(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
(2) “State agency” means an executive department, agency, or office of the State.
(3) “Transportation–disadvantaged” means an individual who qualifies for federally conducted or federally assisted transportation–related programs or services, as implemented and coordinated by a State agency, due to disability, income, or advanced age.
(b) There is a State Coordinating Committee for Health and Human Services Transportation.
(c) The Committee consists of the following members:
(1) The Secretary, or the Secretary’s designee;
(2) The Secretary of Human Services, or the Secretary’s designee;
(3) The Secretary of Health, or the Secretary’s designee;
(4) The Secretary of Aging, or the Secretary’s designee;
(5) The Secretary of Disabilities, or the Secretary’s designee;
(6) The Secretary of Housing and Community Development, or the Secretary’s designee;
(7) The Secretary of Planning, or the Secretary’s designee;
(8) The Secretary of Veterans and Military Families, or the Secretary’s designee;
(9) The Secretary of Labor, or the Secretary’s designee;
(10) The Director of the Governor’s Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, or the Director’s designee;
(11) The Executive Director of the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council, or the Executive Director’s designee;
(12) The Executive Board Chair of the Rural Maryland Council, or the Executive Board Chair’s designee; and
(13) Any additional members recommended by the chair of the Committee and appointed by the Governor to provide input from local governments, employers, agencies, and organizations serving priority populations, transportation providers, and consumers from priority populations.
(d) (1) The appointed members serve at the pleasure of the Governor.
(2) The term of an appointed member is 3 years.
(3) The Governor may stagger the terms of the appointed members.
(e) The Secretary, or the designee of the Secretary, shall chair the Committee.
(f) The Department shall provide staff for the Committee.
(g) A member of the Committee:
(1) May not receive compensation as a member of the Committee; but
(2) Is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget.
(h) The Committee shall:
(1) Examine the transportation needs of residents of the State who:
(i) Are elderly;
(ii) Have a disability; or
(iii) Require transportation to access jobs, medical and other health–related appointments, senior citizen programs, or other programs requiring the transportation of individuals who qualify as transportation–disadvantaged;
(2) Coordinate efforts in the State to provide quality health and human services transportation services by working with appropriate federal, State, and local agencies, transit consumers, and transportation providers, to develop a cooperative and coordinated health and human services transportation system;
(3) Conduct an inventory and assessment of health and human services transportation providers in the State;
(4) Devise a 5–year health and human services transportation plan that sets goals and objectives to help transportation–disadvantaged residents of the State access jobs, education and training programs, health care services, and other activities by providing cost–effective, affordable, high–capacity, high–quality, easily understood, and safe and accessible transportation; and
(5) (i) Serve as the clearinghouse for health and human services transportation coordination issues in the State;
(ii) Identify and facilitate resolution to issues regarding health and human services transportation, both locally and statewide;
(iii) Participate in the identification of potential allocations of health and human services transportation resources during emergency evacuations;
(iv) Evaluate cost–saving measures;
(v) Investigate the need for the establishment of standards for vehicles and drivers within health and human services transportation programs; and
(vi) Examine other appropriate areas to facilitate the development of a quality health and human services transportation system in the State.
(i) On or before September 1 each year, the Committee shall report on its activities to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly.