The Health and Government Operations Committee voted on multiple departmental and policy bills during its Feb. 7 voting session, approving changes to service-year funding and program rules, extending board sunset dates, adjusting professional licensing rules and authorizing Maryland to join an interstate social work licensure compact.

The most discussed item was the departmental bill revising Maryland Corps program rules (referred to in committee as House Bill 33). Committee analysts told members the bill changes how program funds may be used between the Maryland Service Year Pathway Fund and the Young Adult Service Year Pathway Fund and updates how stipends and reimbursements are delivered. A revised fiscal note issued during the session stated "no net effect on the general fund due to this bill," because the change alters the path of existing appropriations rather than increasing total funding. Committee members asked about the size of the funds and program costs; the analyst said the mandated appropriation to the Maryland Service Year Pathway is $20,000,000 for fiscal 2027 and thereafter and described program wages, employer contributions and stipends (a completion stipend of roughly $6,000 was discussed). After discussion the bill passed.

The committee also approved House Bill 158 to rename and broaden the Senior Call Check Services and Notification Program into the Senior Call Check and Social Connections Program and to integrate it with telecommunications access programs. Members discussed that the Public Service Commission plans to increase a telecommunications surcharge from 5¢ to 9¢ (a separate action not in the bill) and that the Department of Aging expects to use existing surcharge funding for the program.

On professional licensure and boards, the committee passed a bill extending sunsets for multiple health-related licensing boards and adjusting board membership counts. It approved an expansion of eligibility for the Maryland DentCare loan-repayment program to include part-time dentists and hygienists and removed a statutory study requirement requested by the Maryland Insurance Administration. Another bill extended consumer protections and created a work group for pharmacy benefits managers to study specialty-pharmacy practices.

A bill to enter Maryland into the Interstate Social Work Licensure Compact passed after discussion about the compact's fiscal impact on the State Board of Social Work Examiners. The board's administrator told the committee she had returned some budgeted positions earlier and that implementation of the compact would require hiring an additional staff position; the fiscal note showed a recurring personnel cost about $73,000. Some members voted against the bill citing concerns about adding staff during current fiscal strain but the bill passed.

Votes at a glance

- House Bill 329 (agenda item recorded as "House Bill 3 29"): withdrawn.
- Physical therapy examiners / licensed physical therapist assistant definition (committee packet item described in session): passed; committee record noted unanimous approval and that the cross-file passed the Senate 45-0.
- House Bill 33 (Department of Service and Civic Innovation — Maryland Corps; service-year pathway and stipend rules): passed; committee discussion centered on a revised fiscal note stating "no net effect on the general fund." Mandated appropriation cited in the bill: $20,000,000 for FY 2027 and each year thereafter; completion stipend figure discussed ~ $6,000.
- House Bill 158 (Department of Aging — Senior Call Check and Social Connections Program establishment): passed as amended; fiscal note shown as zero and committee discussed existing surcharge revenues and PSC action to raise the surcharge from 5¢ to 9¢ (separate PSC action).
- House Bill 256 (Health occupations boards membership alteration and sunset extension): passed as amended; sunsets extended for multiple boards; membership of the Massage Therapy board increased from 7 to 9; the Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists' sunset extended for 2 years per amendment.
- House Bill 265 (Maryland DentCare program — expands eligibility and removes MIA study requirement): passed as amended; prorated loan-repayment requirement added for part-time participants; the removal of the MIA statutory study was at the agency's request.
- House Bill 321 (Pharmacy benefits managers — PBM obligations and work group on specialty pharmacies): passed as amended; amendment requires Maryland Insurance Administration to establish a work group and report next year.
- House Bill 345 (Interstate Social Work Licensure Compact): passed as amended; fiscal note shows need for an additional staff position (about $73,000 recurring); several members recorded in opposition during the roll call.

Why it matters

The votes adjust how Maryland funds and administers service-year stipends, expand and rename an older senior outreach program, update multiple professional licensing boards, and extend consumer protections related to pharmacy benefits managers. The social-work compact creates an interstate pathway for licensure portability that board staff say requires additional administrative capacity in Maryland.

Details and context

- Fiscal notes and appropriations: Committee staff circulated a revised fiscal note on the Maryland Corps bill during the session that states the bill causes no net general-fund effect because it permits movement of existing appropriations between two program funds; it does not increase the mandated appropriation. Committee members pressed for clarity about program scale and costs; staff said the program's budget and expenses run into the millions and that mandated appropriations and employer/state wage-sharing mechanisms are used to pay participant wages and stipends.

- Agency requests and statutory studies: For the DentCare bill, the Maryland Insurance Administration asked that the statutory study requirement be removed to allow the agency flexibility on timing; committee members signaled they expect the agency to supply the information even without the statutory deadline.

- Implementation risk and staffing: The social-work compact will require board-level implementation and, according to the board administrator's testimony, at least one additional full-time staff position to manage compact operations and record-keeping.

What the committee did not do

The committee did not consider any bill hearings or briefings during this voting session; the first item on the agenda was withdrawn and the remainder of the meeting focused on floor votes and amendment actions recorded above.

Coming next

Several bills passed with requests for follow-up or more detail (for example, more standardized fiscal notes and agency responses about timing of reports). Committee members encouraged additional offline questions and subcommittee follow-up before later floor debate.