Sec. 01.01.2010.10. State Coordinating Committee for Human Services Transportation

A. Established. There is a State Coordinating Committee for Human Services Transportation (Committee).

B. Definitions. As used in this Executive Order, the following terms have the following meanings:

(1) The term "agency" means an executive department, agency or office of the State of Maryland.

(2) The term "transportation-disadvantaged" means a person who qualifies for federally conducted or federally assisted transportation-related programs or services, as implemented and coordinated by a Maryland State agency, due to disability, income, or advanced age. This term is directly connected with the definition provided in the Presidential Executive Order on Human Services Transportation Coordination dated February 24, 2004 and mirrors any subsequent federal interpretation of the definition.

C. Membership and Procedures.

(1) The Committee shall consist of the following members:

(a) The Secretary of Transportation, or a designee, who shall Chair the Committee;

(b) The Secretary of Human Resources, or a designee;

(c) The Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene, or a designee;

(d) The Secretary of Aging, or a designee;

(e) The Secretary of the Department of Disabilities, or a designee;

(f) The Secretary of Housing and Community Development, or a designee;

(g) The Secretary of Planning, or a designee;

(h) The State Superintendent of Schools, or a designee;

(i) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or a designee;

(j) The Director of the Governor's Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, or a designee;

(k) The Secretary of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, or a designee;

(l) The Executive Director of the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council, or a designee; and

(m) Additional members recommended to the Governor by the Chairperson of the Committee as needed to provide input from local governments, employers, agencies and organizations serving targeted populations, transportation providers, and consumers from targeted populations.

(2) The members of the Committee named in (C )(1)(a) through (l) shall serve so long as they hold the office or designation specified in this Executive Order. All other members shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor.

(3) The members of the Committee may not receive any compensation for their services. The members may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of duties, in accordance with the Standard State Travel Regulations and as provided in the State budget.

(4) Staff for the Committee will be provided by the Department of Transportation.

D. Scope of the Committee. The Committee shall:

(1) Examine the transportation needs of citizens who are elderly, who have disabilities, and individuals requiring transportation to access jobs, medical and health appointments, senior citizens programs and other programs requiring the transportation of individuals who qualify as transportation-disadvantaged;

(2) Coordinate Maryland's efforts to provide quality human services transportation services by working with appropriate federal, State and local agencies, transit customers and transportation providers to develop a cooperative, coordinated, and human services transportation system;

(3) Devise a five-year human services transportation plan, which sets goals and objectives to help transportation-disadvantaged citizens access jobs, education and training programs, healthcare services and other activities by providing cost-effective, affordable, high capacity, high quality, easily understood, safe and accessible transportation; and

(4) Serve as the clearinghouse for human services transportation coordination issues throughout the State of Maryland, identify and facilitate a resolution to local and statewide issues regarding human services transportation, participate in the identification of possible allocations of human services transportation resources during emergency evacuations, evaluate cost-saving measures, investigate the need for the establishment of standards for vehicles and drivers within the human services transportation program, and examine other appropriate areas that facilitate the development of a quality human services transportation system in Maryland.

E. Reports to the Governor. The Committee shall provide an annual report to the Governor by September 1st of each year outlining its progress.

Effective date: April 26, 2010