Bill
SB 1027
Creates the Maryland DDA Waiver Advisory Council to advise on HCBS waiver design, access, quality, and stakeholder communication, centering lived experience.
Note: multiple unrelated bills filed as "SB 1027" appear in the provided materials (Arizona — telecom security; Michigan — licensed adult day‑care fund; Hawaii — dogs in restaurants; Illinois — FOIA technical change). The summary below focuses on the Maryland version titled "Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) Waiver Advisory Council Establishment" (Sen. Lewis Young), because the packet includes the Maryland fiscal note and the detailed bill text for that measure.
Summary — Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration Waiver Advisory Council (SB 1027)
Purpose and intent
- Establishes the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration Waiver Advisory Council (the Council) within DDA to advise and provide recommendations on the design, delivery, access, quality improvement, and stakeholder communication for DDA‑operated Medicaid home‑and‑community‑based services (HCBS) waiver programs.
- Codifies and formalizes an existing advisory group (first convened October 2024) and requires procedures to center lived experience, person‑centered thinking, diversity/equity/inclusion, and evidence‑based, data‑driven decision making.
Key provisions and requirements
- Duties: advise DDA on waiver system design (including application regulations/policies), service delivery and access, federal waiver assurances, ensuring Medicaid access, quality enhancement/improvement strategies, stakeholder communication/feedback, and collaborative stakeholder processes.
- Decision rules: the Council must attempt consensus on recommendations. If consensus cannot be reached, recommendations may be adopted by a 75% affirmative vote. Members may designate proxies (subject to attendance rules); no member may vote on another member’s behalf otherwise.
- Staffing and resources: DDA must staff the Council; members receive no compensation but are entitled to travel expense reimbursement under standard State travel policy. DDA may provide travel arrangements for members with disabilities and must host a dedicated Council webpage with meeting dates, agendas, documents, and recorded meetings.
- Meetings and transparency: Council must meet once every two months (additional meetings allowed by cochairs). Meetings must be publicly noticed at least two weeks in advance, be open to the public, videotaped, distributed with agendas at least one week in advance, provide disability accommodations, include public comment time after agenda items, and produce minutes within two weeks. Virtual meetings permitted when cochairs determine necessary. Workgroups and a code of conduct are authorized.
- Membership: A large, mixed stakeholder composition:
- Voting members: includes a substantial set of individuals with lived experience in DDA programs (21), licensed residential/day providers (2), certified service providers (2), coordination of community services providers (2), one financial management/counseling provider, representatives of ethnic advocacy group, Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities, Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council, Self‑Directed Advocacy Network of Maryland, Parents’ Place of Maryland, Maryland Association of Community Services, The Arc Maryland, Maryland Council of Support Brokers, Service Coordination, Inc., plus 3 family members with self‑directed experience and 3 family members with traditional services experience.
- Nonvoting members: legislative designees (one senator, one delegate), DDA Director of Federal Programs and Integrity (nonvoting cochair), representatives from Department of Disabilities, DHCD, DHS, Division of Rehabilitation Services (MSDE), and additional Secretary of Health‑designated members and agency designees (including long‑term services, behavioral health, health care quality, eligibility division, MLTS system office, etc.).
- Representation requirements: family members from each region; membership should reflect State gender/racial/ethnic/geographic diversity “to the extent practical.” DDA must establish application/review processes.
Who is affected
- Primary: DDA, Medicaid HCBS waiver participants and prospective applicants, providers (residential, day, employment, personal supports, transportation), family members, advocacy groups, and state agencies that coordinate waiver delivery.
- Secondary: broader stakeholder community (self‑directed support networks, advocacy organizations, legislators), and Maryland Medicaid program oversight.
Fiscal and implementation impact
- Fiscal note (Maryland Department of Legislative Services): because the bill generally codifies the existing council, any additional expenditures (e.g., travel reimbursements, webpage hosting, meeting recording) can likely be absorbed within existing DDA/MDH budgeted resources. No revenue impact. Local government operations unaffected. No small business effect identified.
Procedural/timeline notes
- Bill text assigns DDA as staffing agency, sets initial membership/term staggering mechanics (3‑year terms, nonconsecutive service), and requires Council to begin operating per meeting schedule once membership appointed.
- Cross‑file: companion HB 1244 is noted. (If enacted, Council becomes permanent statutory entity under State Health – General law.)
If you want, I can:
- Produce a one‑page stakeholder briefing tailored for providers, families, or legislators.
- Extract a membership checklist and appointment timeline for implementation planning.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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