3-1-1 Systems - Expansion Program and Oversight Board - Establishment

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0009*

HOUSE BILL 9
E4 6lr1252
(PRE–FILED) CF SB 114
By: Delegates Lopez and Kerr
Requested: October 17, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Government, Labor, and Elections

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

3–1–1 Systems – Expansion Program and Oversight Board – Establishment 2

FOR the purpose of establishing the Maryland 3 –1–1 Oversight Board in the Maryland 3
Information Network; establishing the 3 –1–1 Program to use certain artificial 4
intelligence to answer certain questions and route certain calls in certain counties; 5
requiring the expansion of the 3–1–1 Program to all of the counties in Maryland on 6
or before a certain date; and generally relating to 3–1–1 systems. 7

BY adding to 8
Article – Public Safety 9
Section 1–3A–01 through 1–3A–05 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 3A. 3–1–1 10
Nonemergency Community Information and Referral Systems” 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 13

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 14
Article – State Finance and Procurement 15
Section 3.5–801(a) and (c) 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 18

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20

Article – Public Safety 21

SUBTITLE 3A. 3–1–1 NONEMERGENCY COMMUNITY INFORMATION AND REFERRAL 22
SYSTEMS. 23

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1–3A–01. 1

(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE ME ANINGS 2
INDICATED. 3

(B) “ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 3.5–801 4
OF THE STATE FINANCE AND PROCUREMENT ARTICLE. 5

(C) “BOARD” MEANS THE MARYLAND 3–1–1 OVERSIGHT BOARD 6
ESTABLISHED UNDER § 1–3A–02 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 7

(D) “CHATBOT” MEANS A COMPUTER PRO GRAM AVAILABLE THROU GH A 8
PHONE NUMBER , A WEBSITE , OR AN APPLICATION TH AT SIMULATES HUMAN 9
CONVERSATION THROUGH TEXT OR VOICE , USING ARTIFICIAL INT ELLIGENCE TO 10
RESPOND TO TYPED QUE STIONS USING INFORMA TION FROM CURATED , 11
AGENCY–APPROVED SOURCES SUCH AS GOVE RNMENT WEBSITES , SERVICE 12
CATALOGS, ORDINANCES, FORMS, AND GEOGRAPHIC INFOR MATION SYSTEM 13
LAYERS. 14

(E) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE 3–1–1 PROGRAM ESTABLISHED U NDER § 15
1–3A–04 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 16

(F) “3–1–1 SYSTEM” MEANS A TELEPHONE SE RVICE OR OT HER 17
TECHNOLOGY USED TO A CCESS A LOCAL GOVERN MENT SERVICE LINE , DESIGNED 18
FOR REPORTING AND RE SOLVING COMMUNITY IN FRASTRUCTURE AND SER VICE 19
ISSUES ON A NONEMERGENCY BASIS. 20

(G) “VOICEBOT” MEANS A COMPUTER PRO GRAM AVAILABLE THROU GH A 21
PHONE NUMBER THAT SI MULATES HUMAN CONVERSATI ON USING ARTIFICIAL 22
INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGY THAT: 23

(1) RESPONDS TO VOCAL QU ESTIONS OVER THE PHO NE USING 24
INFORMATION FROM CUR ATED, AGENCY–APPROVED SOURCES SUC H AS 25
GOVERNMENT WEBSITES , SERVICE CATALOGS , ORDINANCES, FORMS, AND 26
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM LAYERS; AND 27

(2) ROUTES CALLS TO APPROPRIATE DESTINATIONS. 28

1–3A–02. 29

(A) THERE IS A MARYLAND 3–1–1 OVERSIGHT BOARD IN THE MARYLAND 30
INFORMATION NETWORK. 31

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(B) THE BOARD CONSISTS OF: 1

(1) TWO MEMBERS OF THE SENATE OF MARYLAND, APPOINTED BY 2
THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE; 3

(2) TWO MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES, APPOINTED BY 4
THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE; 5

(3) THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR: 6

(I) A PERSON WITH EXPERTISE IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE; 7

(II) A PERSON WITH EXPERTISE IN GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION 8
SYSTEMS; AND 9

(III) A MEMBER OF THE GENE RAL PUBLIC TO SERVE AS THE 10
CHAIR OF THE BOARD; AND 11

(4) ONE REPRESENTATIVE FROM EACH OF THE FOLLOWING: 12

(I) THE MARYLAND INFORMATION NETWORK; 13

(II) THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION 14
TECHNOLOGY; 15

(III) THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY 16
MANAGEMENT; 17

(IV) THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF AGING; 18

(V) THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF DISABILITIES; 19

(VI) THE MARYLAND 9–1–1 BOARD; 20

(VII) THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES; 21

(VIII) THE MARYLAND MUNICIPAL LEAGUE; 22

(IX) A COUNTY IN THE STATE THAT IS NOT PAR TICIPATING IN 23
THE PROGRAM UNDER § 1–3A–04 OF THIS SUBTITLE AND DOES NOT HAVE AN 24
EXISTING 3–1–1 SYSTEM; 25

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(X) A COUNTY IN THE STATE THAT IS NOT PAR TICIPATING IN 1
THE PROGRAM UNDER § 1–3A–04 OF THIS SUBTITLE AND HAS AN EXISTING 3–1–1 2
SYSTEM; 3

(XI) A COUNTY IN THE STATE THAT IS PARTICI PATING IN THE 4
PROGRAM UNDER § 1–3A–04 OF THIS SUBTITLE AND DOES NOT HAVE AN EXISTING 5
3–1–1 SYSTEM; AND 6

(XII) A COUNTY IN THE STATE THAT IS PARTICI PATING IN THE 7
PROGRAM UNDER § 1–3A–04 OF THIS SUBTITLE AND HAS AN EXISTING 3–1–1 8
SYSTEM. 9

(C) THE TERMS OF THE MEMB ERS DESCRIBED IN SUB SECTION (B)(1), (2), 10
AND (4)(IX) THROUGH (XII) OF THIS SECTION SHALL TERMINATE AFTER THE BOARD 11
SUBMITS THE REPORT REQUIRED UNDER § 1–3A–05(B) OF THIS SUBTITLE. 12

(D) THE BOARD SHALL MEET AT LEAST FOUR TIMES PER CALENDAR YEAR. 13

(E) FOR PURPOSES OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, A PROJECT SITE VISIT OR 14
EDUCATIONAL FIELD TOUR MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED A MEETING OF THE BOARD IF 15
NO ORGANIZATIONAL BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED. 16

(F) A MEMBER OF THE BOARD: 17

(1) MAY NOT RECEIVE COMPENSATION AS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD; 18
BUT 19

(2) IS ENTITLED TO REIMB URSEMENT FOR EXPENSE S UNDER THE 20
STANDARD STATE TRAVEL REGULATIONS, AS PROVIDED IN THE STATE BUDGET. 21

(G) THE MARYLAND INFORMATION NETWORK SHALL PROVIDE STAFF TO 22
THE BOARD. 23

1–3A–03. 24

(A) THE BOARD SHALL: 25

(1) DESIGNATE COUNTIES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM; 26

(2) ESTABLISH EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR THE PROGRAM; 27

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(3) REVIEW VENDOR APPLIC ATIONS SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD BY 1
THE MARYLAND INFORMATION NETWORK UNDER § 1–3A–04(D) OF THIS SUBTITLE 2
AND SELECT A VENDOR; 3

(4) ENSURE 3–1–1 SYSTEMS ALIGN WITH B EST PRACTICES FOR 4
TECHNOLOGY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND EQUITY; 5

(5) APPROVE AND COORDINATE STATEWIDE MARKETING STRATEGIES 6
FOR THE PROGRAM UNDER THIS SUBTITLE; 7

(6) IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM; AND 8

(7) DEVELOP A SET OF UNI FIED STATEWIDE DATA STANDARDS FOR 9
3–1–1 SYSTEMS. 10

(B) MARKETING STRATEGIES APPROVED UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE: 11

(1) ACCESSIBLE; 12

(2) MULTILINGUAL; AND 13

(3) CULTURALLY COMPETENT. 14

1–3A–04. 15

(A) THE BOARD SHALL ESTABLISH A 3–1–1 PROGRAM. 16

(B) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO EVALUATE AND EXPAND THE USE 17
OF 3–1–1 SYSTEMS IN THE STATE. 18

(C) THE BOARD SHALL DESIGNATE TWO COUNTI ES THAT HAVE 3–1–1 19
SYSTEMS AND TWO COUNTIES THAT DO NOT HAVE 3–1–1 SYSTEMS TO PARTICIPATE 20
IN THE PROGRAM. 21

(D) THE BOARD SHALL REQUIRE THE MARYLAND INFORMATION NETWORK 22
TO: 23

(1) SOLICIT REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS FROM VENDO RS FOR 24
TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS AND OTHER SERVICES N ECESSARY TO RUN 3–1–1 25
SYSTEMS FOR THE PROGRAM; AND 26

(2) SUBMIT A LIST OF POSSIBLE VENDORS TO THE BOARD. 27

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(E) (1) ON OR BEFORE JUNE 30, 2027, THE BOARD SHALL ESTABLISH A 1
CHATBOT IN EACH COUNTY DESIGNATED BY THE BOARD UNDER SUBSECTION (C) OF 2
THIS SECTION. 3

(2) EACH CHATBOT SHALL INCLUDE: 4

(I) MULTILINGUAL SUPPORT; 5

(II) INTEGRATION WITH GEO GRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM 6
DATA FOR ACCURATE ROUTING; AND 7

(III) CLEAR ESCALATION PROTO COLS TO ROUTE COMPLE X 8
REQUESTS TO LIVE AGENTS. 9

(3) (I) EACH COUNTY PARTICIPA TING IN THE PROGRAM SHALL 10
DESIGNATE THE SOURCES A CHATBOT MAY USE IN RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS. 11

(II) 1. THE VENDOR OF THE 3–1–1 SYSTEM CHOSEN TO HOST 12
A CHATBOT SHALL ANALYZE THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CHATBOT BASED ON USER 13
FEEDBACK REGARDING ACCURACY OF CHATBOT RESPONSES. 14

2. A. THE VENDOR SHALL INVE STIGATE AN ANSWER 15
THAT A USER DESIGNATES AS INACCURATE. 16

B. IF THE SOURCE IS DETE RMINED TO BE INACCURATE, 17
THE AGENCY OPERATING THE SOURCE WEBPAGE S HALL UPDATE IT TO BE COME 18
ACCURATE. 19

(F) (1) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2028, THE BOARD SHALL 20
ESTABLISH A VOICEBOT IN EACH PARTICIPATING COUNTY. 21

(2) EACH VOICEBOT SHALL INCLUDE: 22

(I) MULTILINGUAL SUPPORT; 23

(II) THE ABILITY TO TRANS FER CALLS TO 9–1–1, 2–1–1, AND 24
9–8–8, AS NEEDED; 25

(III) INTEGRATION WITH GEO GRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM 26
DATA FOR ACCURATE ROUTING; AND 27

(IV) CLEAR ESCALATION PRO TOCOLS TO ROUTE COMP LEX 28
REQUESTS TO LIVE AGENTS. 29
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(3) THE VENDOR OF THE 3–1–1 SYSTEM CHOSEN TO HOST A VOICEBOT 1
SHALL ANALYZE THE PE RFORMANCE OF THE VOI CEBOT IN THE SAME WA Y AS THE 2
CHATBOT UNDER SUBSECTION (E)(3)(II) OF THIS SECTION. 3

(G) ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2028, THE BOARD SHALL IMPLEMENT THE 4
PROGRAM IN EACH COUN TY IN THE STATE ACCORDING TO TH E IMPLEMENTATION 5
PLAN SUBMITTED UNDER § 1–3A–05(B) OF THIS SUBTITLE. 6

1–3A–05. 7

(A) (1) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2027, THE BOARD, IN 8
CONSULTATION WITH THE MARYLAND INFORMATION NETWORK, SHALL SUBMIT A 9
REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE 10
GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON THE PROGR ESS OF THE 11
PROGRAM. 12

(2) THE REPORT REQUIRED U NDER THIS SUBSECTION SHALL 13
INCLUDE: 14

(I) CALL DEFLECTION TRACKING BASED ON THE REDUCTION IN 15
9–1–1 CALLS FOR THAT TIME PERIOD; 16

(II) USER SATISFACTION; 17

(III) ACCESSIBILITY OF THE 3–1–1 SYSTEM; 18

(IV) COSTS SAVED BY A PARTICIPATING COUNTY, IF ANY; 19

(V) AN EVALUATION OF THE INTEGRATION OF THE C HATBOTS 20
AND VOICEBOTS INTO EACH COUNTY; AND 21

(VI) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT. 22

(B) ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2028, THE BOARD, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE 23
MARYLAND INFORMATION NETWORK, SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR 24
AND, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE 25
GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT: 26

(1) EVALUATES THE IMPLEM ENTATION OF THE PROGRAM 27
INCLUDING: 28

(I) COST EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CHATBOT AND VOICEBOT; 29
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(II) EQUITY IN SERVICE ACCESS; 1

(III) CHALLENGES OF INTEGR ATING THE CHATBOT AN D 2
VOICEBOT INTO COUNTY SYSTEMS; 3

(IV) USER SATISFACTION; AND 4

(V) CALL VOLUME DATA FOR 9–1–1 IN THE PROGRAM 5
COUNTIES; AND 6

(2) CREATES A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM TO 7
EACH COUNTY IN THE STATE. 8

Article – State Finance and Procurement 9

3.5–801. 10

(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 11

(c) “Artificial intelligence” means a machine–based system that: 12

(1) can, for a given set of human –defined objectives, make predictions, 13
recommendations, or decisions influencing real or virtual environments; 14

(2) uses machine and human –based inputs to perceive real and virtual 15
environments and abstracts those perceptions into models through analysis in an 16
automated manner; and 17

(3) uses model inference to formulate options for information or action. 18

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 19
1, 2026. 20