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<section article="gsp" article_name="State Personnel and Pensions" number="2-502" title_number="2" title_name="State Employment Generally" subtitle_number="5" subtitle_name="Health and Welfare Benefits Program">
  <level label="a">
    <text>There is a State Employee and Retiree Health and Welfare Benefits Program, to be developed and administered by the Secretary.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Program:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>subject to the regulations adopted under § 2–503 of this subtitle, shall encompass all units in the Executive, Judicial, and Legislative branches of State government, including any unit with an independent personnel system;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>shall include the health insurance benefit options established by the Secretary; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, may include any other benefit option that the Secretary considers appropriate.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Program may not contain any of the benefits provided under Division II or Title 35 or Title 37 of this article.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The provisions of the Program that apply to spouses shall apply to parties who have entered into a domestic partnership, as defined in § 6–101 of the Health – General Article.</text>
  </level>
</section>
