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