Title 8. Organization of Executive Branch — Subtitle 5. Special Education Ombudsman
Statutes in effect as of October 1, 2026.
Md. Code Ann., State Gov't § 8-501 (2026)
Title 8. Organization of Executive Branch
Subtitle 5. Special Education Ombudsman
§ 8–501LinkCopy Citation
(a)
A member of a State board or commission appointed by the Governor who fails to attend at least 50% of the meetings of the board or commission during any consecutive 12-month period shall be considered to have resigned.
(b)
Not later than January 15 of the year following the end of the 12-month period the chairman of the board or commission shall forward to the Governor:
(1)
the name of the individual considered to have resigned; and
(2)
a statement describing the individual’s history of attendance during the period.
(c)
Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, after receiving the chairman’s statement the Governor shall appoint a successor for the remainder of the term of the individual.
(d)
If the individual has been unable to attend meetings for reasons satisfactory to the Governor, the Governor may waive the resignation if the reasons are made public.
Md. Code Ann., State Gov't § 8-502 (2026)
Title 8. Organization of Executive Branch
Subtitle 5. Special Education Ombudsman
§ 8–502LinkCopy Citation
(a)
(1)
A member of a State board or commission shall be suspended without pay from participation in the activities of the board or commission if the member is convicted of or enters a plea of nolo contendere to any crime that:
(i)
is a felony; or
(ii)
is a misdemeanor related to the member’s public duties and responsibilities and involves moral turpitude for which the penalty may be incarceration in any penal institution.
(2)
The suspension shall continue during any period of appeal of the conviction.
(3)
If the conviction becomes final, the member shall be removed from the office and the office shall be deemed vacant.
(b)
If the conviction of the member is reversed or otherwise vacated:
(1)
the member shall be reinstated to the office for the remainder, if any, of the term of office during which the member was so suspended or removed; and
(2)
all pay and benefits shall be restored from the date of the suspension or removal.
Md. Code Ann., State Gov't § 8-503 (2026)
Title 8. Organization of Executive Branch
Subtitle 5. Special Education Ombudsman
§ 8–503LinkCopy Citation
The official letterhead stationery of each department, agency, or instrumentality of the State shall include the telephone number of the individual public office that uses the stationery.
Md. Code Ann., State Gov't § 8-504 (2026)
Title 8. Organization of Executive Branch
Subtitle 5. Special Education Ombudsman
§ 8–504LinkCopy Citation
(a)
(1)
In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
(2)
“Department” means a principal department of the Executive Branch of State government.
(3)
“Independent unit” means a unit in the Executive Branch of State government that is not in a department.
(4)
“Mask” means to redact from public view those portions of a public record that contain personal information, without permanently altering the original public record.
(5)
“Official custodian” means an officer or employee of the State who, whether or not the officer or employee has physical custody and control of a public record, is responsible for keeping the public record.
(6)
“Person in interest” means:
(i)
an individual that is the subject of personal information contained in a public record or a designee of the individual; or
(ii)
if the individual has a legal disability, the parent or legal representative of the individual.
(7)
“Personal information” means an individual’s:
(i)
Social Security number; or
(ii)
driver’s license number.
(8)
(i)
“Public record” means the original or any copy of any documentary material that:
(1)
is made by a unit or instrumentality of the State government or received by the unit in connection with the transaction of public business; and
(2)
is in any form, including:
(A)
a card;
(B)
a computerized record;
(C)
correspondence;
(D)
a drawing;
(E)
film or microfilm;
(F)
a form;
(G)
a map;
(H)
a photograph or photostat;
(I)
a recording; or
(J)
a tape.
(ii)
“Public record” includes a document that lists the salary of an employee of a unit or instrumentality of the State government.
(iii)
“Public record” does not include a digital photographic image or signature of an individual, or the actual stored data thereof, recorded by the Motor Vehicle Administration.
(9)
“Publicly post or display” means to intentionally make available to the public.
(b)
Except as otherwise provided by law, on or after June 1, 2010, a department or an independent unit, to the extent practicable, may not publicly post or display on an Internet website maintained or paid for by the department or independent unit an individual’s personal information.
(c)
(1)
A person in interest may request an official custodian to mask personal information in the Internet version of a public record.
(2)
A request made in accordance with this subsection shall:
(i)
be in writing; and
(ii)
provide an adequate description of the public record including a name and address or type and location of the public record.
(3)
Within 30 days after receiving a request under this section, an official custodian shall:
(i)
mask the personal information in the Internet version of the record; and
(ii)
give the person in interest written notice of the action taken.
(4)
This subsection does not apply to a public record after 72 years from the date it was made or received by a unit or instrumentality of the State government.
Md. Code Ann., State Gov't § 8-505 (2026)
Title 8. Organization of Executive Branch
Subtitle 5. Special Education Ombudsman
§ 8–505LinkCopy Citation
No board or commission in control of a unit in the Executive Branch of the State government may finally adopt a resolution or regulation at a meeting not open to the public.
Md. Code Ann., State Gov't § 8-506 (2026)
Title 8. Organization of Executive Branch
Subtitle 5. Special Education Ombudsman
§ 8–506LinkCopy Citation
(a)
(1)
In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
(2)
“Department” means a principal department established under § 8–201 of this title.
(3)
“Independent unit” means a unit in the Executive Branch of State government that is not a department.
(b)
On or before October 1, 2024, each department and independent unit shall:
(1)
create a catalog of each type of permit, license, or certificate that it issues; and
(2)
submit the catalog required under item (1) of this subsection to the Governor.
(c)
A catalog created under subsection (b) of this section shall include:
(1)
a description of each permit, license, or certificate;
(2)
the term for which each issued permit, license, or certificate is valid;
(3)
the statutory and regulatory authority that:
(i)
authorizes or requires the department or independent unit to issue the permit, license, or certificate; and
(ii)
establishes a timeline within which a department or independent unit must process and issue the permit, license, or certificate, if any;
(4)
the method and process used by the department or independent unit to accept applications for each permit, license, or certificate, including a list of:
(i)
prior significant updates to the method and process; and
(ii)
the current information technology system used, and any remaining associated tasks still performed manually with the system;
(5)
an estimate of the length of time to:
(i)
determine if an application is complete; and
(ii)
make a final determination to issue, waive, or deny the permit, license, or certificate;
(6)
the application fee charged for each permit, license, or certificate and how the revenue collected from application fees is allocated;
(7)
any statutory or regulatory authority that may impact an applicant’s ability to receive a permit, license, or certificate based on the criminal history of the applicant;
(8)
an analysis and any recommendations by the department or independent unit on the appropriate length of time to promptly process completed applications for each permit, license, or certificate and factors impeding the timely processing of each permit, license, or certificate; and
(9)
statutory or regulatory changes and resources that could expedite the processing timeline.
(d)
On or before December 1, 2024, each department and independent unit shall post on its website an interim description, to the extent practicable, of the application process for each permit, license, or certificate it issues, including:
(1)
any updates to the application process in the preceding 12–month period; and
(2)
the time to process each application type.
(e)
On or before October 1, 2025, and each year thereafter, each department and independent unit shall post on its website a completed update of the information required under subsection (d) of this section applicable to the immediately preceding 12–month period.