2023 Maryland Statutes › State Personnel and Pensions › Division I - State Personnel › Title 2 - State Employment Generally › Subtitle 5 - Health and Welfare Benefits Program › Section 2-503 - Duties and Authority of Secretary

(a)    The Secretary shall:
(1)    adopt regulations for the administration of the Program;
(2)    ensure that the Program complies with:
(i)    all federal and State laws governing employee benefit plans; and
(ii)    §§ 15–826, 15–826.1, 15–826.2, and, as applicable to contraceptive drugs and devices, 15–831(a) through (d) of the Insurance Article;
(3)    each year, recommend to the Governor the State share of the costs of the Program; and
(4)    make ongoing eligibility determinations to ensure that participation in the Program does not impede, undermine, or conflict with federal compliance obligations or government and cafeteria plan status.
(b)    (1)    The Secretary may arrange as the Secretary considers appropriate any benefit option for inclusion in the Program.
(2)    The Secretary shall include in the Program an option to purchase up to $200,000 of additional life insurance coverage for employees who:
(i)    fly in a helicopter in the course of their employment with the State;
(ii)    scuba dive in the course of their employment with the State; or
(iii)    as a result of their employment with the State, face a significant likelihood of receiving a less favorable life insurance rating than an individual employed in a nonhazardous position.
(3)    (i)    The Secretary shall include a wellness program in the Program.
(ii)    The wellness program shall:
1.    be developed in consultation with the Secretary of Health;
2.    promote the goals of the Maryland Department of Health State Health Improvement Process; and
3.    aim to achieve savings in the Program over time that exceed the costs of the wellness program.
(c)    The Secretary shall specify by regulation the types or categories of State employees who:
(1)    are eligible to enroll and participate in the Program with State subsidies;
(2)    are eligible to enroll and participate in the Program without State subsidies; and
(3)    are not eligible to enroll or participate in the Program.
(d)    (1)    The regulations adopted by the Secretary shall include provisions for the enrollment and participation of employees of all:
(i)    organizations and entities that were participating in the Program as satellite organizations on January 1, 1993; and
(ii)    employee organizations that qualify for payroll deductions under the provisions of § 2–403 of this title.
(2)    Employees of organizations and entities covered by this section may participate:
(i)    without State subsidies; and
(ii)    with payment by the organization or entity of administrative costs resulting from the participation of its employees in the Program.
(3)    The regulations adopted by the Secretary under this subsection shall provide that an employee organization specified in paragraph (1)(ii) of this subsection:
(i)    may not enroll or participate in the Program unless the organization has notified the Secretary, in writing, on or before July 1, 1994 of the organization’s intent to enroll and participate in the Program during calendar year 1994; and
(ii)    may not enroll or participate in the Program on or after January 1, 1995 unless the organization has participated in the Program during calendar year 1994.