Ombudsmen
Maryland 2021 Regular Session
Public Information Act – Revisions (Equitable Access to Records Act) [SB-449]
Requiring each official custodian to adopt a policy of proactive disclosure of public records available for inspection; authorizing the official custodian to adopt a policy appropriate to the type of public record, to reflect the staff and resources of the governmental unit, and to include publication of public records on certain websites; altering the composition of the State Public Information Act Compliance Board; requiring the Board to receive, review, and resolve certain complaints from applicants; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Cheryl Kagan
Rereferred To Health And Government Operations on 04/06/2021
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Gettr Maryland 2021 Regular Session
Transportation - Private Sector Transportation Projects Ombudsman - Establishment [HB-510]
Establishing the office of Private Sector Transportation Projects Ombudsman within the Department of Transportation; requiring the Secretary of Transportation to designate an Ombudsman to respond to concerns, complaints, and inquiries from residents, local government officials, and other entities regarding private sector transportation projects being developed or tested within the State; requiring the Department to provide the Ombudsman with sufficient resources to respond to all inquiries in an accurate and timely manner; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Geraldine Valentino-Smith
Hearing 2/02 At 1:30 P.m. on 01/19/2021
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Maryland 2021 Regular Session
Election Law - Correctional Facilities - Voter Registration and Voting [HB-222]
Requiring the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to provide each individual who is released from a correctional facility with a voter registration application and documentation informing the individual that their voting rights have been restored; requiring the State Board of Elections to adopt regulations establishing a program to inform eligible voters of upcoming elections and how to exercise the right to vote; requiring the State Board to report to certain committees of the General Assembly by January 15 each year; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Jheanelle Wilkins
Hearing 1/19 At 1:30 P.m. (ways And Means) on 12/22/2021
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Maryland 2021 Regular Session
Public Information Act – Revisions (Equitable Access to Records Act) [HB-183]
Requiring each official custodian to adopt a policy of proactive disclosure of public records that are available for inspection; authorizing the official custodian to adopt a policy appropriate to the type of public record, to reflect the staff and resources of the governmental unit, and to include publication of public records on certain websites; altering the composition of the State Public Information Act Compliance Board; requiring the Board to receive, review, and resolve certain complaints from applicants; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Brooke Lierman
Hearing 2/11 At 1:30 P.m. on 12/23/2021
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Maryland 2018 Regular Session
Financial Consumer Protection Act of 2018 [SB-1068]
Altering the definition of "unfair or deceptive trade practice" to be "unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade practice"; providing that the purpose of the Act is to support enforcement by and funding of the Office of the Attorney General and the Commissioner of Financial Regulation to protect State residents when conducting financial transactions and receiving financial services; requiring the Commissioner to designate a Student Loan Ombudsman; requiring the establishment of a student loan borrower education course; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Delores Kelley
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 732 on 05/15/2018
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Maryland 2018 Regular Session
Commissioner of Financial Regulation - Student Education Loans - Ombudsman and Licensing of Servicers [SB-1012]
Requiring the Commissioner of Financial Regulation to designate an individual to serve as the Student Loan Ombudsman; establishing the duties and responsibilities of the Student Loan Ombudsman; requiring the Ombudsman, in consultation with the Commissioner, to establish a certain student loan borrower education course with certain requirements; prohibiting a person from engaging in student education loan servicing unless the person is licensed by the Commissioner or is exempt from licensing; establishing application requirements; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Susan Lee
Favorable With Amendments Report By Finance on 04/05/2018
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Maryland 2018 Regular Session
Commissioner of Financial Regulation – Student Education Loans – Ombudsman [HB-1642]
Requiring the Commissioner of Financial Regulation to designate an individual as the Student Loan Ombudsman to serve as a liaison between student loan borrowers and student loan servicers; establishing the duties and responsibilities of the Student Loan Ombudsman; requiring the Ombudsman, in consultation with the Commissioner, to establish a certain student loan borrower education course with certain requirements; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Kumar Barve
Favorable With Amendments Report By Finance on 04/05/2018
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Maryland 2018 Regular Session
Financial Consumer Protection Act of 2018 [HB-1634]
Altering the definition of "unfair or deceptive trade practice" to be "unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade practice"; providing the purpose of the Act is to support enforcement by and funding of the Office of the Attorney General and the Commissioner of Financial Regulation to protect State residents when conducting financial transactions and receiving certain services; requiring the Commissioner to designate an individual as the Student Loan Ombudsman; requiring the establishment of a student loan borrower education course; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Kumar Barve
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 731 on 05/15/2018
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Maryland 2019 Regular Session
Financial Institutions - Student Loan Servicers - Unfair, Abusive, or Deceptive Trade Practices [SB-670]
Prohibiting a student loan servicer from employing any scheme, device, or artifice to mislead a student loan borrower; prohibiting a student loan servicer from engaging in any unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade practice toward any person; prohibiting a student loan servicer from knowingly or recklessly misapplying or refusing to correct a misapplication of a payment from a student loan borrower; requiring a student loan servicer to acknowledge receipt of a written inquiry or complaint from a certain borrower within 10 days; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Delores Kelley
Rereferred To Economic Matters on 03/26/2019
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Maryland 2019 Regular Session
State Department of Education and Maryland Department of Health - School-Based Health Centers - Ombudsmen [HB-681]
Requiring the State Superintendent of Schools and the Secretary of Health to each designate an ombudsman for school-based health centers; altering the membership of the Council on Advancement of School-Based Health Centers to include each ombudsman; requiring the Maryland Department of Health and the State Department of Education to conduct a certain assessment and, develop a plan, in consultation with certain stakeholders, for a certain model and expansion of the type of organizations that can sponsor school-based health centers; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Bonnie Cullison
Hearing 3/07 At 1:00 P.m. (health And Government Operations) on 02/19/2019
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Maryland 2019 Regular Session
Financial Institutions - Student Loan Servicers - Unfair, Abusive, or Deceptive Trade Practices [HB-594]
Prohibiting a student loan servicer from employing any scheme, device, or artifice to mislead a student loan borrower; prohibiting a student loan servicer from engaging in any unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade practice; prohibiting a student loan servicer from knowingly misapplying or refusing to correct a misapplication of payments; requiring a student loan servicer to respond to an inquiry within 30 days of receiving the inquiry or complaint; authorizing the Commissioner of Financial Regulation to enforce the Act; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Kumar Barve
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 546 on 05/13/2019
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Maryland 2019 Regular Session
Property Tax - Collection of Unpaid Taxes and Tax Sales [HB-1209]
Establishing a State Tax Sale Ombudsman in the State Department of Assessments and Taxation; authorizing the governing body of a county or a municipal corporation to withhold from tax sale a dwelling owned by a homeowner who meets certain criteria; requiring certain notices sent to property owners whose properties are subject to tax sale to include a certain summary of the tax sale process and certain information concerning the State Tax Sale Ombudsman; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Anne Kaiser
Enacted Under Article Ii, Section 17(c) Of The Maryland Constitution - Chapter 730 on 05/25/2019
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Maryland 2019 Regular Session
Natural Resources Protection Program of 2019 [HB-1194]
Requiring the Department of Natural Resources to establish a Natural Resources Protection Program through a contractual relationship with a third-party organization to provide rewards of financial compensation to individuals and nonprofit organizations that report violations of natural resources and conservation laws; providing the purpose of the program is to augment law enforcement activities for State parks, waters, forest, and land; requiring the Department and the third-party organization to submit a certain annual report by October 1; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Stephen Lafferty
Third Reading Passed (138-0) on 03/18/2019
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Office of the Business Ombudsman - State Customer Service and Business Development Efforts Training Program [SB-774]
Establishing the State Customer Service and Business Development Efforts Training Program to increase the responsiveness of and improve customer service provided by State agencies to businesses and customers in the State; requiring the Office of the Business Ombudsman to administer and oversee the program; requiring specified agencies to participate in the program; requiring the Office to develop specified customer service standards; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Thomas Middleton
Hearing 3/09 At 2:00 P.m. on 03/09/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
General Provisions - Public Information Act - Enforcement, Fees, and Exemptions [SB-695]
Establishing the State Public Information Act Compliance Board and Office of the Public Access Ombudsman; requiring the Governor and the Attorney General to publish on their Web sites specified notice relating to specified applications and the names and qualifications of specified applicants; requiring the Governor to solicit specified recommendations from specified individuals; requiring the Board to report on specified matters to the Governor and General Assembly by October 1, of each year; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Jamin Raskin
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 135 on 05/12/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
State Government - Office of the Child Welfare Ombudsman - Pilot Program [SB-609]
Establishing the Office of the Child Welfare Ombudsman Pilot Program in the Office of the Attorney General; providing that the purpose of the Pilot Program is to investigate in specified counties whether the needs of children and families are being met by local departments, the rights of children and families are being upheld, and children under the jurisdiction of local departments are being protected from abuse and neglect; requiring the Governor to provide funds in the State budget for the Office to employ specified staff; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Delores Kelley
Hearing 4/13 At 1:00 P.m. on 04/13/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
Office of the Business Ombudsman - State Customer Service and Business Development Efforts Training Program [HB-940]
Establishing the State Customer Service and Business Development Efforts Training Program to increase the responsiveness of and improve customer service provided by State agencies to businesses and customers in the State; requiring the Office of the Business Ombudsman to administer and oversee the program; requiring the Office to develop standards that identify best practices for providing excellent customer service; requiring each participating agency to develop and conduct customer service training for each specified employee; etc.
Sponsored by: Rep. Talmadge Branch
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 138 on 05/12/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
General Provisions - Public Information Act - Enforcement, Fees, and Exemptions [HB-755]
Establishing the State Public Information Act Compliance Board and Office of the Public Access Ombudsman; requiring the Governor and the Attorney General to publish on their Web sites specified notice relating to specified applications and the names and qualifications of specified applicants; requiring the Governor to solicit specified recommendations from specified individuals; requiring the Board to report on specified matters to the Governor and General Assembly by October 1 of each year; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Nathaniel Oaks
Approved By The Governor - Chapter 136 on 05/12/2015
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Maryland 2015 Regular Session
State Government - Office of the Child Welfare Ombudsman - Establishment [HB-1022]
Establishing the Office of the Child Welfare Ombudsman in the Office of the Attorney General; providing for the purpose and staffing of the Office; providing for the appointment, qualifications, term, and salary of the Child Welfare Ombudsman; requiring the Ombudsman to be a full-time State employee; authorizing the Attorney General to remove the Ombudsman under specified circumstances; providing that the Office shall include specified staff; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen. Nathaniel Oaks
Hearing 3/19 At 1:00 P.m. on 03/19/2015
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Maryland 2014 Regular Session
Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Advisory Committee [SB-13]
Establishing the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Advisory Committee; providing for the purpose and the membership of the Advisory Committee; requiring the Advisory Committee to submit a specified annual report; providing for the terms of the members of the Advisory Committee; requiring the Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman to staff the Advisory Committee; etc.
Sponsored by: Sen.
Unfavorable Report By Finance; Withdrawn on 01/16/2014