(a) There is a Commission on Juvenile Justice Reform and Emerging and Best Practices.
(b) (1) The Commission consists of the following members:
(i) two members of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the President of the Senate;
(ii) two members of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the House;
(iii) the Secretary of Juvenile Services;
(iv) the Secretary of Human Services; and
(v) the following members, appointed by the Governor:
1. one representative of an institute for public policy that specializes in juvenile justice issues in the State;
2. one representative of an institute operated by the University of Maryland specializing in providing evidence–based and culturally competent services for juveniles;
3. one representative with relevant education and experience;
4. one local school superintendent;
5. one school principal;
6. one representative of an organization that provides services to children involved in the juvenile justice system;
7. one representative of the Maryland Department of Health;
8. one representative of a private child welfare agency;
9. one representative of a youth services bureau;
10. one representative of the State judiciary;
11. one representative of the Maryland State’s Attorneys’ Association;
12. one representative of the Maryland Office of the Public Defender;
13. one representative of the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association;
14. one representative of the Maryland Sheriffs’ Association;
15. one representative of the Maryland Consortium on Coordinated Community Supports; and
16. seven members of the general public.
(2) Of the seven members of the general public:
(i) one shall be chosen on the basis of the member’s interest in and experience with minors and juvenile problems;
(ii) two shall:
1. at the time of the appointment to a first term, be at least 16 years old and under the age of 30 years; and
2. include at least one individual who has been under the jurisdiction of the Department of Juvenile Services;
(iii) one shall be an individual who is a parent or guardian of a youth who has been under the jurisdiction of the Department of Juvenile Services;
(iv) one shall be a victim advocate; and
(v) two shall be employees of the Department of Juvenile Services with different job titles, recommended by the President of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 3.
(c) (1) The term of an appointed member is 3 years.
(2) The terms of the appointed members are staggered as required by the terms provided for members of the Commission on June 1, 2024.
(3) At the end of a term, a member continues to serve until a successor is appointed and qualifies.
(4) A member who is appointed after a term has begun serves only for the rest of the term and until a successor is appointed and qualifies.
(5) An appointed member who serves two consecutive full 3–year terms may not be reappointed for 3 years after completion of those terms.
(d) (1) From among the members of the Commission, the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House shall appoint a chair.
(2) (i) From among the members of the Commission, the chair shall appoint a secretary.
(ii) The secretary shall keep full and accurate minutes of each Commission meeting.
(e) The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy shall provide staff for the Commission.
(f) (1) The Commission shall meet regularly at least six times a year on the call of its chair.
(2) A member of the Commission:
(i) may not receive compensation as a member of the Commission; but
(ii) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget.
(g) The Commission shall:
(1) review and report on:
(i) all juvenile services, facilities, and programs in the State;
(ii) the educational programs and services of the Department of Juvenile Services;
(iii) programs designed to divert children from the juvenile justice system;
(iv) the treatment and programming needs of females in the juvenile justice system;
(v) 1. the use of child in need of supervision petitions; and
2. the number of child in need of supervision petitions authorized or denied by jurisdiction; and
(vi) the wait times for placement of children in facilities;
(2) research culturally competent, evidence–based, research–based, and promising programs and practices relating to:
(i) child welfare;
(ii) juvenile rehabilitation;
(iii) mental health services for children; and
(iv) prevention and intervention services for juveniles;
(3) evaluate the cost–effectiveness of existing and promising programs and practices researched by the Commission;
(4) identify means of evaluating the effectiveness of programs and practices researched by the Commission;
(5) giving special attention to organizations located in or serving historically underserved communities, identify strategies to enable community–based organizations that provide services for juveniles to evaluate and validate services and programming provided by those organizations;
(6) review data relating to arrests, completion of programming, and recidivism from the Maryland Longitudinal Data System Center;
(7) identify opportunities for greater coordination between the Department of Juvenile Services, the Office of the State’s Attorney, law enforcement, and local organizations that provide services to juveniles;
(8) recommend policies and programs to improve juvenile services in the State;
(9) participate in interpreting for the public the objectives of the juvenile services in the State;
(10) participate in planning the development and use of available resources to meet the needs of juveniles;
(11) coordinate with the Maryland Department of Labor to identify potential job and apprenticeship opportunities for juveniles under the supervision of the Department of Juvenile Services; and
(12) examine and review fatalities involving children under the supervision of the Department of Juvenile Services for the purpose of providing recommendations on policies and programs to prevent fatalities, including:
(i) a death caused by a child under the supervision of the Department of Juvenile Services, if the child is convicted or adjudicated delinquent for the death; and
(ii) the death of a child under the supervision of the Department of Juvenile Services.
(h) On or before October 1, 2025, and on or before October 1 each year thereafter, the Commission shall report its findings to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of this article, the General Assembly.