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*sb0591*
SENATE BILL 591
E4, O3 6lr1412
CF 6lr1430
By: Senator Brooks
Introduced and read first time: February 5, 2026
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
National Public Safety Alliance for Individuals With Disabilities – Maryland 2
Chapter – Establishment 3
FOR the purpose of establishing the Maryland Chapter of the National Public Safety 4
Alliance for Individuals with Disabilit ies in the Department of State Police to 5
establish and maintain a certain secure interface for a certain purpose; requiring the 6
Department, in conjunction with the Department of Disabilities, to develop and 7
disseminate certain guidelines and training for u se by local law enforcement ; 8
establishing the Public Safety Alliance for Individuals with Disabilities Commission; 9
requiring the Commission to study and make recommendations regarding the 10
establishment of a secure interface, implementation of statewide protocols and 11
policies for use of the secure interface, and strategies for engagement with the public; 12
and generally relating to the Maryland Chapter of the National Public Safety 13
Alliance for Individuals with Disabilities. 14
BY adding to 15
Article – Public Safety 16
Section 2 –901 through 2 –904 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 9. Maryland 17
Chapter of the National Public Safety Alliance for Individuals with 18
Disabilities” 19
Annotated Code of Maryland 20
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 21
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 22
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 23
Article – Public Safety 24
SUBTITLE 9. MARYLAND CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY ALLIANCE 25
FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. 26
2 SENATE BILL 591
2–901. 1
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 2
INDICATED. 3
(B) “CHAPTER” MEANS THE MARYLAND CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL 4
PUBLIC SAFETY ALLIANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. 5
(C) “DISABILITY” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 7–101 OF THE HUMAN 6
SERVICES ARTICLE. 7
2–902. 8
(A) THERE IS A MARYLAND CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY 9
ALLIANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE DEPARTMENT. 10
(B) THE PURPOSE OF THE CHAPTER IS TO: 11
(1) ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A SECURE INTERFACE F OR MEMBERS 12
OF THE PUBLIC TO VOLUNTARILY SUBMI T CRITICAL PERSONAL INFORMATION, 13
INCLUDING CONTACT DETAILS, PHYSICAL DESCRIPTIONS, PHOTOGRAPHS, DRIVER’S 14
LICENSES, VEHICLE INFORMATION , AND ANY DISABILITY–RELATED NEEDS , 15
ACCESSIBLE TO AND FOR USE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT DURI NG AN EMERGENCY 16
RESPONSE OR INTERACTION WITH THE PUBLIC; 17
(2) ESTABLISH REQUIREMEN TS AND RESTRICTIONS FOR THE 18
SUBMISSION OF AND AC CESS TO INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE SEC URE 19
INTERFACE; 20
(3) ENABLE CROSS –JURISDICTIONAL ACCES S TO CHAPTER 21
INFORMATION BY PARTICIPATING LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES REGARDLESS OF 22
AN INDIVIDUAL’S PLACE OF RESIDENCE; AND 23
(4) ENSURE LAW ENFORCEME NT OFFICERS ARE ABLE TO RESPOND 24
EFFECTIVELY TO INDIV IDUALS WITH DISABILITIES AND REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD 25
OF NEGATIVE OUTCOMES. 26
2–903. 27
(A) THE DEPARTMENT, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF 28
DISABILITIES, SHALL: 29
SENATE BILL 591 3
(1) DEVELOP AND DISSEMINATE GUIDELINES AND TRAINING , 1
INCLUDING MANDATORY USE BY ALL LAW ENFOR CEMENT AGENCIES , BASED ON 2
PROTOCOLS AND POLIC IES IDENTIFIED BY THE PUBLIC SAFETY ALLIANCE FOR 3
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES COMMISSION, AS ENACTED BY CHAPTER ___ 4
(6LR1412) OF THE ACTS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF 2026; 5
(2) PROVIDE TECHNICAL AS SISTANCE TO LAW ENFO RCEMENT 6
AGENCIES TO AID IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CHAPTER PROTOCOLS AND 7
POLICIES; AND 8
(3) MONITOR COMPLIANCE W ITH THE PROTOCOLS , POLICIES, AND 9
GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SUBTITLE. 10
(B) GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION 11
MAY PENALIZE A LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THAT FAILS TO COMPLY WITH 12
THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBTITLE BY: 13
(1) ESTABLISHING INELIGIBILITY FOR STATE FUNDING FOR LAW 14
ENFORCEMENT TRAINING PROGRAMS; AND 15
(2) PROVIDING FOR REVIEW BY THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY 16
GENERAL FOR POTENTIAL VIOLATIONS OF APPLICABLE STATE LAW. 17
(C) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1 EACH YEAR , BEGINNING IN 2027, THE 18
DEPARTMENT SHALL REPORT TO THE SENATE JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS 19
COMMITTEE AND THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 20
2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, ON: 21
(1) PROTOCOLS AND POLICIES ADOPTED BY THE DEPARTMENT; AND 22
(2) LAW ENFORCEMENT AGEN CY COMPLIANCE WITH DEPARTMENT 23
PROTOCOLS AND POLICIES. 24
2–904. 25
(A) THE CHAPTER SHALL ESTABLI SH A GRANT PROGRAM T O ASSIST LAW 26
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WITH THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH TRAINING AND THE 27
IMPLEMENTATION OF PROTOCOLS AND POLICIES. 28
(B) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2028 AND EACH FISCAL YEAR THEREAFTER, THE 29
GOVERNOR MAY INCLUDE IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET AN APPROPRIATION SUFFICIENT 30
TO SUPPORT THE GRANT PROGRAM AND THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBTITLE. 31
4 SENATE BILL 591
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 1
(a) In this section, “Commission” means the Public Safety Alliance for Individuals 2
with Disabilities Commission. 3
(b) There is a Public Safety Alliance for Individuals with Disabilities Commission. 4
(c) The Commission consists of the following members: 5
(1) one member of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the President of 6
the Senate; 7
(2) one member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the 8
House; 9
(3) the Secretary of Disabilities, or the Secretary’s designee; 10
(4) one sworn member of the Maryland State Police, appointed by the 11
Secretary of State Police; 12
(5) one sworn member of the Maryland Transit Administration Police, 13
appointed by the Chief of the Maryland Transit Administration Police; 14
(6) one sworn member of the Maryland Capitol Police of the Department of 15
General Services, appointed by the Chief of the Maryland Capitol Police; 16
(7) one representative of Disability Rights Maryland; 17
(8) one representative of the ARC Maryland; 18
(9) one representative of an organization in the State that advocates for 19
individuals with a physical disability, appointed by the Secretary of Disabilities; and 20
(10) at least one member of the public with expertise in disability rights and 21
public safety, appointed by the Secretary of State Police. 22
(d) The Secretary of State Police shall designate the chair of the Commission. 23
(e) The State agencies represented on the Commission shall provide staff for the 24
Commission. 25
(f) A member of the Commission: 26
(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Commission; but 27
(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 28
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 29
SENATE BILL 591 5
(g) The Commission shall: 1
(1) meet: 2
(i) on a monthly basis during the implementation by the Maryland 3
Chapter of the National Public Safety Alliance for Individuals with Disabilities of the 4
secure interface; and 5
(ii) once every other month thereafter to asse ss and address any 6
issues with the secure interface, assess engagement with the public and develop strategies 7
for greater engagement, if necessary, and assess other issues as needed; 8
(2) study and make recommendations for: 9
(i) the establishment of a secure interface for the use of law 10
enforcement agencies in the State; 11
(ii) the implementation of statewide protocols and policies regarding 12
the use of the secure interface by law enforcement agencies; and 13
(iii) a statewide training plan; 14
(3) coordinate with the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy to 15
conduct public outreach and engagement campaigns to inform communities about the 16
resources of the Maryland Chapter of the National Public Safety Alliance for Individuals 17
with Disabilities established under Section 1 of this Act; and 18
(4) on or before February 1, 2027, submit to the Secretary of State Police 19
the statewide protocols and policies and training plan developed in accordance with this 20
subsection for approval by the Secretary of State Police. 21
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 22
October 1, 2026. Section 2 of this Act shall remain effective for a period of 3 years and, at 23
the end of September 30, 2029, Section 2 of this Act, with no further action required by the 24
General Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no further force and effect. 25