 of the Local Government Article, with respect to a county, municipal corporation, or taxing district; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>§ 16–315 of the Education Article, with respect to a community college.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>The results of any review made by the Office of Legislative Audits under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be reported as provided in § 2–1224 of this subtitle.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="e">
      <level label="1">
        <text>Except as provided in paragraph (4) of this subsection, at least once every 6 years, the Office of Legislative Audits shall conduct an audit of each local school system to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the financial management practices of the local school system.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>The audits may be performed concurrently or separately.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>The Office of Legislative Audits shall provide information regarding the audit process to the local school system before the audit is conducted.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <level label="i">
          <text>Subject to the limitation under subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, beginning in fiscal year 2017, a local school system shall be exempt from the audit requirement under paragraph (1) of this subsection if the county governing body, the county board of education, and the county delegation to the Maryland General Assembly consisting of the county senators and delegates each submits a letter to the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee requesting an exemption on or before November 1 of fiscal year 2017, or on or before November 1 of the last year of a 6–year audit cycle under paragraph (1) of this subsection, as determined by the Office of Legislative Audits.</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>A local school system may not be exempt for two consecutive 6–year audit cycles.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="5">
        <level label="i">
          <text>On or before November 1 of the third year of a 6–year audit cycle under paragraph (1) of this subsection, each local school system shall submit a report to the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee on the status of implementation of corrective actions to address repeat findings and recommendations identified by the Office of Legislative Audits in the most recent audit conducted under paragraph (1) of this subsection.</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>Each local school system shall publish the report required under this paragraph on its website.</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>Before publishing the report in accordance with subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, any cybersecurity findings shall be redacted in a manner consistent with auditing best practices.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="6">
        <text>Notwithstanding paragraph (4) of this subsection, the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee may direct the Office of Legislative Audits to conduct an audit of a local school system at any time.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="f">
      <level label="1">
        <text>At least once every 6 years, the Office of Legislative Audits shall conduct a performance audit of the Board of Liquor License Commissioners for Baltimore City to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the management practices of the Board and of the economy with which the Board uses resources.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>At any time on request of the President and the Speaker, the Office shall conduct a performance audit of the local licensing board, as defined in § 1–101 of the Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article, for a county or for the City of Annapolis to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the management practices of the board and of the economy with which the board uses resources.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>The performance audit shall focus on operations relating to liquor inspections, licensing, disciplinary procedures, and management oversight.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="g">
      <level label="1">
        <text>At least once every 6 years, the Office of Legislative Audits shall conduct a performance audit of the Board of License Commissioners for Prince George’s County to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the management practices of the Board and of the economy with which the Board uses resources.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>The performance audit shall focus on operations relating to liquor inspections, licensing, disciplinary procedures, and management oversight.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="h">
      <level label="1">
        <text>Beginning July 1, 2020, and at least once every 6 years thereafter, the Office of Legislative Audits shall conduct an audit or audits of the Baltimore Police Department to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the financial management practices of the Baltimore Police Department.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>The scope and objectives of the audit or audits shall be determined by the Legislative Auditor.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>The Office of Legislative Audits shall provide information regarding the audit process to the Baltimore Police Department before the audit is conducted.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>The Baltimore City government shall make available to the Office of Legislative Audits all City employees, records, and information systems deemed necessary by the Legislative Auditor to conduct the audit or audits required by this subsection.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1221" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>A fiscal/compliance audit conducted by the Office of Legislative Audits shall include:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>examining financial transactions and records and internal controls;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>evaluating compliance with applicable laws and regulations;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>examining electronic data processing operations; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>evaluating compliance with applicable laws and regulations relating to the acquisition of goods and services from Maryland Correctional Enterprises.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>A performance audit conducted by the Office of Legislative Audits may include:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>evaluating the efficiency, effectiveness, and economy with which resources are used;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>determining whether desired program results are achieved; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>determining the reliability of performance measures, as defined in § 3–1001(g) of the State Finance and Procurement Article, identified in:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>the managing for results agency strategic plan developed under § 3–1002(c) of the State Finance and Procurement Article; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>the StateStat agency strategic plan developed under § 3–1003(d) of the State Finance and Procurement Article.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>The purpose of financial statement audits conducted by the Office of Legislative Audits shall be to express an opinion regarding the fairness of the presentation of a unit’s financial statements.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="d">
      <text>The audits referred to in subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this section shall be conducted in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="e">
      <level label="1">
        <text>Upon approval of the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee, the Office of Legislative Audits shall develop and use a rating system that is based on the results of a fiscal/compliance audit to determine an overall evaluation of a unit’s financial transactions, records, and internal controls and compliance with applicable laws and regulations as a means of comparing the various units of State government.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>When an evaluation is issued, it shall be provided to the unit and shall be available to the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee and the Budget Committees of the Maryland General Assembly.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1222" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>An examination conducted by the Office of Legislative Audits shall generally be made at the offices of the State unit, county officer or unit, corporation, association, or local school system that is subject to examination.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <level label="1">
        <text>If considered appropriate and after consultation with the unit or body being examined, the Legislative Auditor may authorize all or a portion of an examination to be conducted at the offices of the Office of Legislative Audits.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>Before the original or only copy of any record is removed from the State unit’s premises, the prior approval of the State unit for the removal is required.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1223" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <level label="1">
        <text>Except as prohibited by the federal Internal Revenue Code, the employees or authorized representatives of the Office of Legislative Audits shall have access to and may inspect the records, including those that are confidential by law, of any unit of the State government or of a person or other body receiving State funds, with respect to any matter under the jurisdiction of the Office of Legislative Audits.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>In conjunction with an examination authorized under this subtitle, the access required by paragraph (1) of this subsection shall include the records of contractors and subcontractors that perform work under State contracts.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>The employees or authorized representatives of the Office of Legislative Audits shall have access to and may inspect the records, including those that are confidential by law, of:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>any local school system to perform the audits authorized under § 2–1220 of this subtitle or in accordance with a request for information as provided in § 5–114(d) of the Education Article;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>the Board of Liquor License Commissioners for Baltimore City to perform the audits authorized under § 2–1220(f)(1) of this subtitle;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>the board of license commissioners for a county or for the City of Annapolis to perform the audits authorized under § 2–1220(f)(2) of this subtitle;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iv">
          <text>the Board of License Commissioners for Prince George’s County to perform the audits authorized under § 2–1220(g) of this subtitle; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="v">
          <text>the Baltimore Police Department and the Baltimore City government to perform the audits required under § 2–1220(h) of this subtitle.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>Each officer or employee of the unit or body that is subject to examination shall provide any information that the Legislative Auditor determines to be needed for the examination of that unit or body, or of any matter under the authority of the Office of Legislative Audits, including information that otherwise would be confidential under any provision of law.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <level label="1">
        <text>The Legislative Auditor may issue process that requires an official who is subject to examination to produce a record that is needed for the examination.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>The process shall be sent to the sheriff for the county where the official is located.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>The sheriff promptly shall serve the process.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>The State shall pay the cost of process.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="5">
        <text>If a person fails to comply with process issued under this subsection or fails to provide information that is requested during an examination, a circuit court may issue an order directing compliance with the process or compelling that the information requested be provided.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1223.1" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <text>On the preliminary completion of an examination of a public senior higher education institution by the Office of Legislative Audits, the Legislative Auditor shall send a copy of the discussion notes of the examination relating to any preliminary findings of substantial fiscal impropriety to the following individuals and governing boards of the respective institutions that were subject to the examination:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the Chancellor of the University System of Maryland and the University System of Maryland Board of Regents Audit Committee;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the President of Morgan State University and the Finance and Facilities Committee of the Board of Regents of Morgan State University; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the President of St. Mary’s College of Maryland and the Finance, Investment, and Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees of St. Mary’s College of Maryland.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1224" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>In this section, “unit” includes:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>the Board of Liquor License Commissioners for Baltimore City;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>the board of license commissioners for a county or for the City of Annapolis subject to an audit under § 2–1220(f)(2) of this subtitle; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>the Board of License Commissioners for Prince George’s County.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>Except with the written approval of the Legislative Auditor, an employee or authorized representative of the Office of Legislative Audits shall submit any report of findings only to the Legislative Auditor.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <level label="1">
        <text>On the completion of each examination, the Legislative Auditor shall submit a full and detailed report to the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>A report shall include:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>the findings;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>any appropriate recommendations for changes in record keeping or in other conduct of the unit or body that is the subject of the report; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>any response of that unit or body, subject to procedures approved by the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="d">
      <text>The Legislative Auditor shall send a copy of the report to:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Delegates;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>the chairs of the Senate Budget and Taxation and House Appropriations Committees;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>members of the General Assembly, subject to § 2–1257 of this subtitle;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>the Governor, unless the report is of the Board of Liquor License Commissioners for Baltimore City, the board of license commissioners for a county or for the City of Annapolis subject to an audit under § 2–1220(f)(2) of this subtitle, or the Board of License Commissioners for Prince George’s County;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="5">
        <text>the Comptroller;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="6">
        <text>the State Treasurer, unless the report is of the Board of Liquor License Commissioners for Baltimore City, the board of license commissioners for a county or for the City of Annapolis subject to an audit under § 2–1220(f)(2) of this subtitle, or the Board of License Commissioners for Prince George’s County;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="7">
        <text>the Attorney General, unless the report is of the Board of Liquor License Commissioners for Baltimore City, the board of license commissioners for a county or for the City of Annapolis subject to an audit under § 2–1220(f)(2) of this subtitle, or the Board of License Commissioners for Prince George’s County;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="8">
        <text>the unit or body that is the subject of the report;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="9">
        <text>the Secretary of Budget and Management, unless the report is of the Board of Liquor License Commissioners for Baltimore City, the board of license commissioners for a county or for the City of Annapolis subject to an audit under § 2–1220(f)(2) of this subtitle, or the Board of License Commissioners for Prince George’s County;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="10">
        <text>the Executive Director; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="11">
        <text>any other person whom the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee specifies.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="e">
      <text>In addition to the requirements of subsection (d) of this section, each report of:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>a local school system shall be distributed to the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee and the cochairs of the Joint Committee on the Management of Public Funds;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>the Board of Liquor License Commissioners for Baltimore City shall be distributed to the chair of the Baltimore City delegation and the chair of the Baltimore City senators;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>the board of license commissioners for a county or for the City of Annapolis subject to an audit under § 2–1220(f)(2) of this subtitle shall be distributed to:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>the governing body, as defined in § 1–101 of the Local Government Article, of the county or the City of Annapolis;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>the chair of the county’s House Delegation to the General Assembly; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>the chair of the county’s Senate Delegation to the General Assembly; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>the Board of License Commissioners for Prince George’s County shall be distributed to:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>the Prince George’s County Council;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>the Prince George’s County Executive;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>the chair of the Prince George’s County House Delegation to the General Assembly; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iv">
          <text>the chair of the Prince George’s County Senate Delegation to the General Assembly.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="f">
      <text>Except as provided in subsection (i) of this section, after the expiration of any period that the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee specifies, a report of the Legislative Auditor is available to the public under Title 4, Subtitles 1 through 5 of the General Provisions Article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="g">
      <level label="1">
        <text>The Legislative Auditor shall review each unit’s response and advise the unit of the results of the review. The Legislative Auditor shall advise the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee when:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>a unit does not make a response to a recommendation;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>a unit does not indicate action to be taken in response to a recommendation;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>a unit has not taken the action the unit indicated in its response to a recommendation;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iv">
          <text>a unit requests a waiver from a recommendation; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="v">
          <text>the response by the unit is not considered appropriate to carry out the recommendation.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>The Executive Director or the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee may direct the Legislative Auditor to undertake a review to determine the extent to which action has been taken by a unit to implement a report recommendation.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>With respect to findings and recommendations of a fiscal/compliance nature, the Committee may recommend to the Governor and the Comptroller that the unit take the corrective action the unit indicates would be taken or take action to correct the findings in the report or the Committee may grant a waiver from the recommended action.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>Within 45 days after receipt of the recommendation the Governor shall advise the Committee as to the action taken with respect to the recommendation.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="5">
        <text>Without concurrence of the Comptroller, the Committee may not waive a recommendation of the Legislative Auditor with respect to fiscal and financial record keeping, a uniform system of accounting, or the submission of fiscal and financial reports by the units.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="6">
        <text>With respect to findings and recommendations of a performance nature, the Committee may make recommendations to the Governor or propose legislation after reviewing a unit’s response to a recommended action.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="7">
        <text>The Legislative Auditor shall review each local school system’s response to an audit conducted under § 2–1220(e) of this subtitle and advise the local school system of the results of the review. The Legislative Auditor shall advise the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee when a local school system:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>does not make a response to a recommendation;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>does not indicate action to be taken in response to a recommendation;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>has not taken the action the local school system indicated in its response to a recommendation; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iv">
          <text>responds in a manner that is not considered appropriate to carry out the recommendation.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="8">
        <text>The Executive Director or the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee may direct the Legislative Auditor to undertake a review to determine the extent to which action has been taken by a local school system to implement a report recommendation.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="9">
        <text>With respect to findings and recommendations made to a local school system, the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee may make recommendations to the Governor, State Superintendent of Schools, the local school governing board, or local school officials after reviewing a local school system’s response to a recommended action.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="h">
      <level label="1">
        <text>The Governor and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Maryland shall implement systems and processes to monitor the efforts of the Executive Departmental Units and the Judiciary, respectively, to correct audit findings reported by the Office of Legislative Audits.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>Within 9 months of the most recent audit report, any unit that has five or more repeat audit findings shall report to the Office of Legislative Audits for each finding in that audit report:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>the corrective actions taken; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>a schedule for when specific corrective actions will be implemented.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>Each unit required to report to the Office of Legislative Audits under paragraph (2) of this subsection shall continue to report to the Office of Legislative Audits on a quarterly basis after the initial report until the actions reported by the agency indicate that satisfactory progress has been made to address all findings.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="i">
      <level label="1">
        <text>A report auditing a unit of State or local government shall have any cybersecurity findings redacted in a manner consistent with auditing best practices before the report is made available to the public.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>An unredacted cybersecurity finding in a report auditing a unit of State or local government may be viewed by:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>members of the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>members of the Joint Committee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Biotechnology;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>the chair and the subcommittee chairs of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iv">
          <text>the chair and the subcommittee chairs of the House Appropriations Committee;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="v">
          <text>the Governor, the Governor’s Chief of Staff, and the Governor’s deputy chiefs of staff; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="vi">
          <text>the Audit and Finance Compliance Unit in the Department of Budget and Management.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1225" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <level label="1">
        <text>In addition to the reports under § 2–1224 of this subtitle, the Legislative Auditor shall report an apparent violation of any law on use of State funds by the unit of the State government or other body that is examined.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>A report under this subsection shall be submitted to:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>the Executive Director;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>the unit or body that is the subject of the report; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iv">
          <text>the Office of the Attorney General.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <level label="1">
        <text>If the Legislative Auditor discovers any alleged criminal violation by a person during the course of an examination, the Legislative Auditor shall report the alleged violation to the Attorney General and an appropriate State’s Attorney.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>A report under this subsection shall ask the Attorney General and State’s Attorney to take appropriate action.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>Unless the Attorney General or State’s Attorney decides to prosecute an alleged criminal violation reported under this subsection, the Attorney General and State’s Attorney shall keep the report of the Legislative Auditor under this subsection confidential.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>The Attorney General may investigate and prosecute any alleged criminal violation reported under this subsection and has all the powers and duties of a State’s Attorney, including the use of a grand jury in any county or Baltimore City, to investigate and prosecute the alleged violation.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <level label="1">
        <text>The Office of the Attorney General shall respond, in writing, to a report received from the Legislative Auditor under this section.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>The response of the Attorney General shall include what actions, if any, were taken as a result of the findings of the Legislative Auditor.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>The response of the Attorney General shall be submitted to:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>the Executive Director;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>the unit or body that is the subject of the report; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iv">
          <text>the Legislative Auditor.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1226" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>Except as provided in § 2–1225 of this subtitle and subsection (b) of this section, information that an employee or authorized representative of the Office of Legislative Audits obtains during an examination or in relation to an act or allegation of fraud, waste, or abuse:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>is confidential; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>may not be disclosed except to another employee or authorized representative of the Office of Legislative Audits.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>The Legislative Auditor may authorize the disclosure of information obtained during an examination or in relation to an act or allegation of fraud, waste, or abuse only to the following:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>another employee of the Department, with the approval of the Executive Director;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>federal, State, or local officials, or their auditors, who provide evidence to the Legislative Auditor that they are performing investigations, studies, or audits related to that same examination and who provide justification for the specific information requested; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee, if necessary to assist the Committee in reviewing a report issued by the Legislative Auditor.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>Except as provided in § 2–1225 of this subtitle, if information that an employee or authorized representative obtains during an examination also is confidential under another law, the employee, authorized representative, or the Legislative Auditor may not include in a report or otherwise use the information in any manner that discloses the identity of any person who is the subject of the confidential information.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1227" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <text>A person is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000 if the person:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>fails to comply promptly with process that the Legislative Auditor issues under this Part IV of this subtitle; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>violates any provision of § 2–1224(b) or § 2–1226 of this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1228" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <level label="1">
        <text>The Office of Legislative Audits shall maintain a fraud hotline for the reporting of allegations of fraud, waste, and abuse in the obligation, expenditure, receipt, or use of State resources.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>The Office of Legislative Audits may investigate an allegation received under paragraph (1) of this subsection within the scope of its authority or refer the allegation to the appropriate federal, State, or local agencies responsible for the enforcement or administration of the matter for investigation.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>Each unit of State government shall:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>keep posted in conspicuous places on its premises a notice prepared by the Office of Legislative Audits setting forth the methods for reporting fraud, waste, and abuse of State resources;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>keep posted in conspicuous places on its website a direct link to the website of the Office of Legislative Audits for reporting fraud, waste, and abuse; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>on request of the Office of Legislative Audits, distribute information related to the prevention, detection, and reporting of fraud, waste, and abuse of State resources to State employees and other persons or bodies receiving State funds.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1230" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>In this Part V the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>“Committees of jurisdiction” means the committees of the General Assembly that routinely handle the policy issues and legislation related to a specific governmental activity or unit subject to review under this part.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>“Director” means the Director of the Office.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="d">
      <text>“Office” means the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="e">
      <text>“Performance evaluation” means the review of a governmental activity or unit used to determine:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>whether the governmental activity or unit, if subject to termination, should be reestablished or terminated; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>what, if any, statutory or nonstatutory changes should be recommended to the General Assembly to improve the operations and efficiency of the governmental activity or unit.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="f">
      <level label="1">
        <text>“Unit” includes each State department, agency, unit, and program, including each clerk of the court, each register of wills, and each local school system.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>“Unit” does not include a department, an agency, or a unit in the Legislative Branch of State government.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1231" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <text>There is an Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability in the Department.</text>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1232" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>The head of the Office is the Director.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>Subject to the policies and directives of the President and the Speaker, the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee, and the overall supervision and control of the Executive Director, the Director has general administrative control of the operation of the Office.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1233" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>With the approval of the Executive Director, the Director may appoint a Deputy Director and other professional staff and contract with consultants as authorized representatives.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>The Deputy Director:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>has the duties delegated by the Director; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>may be designated by the Executive Director to act as Director if the office is vacant or the Director is unable to perform the duties of office.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1234" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <level label="1">
        <text>The Office shall conduct a performance evaluation of units of State government, in accordance with the work plan developed by the Director in consultation with the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>An agency or a program may be evaluated separately or as part of a larger organizational unit of State government.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>In addition to the performance evaluations conducted under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Office:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>may conduct a performance evaluation of a unit on a request by the Legislative Auditor; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>shall conduct a performance evaluation of a unit:</text>
          <level label="1">
            <text>when directed by the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee or the Executive Director; or</text>
          </level>
          <level label="2">
            <text>when otherwise required by law.</text>
          </level>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <level label="i">
          <text>When directed by the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee, the Executive Director, or the Director, the Office shall conduct a separate investigation of an act or allegation of fraud, waste, or abuse in the obligation, expenditure, receipt, or use of State resources.</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>The Director shall determine whether an investigation shall be conducted in conjunction with an audit undertaken in accordance with Part IV of this subtitle or separately.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>In addition to the performance evaluations conducted under subsection (a) of this section, the Office may conduct performance evaluations in accordance with the Maryland Program Evaluation Act.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>The Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee may direct the Office to:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>conduct an assessment or a scoping performance evaluation of a unit of State government in order to determine whether the unit should undergo a more comprehensive performance evaluation under this part; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>based on the findings of the assessment or scoping preliminary evaluation conducted under item (1) of this subsection, waive the unit from a more comprehensive performance evaluation under this part.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="d">
      <text>If directed by the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee, the Office shall conduct a performance evaluation of a corporation or an association to which the General Assembly has appropriated money or that has received funds from an appropriation from the State Treasury.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="e">
      <level label="1">
        <text>If directed by the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee, the Executive Director, the Director, or when otherwise required by law, the Office shall conduct a performance evaluation of a local school system.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>A performance evaluation conducted under paragraph (1) of this subsection may be performed concurrently with or separately from an audit conducted by the Office of Legislative Audits in accordance with § 2–1220 of this subtitle.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>The Office shall provide information regarding the performance evaluation process to the local school system before the performance evaluation is conducted.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1235" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>This section does not apply to a performance evaluation conducted in accordance with the Maryland Program Evaluation Act.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>A performance evaluation conducted by the Office may include:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>evaluating the efficiency, effectiveness, and economy with which resources are used;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>determining whether desired program results are achieved;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>determining whether a program aligns with the unit’s mission;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>evaluating whether a program duplicates another program or activity within another unit;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="5">
        <text>evaluating whether the governmental activity or unit under evaluation operates:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>in an open and accountable manner, with public access to records and meetings, safeguards against conflicts of interest, and opportunity for public participation; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>in a fair and nondiscriminatory manner that complies fully with law and State policy;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="6">
        <text>determining the reliability of performance measures, as defined in § 3–1001 of the State Finance and Procurement Article, identified in:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>the managing for results agency strategic plan developed under § 3–1002(c) of the State Finance and Procurement Article; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>the StateStat strategic plan and performance measurement report submitted to the Secretary of Budget and Management under § 3–1003(d) of the State Finance and Procurement Article; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="7">
        <text>for a performance evaluation of a local school system:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>evaluating whether or not the school system is complying with federal and State laws and regulations;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>analyzing grading standards, graduation requirements, assessments, procurement, and equitable use of resources among the schools within the system evaluated; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>identifying instances of fraud, waste, and abuse.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1236" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>Subject to subsection (b) of this section, a performance evaluation conducted by the Office shall be made at the offices of the State unit, county officer or unit, corporation, association, or local school system that is subject to examination.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>If considered appropriate and after consultation with the unit or body being examined, the Director may authorize all or a portion of a performance evaluation to be conducted at the offices of the Office.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>Before the Office removes the original or only copy of any record from the premises of a State unit, county unit, or a school system, the Office shall obtain the approval of the State unit, county unit, or the school system.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1237" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <level label="1">
        <text>Except as prohibited by the Internal Revenue Code, the employees and authorized representatives of the Office shall have access to and may inspect the records, including those that are confidential by law, of any unit of State government or of a person or other body receiving State funds, with respect to any matter under the jurisdiction of the Office.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>In conjunction with a performance evaluation authorized under this subtitle, the access required by paragraph (1) of this subsection shall include access to the records of contractors and subcontractors that perform work under State contracts.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>The employees or authorized representatives of the Office shall have access to and may inspect the records, including those that are confidential by law, of any local school system to undertake the performance evaluations authorized under § 2–1234 of this subtitle.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>Each officer or employee of the unit or body that is subject to a performance evaluation shall provide any information that the Director determines to be needed for the examination of that unit or body, or of any matter under the authority of the Office, including information that otherwise would be confidential under any provision of law.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <level label="1">
        <text>The Director may issue process that requires an official of a State unit or school system that is subject to performance evaluation to produce a record that is needed for the performance evaluation.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>The process shall be sent to the sheriff for the county where the official is located.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>The sheriff promptly shall serve the process.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>The State shall pay the cost of process.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="5">
        <text>If a person fails to comply with process issued under this subsection or fails to provide information that is requested during a performance evaluation, a circuit court may issue an order directing compliance with the process or compelling that the information requested be provided.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1238" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>This section does not apply to a performance evaluation conducted in accordance with the Maryland Program Evaluation Act.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>On the completion of each performance evaluation, the Director shall submit a full and detailed report to the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>A full and detailed report prepared by the Office shall include:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>a summary of significant legislative and regulatory changes;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>the findings of the performance evaluation;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>specific recommendations for making the program or activity more efficient or effective, including recommendations for consolidation or elimination of any duplicative programs or activities;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>an estimate of the costs or savings, if any, expected from implementing the findings and recommendations;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="5">
        <text>recommended legislation needed to implement the findings and recommendations; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="6">
        <text>any response of the unit or body that is the subject of the report, subject to procedures approved by the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="d">
      <level label="1">
        <text>Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, an employee or authorized representative of the Office may submit a draft report of findings only to the Director or the Executive Director.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>A draft report shall be provided to the unit or body that is the subject of the report for the purpose of soliciting the response of the unit or body that is required to be included in the full and detailed report under subsection (c)(6) of this section.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="e">
      <text>The Director shall send a copy of the full and detailed report to:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Delegates;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>the committees of jurisdiction;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>members of the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of this subtitle;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>the Governor;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="5">
        <text>the unit or body that is the subject of the report;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="6">
        <text>the Secretary of Budget and Management;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="7">
        <text>the Executive Director; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="8">
        <text>any other person whom the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee specifies.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="f">
      <text>After the expiration of any period that the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee specifies, the Director shall make a report available to the public online and under the Public Information Act.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="g">
      <level label="1">
        <text>The Director shall review each unit’s response and advise the unit of the results of the review.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>The Director shall advise the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee when:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>a unit does not submit a response to a recommendation;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>a unit does not indicate action, as relevant, to be taken in response to a recommendation;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>a unit requests a modification of or a waiver from a recommendation; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iv">
          <text>the response by the unit is not considered appropriate to carry out the recommendation.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>The Executive Director or the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee may direct the Director to undertake a review to determine the extent to which action has been taken by a unit to implement a report recommendation.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>With respect to performance–related findings and recommendations, the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee may make recommendations to the Governor or propose legislation after reviewing a unit’s response to a recommended action.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="h">
      <level label="1">
        <text>The Governor shall implement systems and processes to monitor the efforts of the Executive Departmental Units to address performance evaluation findings reported by the Office.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>Within 9 months of a performance evaluation report, any unit directed to do so shall report to the Office for each finding or recommendation in that performance evaluation report:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>the actions taken to address the finding or recommendation; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>a schedule for when specific actions will be implemented.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1239" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <level label="1">
        <text>In addition to the reports under § 2–1238 of this subtitle, the Director shall report an apparent violation of law by a unit of State government or other body that is examined.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>A report under this subsection shall be submitted to:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>the Executive Director;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>the unit or body that is the subject of the report; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iv">
          <text>the Office of the Attorney General.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <level label="1">
        <text>If the Director discovers any alleged criminal violation by a person during the course of a performance evaluation, the Director shall report the alleged violation to the Attorney General and the appropriate State’s Attorney.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>A report under this subsection shall ask the Attorney General and State’s Attorney to take appropriate action.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>Unless the Attorney General or State’s Attorney decides to prosecute an alleged criminal violation reported under this subsection, the Attorney General and State’s Attorney shall keep the report of the Director under this subsection confidential.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>The Attorney General may investigate and prosecute any alleged criminal violation reported under this subsection and has all the powers and duties of a State’s Attorney, including the use of a grand jury in any county, to investigate and prosecute the alleged violation.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <level label="1">
        <text>The Office of the Attorney General shall respond, in writing, to a report received from the Director under this section.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>The response of the Attorney General shall include what actions, if any, were taken as a result of the findings of the Director.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>The response of the Attorney General shall be submitted to:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>the Executive Director;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>the unit or body that is the subject of the report; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iv">
          <text>the Director.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1240" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>Except as otherwise provided in this title, confidential information that an employee or authorized representative of the Office or the Office of Policy Analysis obtains during a performance evaluation:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>remains confidential; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>may not be disclosed except to another employee or authorized representative of the Office or the Office of Policy Analysis.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>Information obtained during a performance evaluation may be provided in a format that protects the confidentiality of individuals as necessary.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>The Director may authorize the disclosure of confidential information obtained during a performance evaluation only to the following:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>another employee of the Department, with the approval of the Executive Director;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>federal, State, or local officials, or their auditors, who provide evidence to the Director that they are performing investigations, studies, or audits related to that same examination and who provide justification for the specific information requested; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee, if necessary to assist the Committee in reviewing a report issued by the Office.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="d">
      <text>Except as provided in § 2–1239 of this subtitle, if information that an employee or authorized representative obtains during a performance evaluation also is confidential under another law, the employee, authorized representative, or the Director may not include in a report or otherwise use the information in any manner that discloses the identity of any person who is the subject of the confidential information.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1241" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <text>A person is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000 if the person:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>fails to comply promptly with process that the Director issues under this part; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>violates any provision of § 2–1238(d) or § 2–1240 of this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1244" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>In this Part VI the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>“Director” means the Director of the Office.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>“Office” means the Office of Policy Analysis.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1245" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <text>There is an Office of Policy Analysis in the Department.</text>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1246" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>The head of the Office is the Director.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>Subject to the policies and directives of the President and the Speaker and the overall supervision and control of the Executive Director, the Director shall oversee the operation of the Office.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>The Director shall facilitate the creation and oversee the operation of functional, subject matter, special project, and any other workgroups to achieve maximum cooperation and the greatest efficiency in the use of staff and resources in the Office.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1247" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>In addition to any duties set forth elsewhere, the Office shall:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>conduct studies, develop options, and make recommendations on fiscal matters that relate to the State budget including:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>taxes and revenues;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>finances;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>financial policies of public agencies; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iv">
          <text>grants to individuals and private entities;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>conduct studies, develop options, and make recommendations on financial and other matters of the State government;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>conduct studies, develop options, and make recommendations on organization and management improvement in State government;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>study all matters that relate to the efficient and effective operation of the State government, whether or not the matter is a direct budgetary concern;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="5">
        <text>propose statutory changes to effect operational economy or effective administration;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="6">
        <text>perform the following duties with respect to the review of expenditures:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>review each item in the proposed State budget so as to be able to report on the justification of a unit for that item;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>review the proposed State budget at each stage of its consideration;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>during consideration of the proposed State budget, identify each of the items that:</text>
          <level label="1">
            <text>provides for a new function; or</text>
          </level>
          <level label="2">
            <text>has been disapproved previously by the General Assembly;</text>
          </level>
        </level>
        <level label="iv">
          <text>evaluate each proposal of a unit of the State government for an appropriation, including any proposal that:</text>
          <level label="1">
            <text>is in the proposed State budget;</text>
          </level>
          <level label="2">
            <text>is considered with the proposed State budget; or</text>
          </level>
          <level label="3">
            <text>involves State financing of a capital improvement; and</text>
          </level>
        </level>
        <level label="v">
          <text>evaluate the activities of each unit of the State government as these activities relate to a proposed or actual expenditure of public money;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="7">
        <text>report, subject to § 2–1257 of this subtitle, on the public debt of the State, including the effect of an additional debt authorization or issue on State finances;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="8">
        <text>after each session of the General Assembly, summarize the effect of the legislative program on the financial condition of the State;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="9">
        <text>provide to the General Assembly and its committees information on fiscal matters;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="10">
        <text>exchange, with federal and State units, information on taxation, revenues, expenditures, and related matters;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="11">
        <text>conduct studies on the fiscal relationships of the State with its units and with local governments;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="12">
        <text>conduct studies on the operation, administration, staff, and physical plants of each unit of the State government;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="13">
        <text>as directed by the General Assembly, the Legislative Policy Committee, the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee, or other legislative committees:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>subject to § 2–1257 of this subtitle, submit reports on the studies on units of the State government; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>conduct other special studies and prepare other special reports;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="14">
        <text>review the financial reports received from each political subdivision in accordance with § 16–103 of the Local Government Article as to completeness and accuracy. If the report needs revision, the political subdivision shall be advised and shall submit the requested information within 15 days. The financial reports of political subdivisions shall be available for public inspection and certified copies shall be provided by the Office for a reasonable fee;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="15">
        <text>subject to § 2–1257 of this subtitle, publish an annual report on the revenues and expenditures of each county, municipal corporation, and special taxing district created by law; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="16">
        <text>carry out any other functions related to budget and fiscal affairs required by the Executive Director.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>The Executive Director shall dedicate an appropriate number of employees of the Department and an adequate level of Department resources to the year–round performance of the following functions:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>analyzing the State budget;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>forecasting trends in the State budget;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>identifying significant financial policies of public agencies in the State budget;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>reviewing proposed amendments to the State budget approved by the General Assembly; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="5">
        <text>conducting revenue forecasts.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1248" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <text>In addition to any duties set forth elsewhere, the Office shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>on request of a member of the General Assembly, analyze and report on:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the laws of any state on a specific subject and all of the available information about the practical operation and effect of those laws; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the acts and records of any state;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>compile information on and analyze any matter that is the subject of proposed legislation;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>on request of a member of the General Assembly, prepare or help to prepare a bill or resolution that, unless the member specifies otherwise, conforms to the style manual of the Office;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>provide analyses of proposed and emergency regulations of Executive Branch agencies;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>make recommendations for the reclassification, rearrangement, renumbering, rewording, and other formal revision of the public general laws of Maryland;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>make recommendations for appropriate systems to collect and publish:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the public local laws;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>executive orders; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the regulations of units of the Executive Branch of the State government;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>complete the formal revision of statutory law for the General Assembly by preparing and submitting to the General Assembly recommendations for the repeal or modification of statutes that are obsolete, inconsistent with another statute, unconstitutional, or otherwise in need of formal revision;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>correct manifest spelling, grammatical, or clerical errors or errors of addition or omission in the Code maintained by the Department, and include any such correction in the Annual Corrective Bill for ratification by the General Assembly;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="9">
      <text>maintain the clarity, simplicity, and consistency of style of statutory law;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="10">
      <text>have a style manual for statutory law;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="11">
      <text>include in the style manual a drafting rule that requires, to the extent practicable, the use of words that are neutral as to gender except for a subject matter that specifically applies only to one gender and except for a name or organizational title;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="12">
      <text>assign a chapter number to each bill, and a joint resolution number to each joint resolution, that, by operation of law, becomes law without the signature of the Chief Executive, and notify the Secretary of State in writing of these assignments; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="13">
      <text>carry out any other function related to legal affairs required by the Executive Director.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1249" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>In addition to any other duties set forth elsewhere, the Office shall:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>subject to subsection (b) of this section, prepare analyses of the fiscal, legal, and policy impact of proposed legislation;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>research and prepare comprehensive assessments and evaluations of issues of concern to the General Assembly; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>carry out any other function related to research services required by the Executive Director.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>The Office is not required to prepare an analysis of an enabling act, as defined in § 8–101 of the State Finance and Procurement Article, if:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>a financial sheet, in the form that the Office requires, is submitted with the legislation; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>the Office publishes the financial sheet on the website of the Maryland General Assembly.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <level label="1">
        <text>In order to facilitate the preparation of the analyses required under subsection (a)(1) of this section, a unit of State government shall respond to a request from the Office for information on the fiscal and operational impact of proposed legislation within 3 business days after receipt of the request.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>The Office may waive the requirement under paragraph (1) of this subsection on a case–by–case basis.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1250" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <text>In addition to any other duties set forth elsewhere, the Office shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>provide professional staffing services, as required by the Executive Director, to any standing committee, statutory committee, or special joint or unicameral committee or subcommittee of the General Assembly;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>with the consent of the President and the Speaker, provide professional staffing services, as required by the Executive Director, to any joint legislative and executive body; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>carry out any other function related to committee staffing services required by the Executive Director.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1251" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <text>In addition to any other duties set forth elsewhere, the Office shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>provide library and information services to the General Assembly and the general public;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>index and preserve all information prepared as a result of the provisions of § 2–1248 of this subtitle; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>carry out any other function related to library and public information services required by the Executive Director.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1254" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <level label="1">
        <text>After each regular session, the Department shall compile and index:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>the laws that are enacted during that session;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>the executive orders that have been adopted pursuant to Article II, § 24 of the Maryland Constitution since the last compilation; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>the certificates of the State Board of Elections as to the referendum vote on a law, if the vote has not been published previously.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>After each special session, the Department shall compile and index the laws that are enacted during that session.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <level label="1">
        <text>After completion of the compilation and index, the Department shall deliver copies of the laws, executive orders adopted pursuant to Article II, § 24 of the Maryland Constitution, certificates, and titles to the printer who is designated to print the session laws.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>The printer shall print promptly:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>the documents delivered under this section; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>with the compilation for a regular session, the statement of receipts and expenditures of public money delivered under § 2–103 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>The printer shall deliver the volumes to the Executive Director.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="4">
        <text>The Department shall publish other executive orders delivered to it in accordance with § 3–406(b) of this article.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>The Department shall:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>create and maintain, in the form of a statutory database, a code comprising the public general laws of the State; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>maintain the structural integrity and textual accuracy of that code.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1255" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>The Department shall sell, exchange, or otherwise distribute bound volumes of the laws, the Senate journal, and the House journal.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>Distribution under this section shall include provision of 1 copy of a volume to each public, circulating library or library association that requests the volume if, when the request is made, the Department has at least 26 copies of the requested volume.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1256" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <text>The Department shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>keep a current list of the public local laws of the State;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>keep the list accessible to the members of the General Assembly at all times; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>subject to § 2–1257 of this subtitle, annually submit the list to the General Assembly.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1257" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>In this section, “publication” includes any report, study, or notification.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>For each publication that an official or unit of the State government intends to distribute or submit to the General Assembly or to any committee, staff agency, or employee of the General Assembly, the official or unit shall:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>submit one copy to the President and one copy to the Speaker in the format requested by the President and the Speaker;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>submit five printed copies to the library of the Department; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>in the case of a publication to be distributed to a committee of the General Assembly:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>unless the publication is being submitted to the committee as specifically required by law, obtain approval for the distribution from the committee chair; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>comply with the distribution requirements of the committee.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>An official or unit:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>shall submit to the library of the Department, in addition to the copies of a publication required under subsection (b)(2) of this section, any additional copies of the publication requested by the library on behalf of a member of the General Assembly; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>may give a publication directly to a member of the General Assembly only if:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>the President and the Speaker have given written approval for distribution of the publication to each member of the General Assembly; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>the member asks for the publication.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="d">
      <text>To assist the Department in carrying out its duties under subsection (f) of this section, each publication submitted to the General Assembly or to any committee, staff agency, or employee of the General Assembly in fulfillment of a duty imposed by law shall specify the law under which the publication is being submitted.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="e">
      <text>The Department shall:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>keep a list of the publications of the officials and units;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>periodically send the list to each member of the General Assembly; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="3">
        <text>on request of a member of the General Assembly, obtain a publication of an official or unit for the member.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="f">
      <text>The library of the Department shall:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>catalog and preserve the publications that officials and units submit as required by law; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>collect, catalog, and preserve any other publication that the Department considers necessary or that the Department is directed by the President or the Speaker to collect, catalog, and preserve.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1258" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <level label="1">
        <level label="i">
          <text>On request of a member of the General Assembly, the Department shall provide the member with an annotated code of the public general laws of Maryland that is published by a publisher and produced in a format to be selected by the Executive Director.</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>An annotated code shall be provided to a member under this subsection only during the term of the member, at the end of which the annotated code shall be returned to the Department.</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>The Department shall keep the annotated code provided under this subsection current.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>On request, the Department shall provide one additional copy of an annotated code of Maryland to each:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>presiding officer;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>pro tempore officer;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>chair of a standing committee;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iv">
          <text>majority leader; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="v">
          <text>minority leader.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <text>A member shall return to the Department the code provided by the Department on or before the expiration of the member’s final term of office. If a member resigns or is removed from office before the expiration of the member’s term, the member shall promptly return the code to the Department.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1259" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <text>The Department shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>annually make:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a list that includes the name, position, term of office, and salary of each civil officer whom the Governor appointed during the preceding calendar year; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a list that includes the name, position, term of office, and salary of each civil officer whose term expires during the current calendar year;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>send a copy of each list to each member of the General Assembly; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>make the lists available to any person who requests them; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>include on the lists only civil officers whom the Governor appoints, subject to the approval of the Senate or the House of Delegates.</text>
    </level>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1260" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <text>The Department is the sole determiner of the form of public records released pursuant to Title 10, Subtitle 6, Part III of this article.</text>
  </section>
  <section article="gsg" article_name="State Government" number="2-1261" title_number="2" title_name="General Assembly" subtitle_number="12" subtitle_name="Staff and Services -- Department of Legislative Services">
    <level label="a">
      <text>On or before October 31 each year, the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services shall submit to the Department, in the form of electronic raw data, de–identified and disaggregated by age, race, and sex, information required to be reported to the Governor in accordance with § 3–207(a)(2) of the Correctional Services Article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="b">
      <level label="1">
        <text>On or before November 30 each year, the Department of State Police shall submit to the Department, in a format that the Executive Director requires, the information collected in accordance with § 2–307(a)(2) of the Public Safety Article.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>On or before August 1, 2022, the Department of State Police and the Department shall enter into a memorandum of understanding, the terms of which shall include:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>a data sharing agreement for all information collected in accordance with § 2–307 of the Public Safety Article;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>a work plan for access to collected data for research and statistical analysis purposes;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>a listing of all data fields collected for the Crime in Maryland Report and the Hate Bias Report; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iv">
          <text>an update on the status of compliance with the National Incident–Based Reporting System by law enforcement agencies in the State.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="c">
      <text>On or before October 31 each year, the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission shall submit to the Department, in the form of electronic raw data, de–identified and disaggregated by agency and incident:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>information required to be reported to the General Assembly in accordance with § 3–514(b)(1) of the Public Safety Article; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>information required to be collected in accordance with § 3–207(b) of the Public Safety Article.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="d">
      <text>On or before October 31 each year, the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy shall submit to the Department, in the form of electronic raw data, de–identified and disaggregated by incident, information collected in accordance with:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>§ 3–528 of the Public Safety Article; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>§ 25–113 of the Transportation Article.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="e">
      <text>On or before August 1, 2022, the Department of Juvenile Services and the Department shall enter into a memorandum of understanding, the terms of which shall include:</text>
      <level label="1">
        <text>the provision of various custom reports to the Department, including information, de–identified and disaggregated by juvenile, relating to the juvenile’s record of:</text>
        <level label="i">
          <text>delinquency;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="ii">
          <text>court actions;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iii">
          <text>supervision; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="iv">
          <text>placement; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="2">
        <text>the development of a work plan by the Department of Juvenile Services regarding efforts to include specific race and ethnicity data for individual juveniles.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </section>
</subtitle>