Read the full stored bill text
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb0880*
SENATE BILL 880
P4 6lr2975
CF HB 1248
By: Senator Kramer
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
Assigned to: Finance
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 25, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Part–Time State Employment Pilot Program Workgroup for an Inclusive State 2
Workplace – Established 3
(Maryland Workforce Retention, Recruitment, and Reentry Act) 4
FOR the purpose of establishing the Part–Time State Employment Pilot Program in the 5
Department of Budget and Management to promote and support the inclusivity of 6
State employment by increasing the availability of part–time positions with benefits 7
in State government; requiring State agencies selected to participate in the Program 8
to evaluate full–time position vacancies to determine whether the vacant positions 9
could be converted to part–time positions with benefits; and generally relating to the 10
Part–Time State Employment Pilot Program Workgroup for an Inclusive State 11
Workplace to study and make recommendations regarding the expansion of 12
part–time State employment opportunities for individuals who are challenged by the 13
traditional full –time employment structure; requiring the Department of Budget 14
and Management, taking into consideration the Workgroup’s findings and 15
recommendations, to develop and distribute guidance to State agencies on expanding 16
part–time employment opport unities; and generally relating to the Workgroup for 17
an Inclusive State Workplace. 18
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 19
Article – State Personnel and Pensions 20
Section 1–101(a), (f), and (j) 21
Annotated Code of Maryland 22
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 23
2 SENATE BILL 880
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 1
Article – State Personnel and Pensions 2
Section 7–701 3
Annotated Code of Maryland 4
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 5
BY adding to 6
Article – State Personnel and Pensions 7
Section 7–702 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 10
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 11
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 12
Article – State Personnel and Pensions 13
1–101. 14
(a) In this Division I of this article the following words have the meanings 15
indicated. 16
(f) Unless expressly provided otherwise, “Department” means the Department of 17
Budget and Management. 18
(j) “Position” means an employment assignment of duties and res ponsibilities 19
that requires the full–time employment of one individual or less than full–time employment 20
of one or more individuals. 21
7–701. 22
(a) [In] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN § 7–702 OF THIS SUBTITLE, IN this [title] 23
SUBTITLE, “part–time employee” means an employee who works an average of 50% or more 24
but less than 100% of the regular workweek. 25
(b) An individual who is a full–time employee who is qualified for or desires to be 26
a full–time employee may not be required to accept part –time employment as a cond ition 27
of continued or new State employment. 28
(c) An individual who is a part –time employee who is qualified for or desires to 29
be a part–time employee may not be required to accept full–time employment as a condition 30
of continued or new State employment. 31
(d) (1) In accordance with regulations adopted by the Secretary, a part –time 32
employee is entitled to receive all employment rights, privileges, and benefits that are 33
normally available to a full –time employee in a similar position with a similar grade and 34
length of service. 35
SENATE BILL 880 3
(2) Benefits shall be prorated in proportion to the number of hours 1
employed. 2
7–702. 3
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 4
INDICATED. 5
(2) “PART–TIME EMPLOYEE” MEANS AN EMPLOYEE WHO WORKS LESS 6
THAN 100% OF FULL–TIME EMPLOYMENT AND WHOSE POSITION DUTIES: 7
(I) DO NOT STEM FROM A P ARENT OR ORIGINATING POSITION 8
IDENTIFICATION NUMBER; AND 9
(II) ARE NOT MEANT TO BE SHARED WITH ANOTHER EMPLOYEE. 10
(3) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE PART–TIME STATE EMPLOYMENT 11
PILOT PROGRAM. 12
(B) THERE IS A PART–TIME STATE EMPLOYMENT PILOT PROGRAM IN THE 13
DEPARTMENT. 14
(C) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PROMOTE AND SUPPORT THE 15
INCLUSIVITY OF STATE EMPLOYMENT BY I NCREASING THE AVAILA BILITY OF 16
PART–TIME POSITIONS WITH BENEFITS IN STATE GOVERNMENT. 17
(D) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SELECT FIVE AGENCIES IN THE EXECUTIVE 18
BRANCH OF STATE GOVERNMENT WITH A BROAD AND DIVERSE REPRESENTATION 19
OF POSITIONS AND POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM. 20
(E) (1) EACH STATE AGENCY SELECTED BY THE DEPARTMENT SHALL 21
EVALUATE FULL –TIME POSITION VACANC IES WITHIN THE AGENC Y AS THE 22
POSITIONS BECOME AVA ILABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER ANY OF THE V ACANT 23
FULL–TIME POSITIONS COULD BE CONVERTED TO TWO PART–TIME POSITIONS WITH 24
BENEFITS. 25
(2) IF A STATE AGENCY DETERMINES THAT T HERE ARE NO VACANT 26
FULL–TIME POSITIONS WITHIN THE AGENCY THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR CONVERSION 27
TO TWO PART–TIME POSITIONS, THE AGENCY SHALL DOCUMENT THE REASONS FOR 28
THE DETERMINATION. 29
(F) IF A STATE AGENCY DETERMINES THAT A VACANT FULL–TIME POSITION 30
IS ELIGIBLE FOR CONVERSION TO TWO PART–TIME POSITIONS, THE AGENCY SHALL: 31
4 SENATE BILL 880
(1) CONVERT THE FULL –TIME POSITION TO TWO PART–TIME 1
POSITIONS; AND 2
(2) ADVERTISE AND RECRUIT FOR THE VACANCY AS TWO PART–TIME 3
POSITIONS. 4
(G) IN ADDITION TO EVALUATING VACANT FU LL–TIME POSITIONS AS 5
REQUIRED UNDER SUBSE CTION (E)(1) OF THIS SECTION , A STATE AGENCY 6
SELECTED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR PARTIC IPATION IN THE PROGRAM MAY 7
EVALUATE ANY OTHER F ULL–TIME POSITIONS FOR P OTENTIAL SUITABILITY FOR 8
CONVERSION TO TWO PART–TIME POSITIONS. 9
(H) A SUPERVISOR WHOSE DUT IES NORMALLY INCLUDE SUPERVISING AN 10
INDIVIDUAL IN A FULL –TIME POSITION THAT I S CONVERTED TO TWO P ART–TIME 11
POSITIONS UNDER THE PROGRAM MAY NOT HAVE THEIR SUPERVISORY DU TIES 12
INCREASED BY MORE THAN ONE INDIVIDUAL AS A RESULT OF THE CONVERSION OF 13
FULL–TIME POSITIONS. 14
(I) ON OR BEFORE JULY 1 AND DECEMBER 1 EACH YEAR , BEGINNING 15
DECEMBER 1, 2026, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SUBM IT A REPORT TO THE 16
GOVERNOR AND , IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT 17
ARTICLE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON: 18
(1) THE STATUS OF THE EL IGIBILITY DETERMINAT IONS BY EACH 19
STATE AGENCY PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM; AND 20
(2) THE NUMBER OF NEW PA RT–TIME EMPLOYEES HIRED BY EACH 21
STATE AGENCY PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM. 22
(a) There is a Workgroup for an Inclusive State Workplace. 23
(b) The Workgroup consists of the following members: 24
(1) the Secretary of Budget and Management, or the Secretary’s designee; 25
(2) the Comptroller, or the Comptroller’s designee; 26
(3) the Secretary of Information Technology, or the Secretary’s designee; 27
(4) the Secretary of Commerce, or the Secretary’s designee; 28
(5) the Secretary of Aging, or the Secretary’s designee; 29
SENATE BILL 880 5
(6) the Executive Director of the Maryland Commission for Women, or the 1
Executive Director’s designee; 2
(7) the Secretary of Health, or the Secretary’s designee; 3
(8) the Secretary of Disabilities, or the Secretary’s designee; 4
(9) the Secretary of Transportation, or the Secretary’s designee; 5
(10) the Chancellor of the University System of Maryland, or the 6
Chancellor’s designee; 7
(11) one representative from a State employees union, appointed by the 8
Governor; 9
(12) one member of the Senate of Mary land, appointed by the President of 10
the Senate; 11
(13) one member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the 12
House; and 13
(14) any representative appointed by the Governor under subsection (c) of 14
this section. 15
(c) The Governor may appoint the following members to the Workgroup: 16
(1) a representative who is actively engaged in the caregiving community; 17
(2) a representative who is actively engaged in the disabilities community; 18
(3) a representative who is actively engaged in the healthcare community; 19
(4) a representative who is actively engaged in the older adult community; 20
and 21
(5) an economist with expertise in labor economics. 22
(d) The Governor shall designate the chair of the Workgroup. 23
(e) The Department of Budget and Management shall provide staff for the 24
Workgroup. 25
(f) A member of the Workgroup: 26
(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Workgroup; but 27
6 SENATE BILL 880
(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 1
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 2
(g) (1) The Workgroup shall begin meeting before October 1, 2026. 3
(2) The Workgroup shall: 4
(i) outline the steps the State needs to take to encourage the 5
expansion of part–time employment within the State Personnel Managem ent System, the 6
University System of Maryland, and the Department of Transportation; 7
(ii) focus on the inclusive employment opportunities in State 8
government and removing obstacles for individuals challenged by full–time employment; 9
(iii) review the current policies and procedures concerning part–time 10
employment in State government; 11
(iv) analyze the budgetary incentives, recruitment best practices, 12
and support structures currently in place to encourage hiring of part–time, benefit–eligible 13
employees; 14
(v) study the economic and operational effects and quantify the 15
long–term economic benefits of part –time employment on households and State 16
government; 17
(vi) suggest timelines and identify methods and associated metrics 18
for expanding part–time employment opportunities; and 19
(vii) identify any potential statutory changes required to implement 20
the steps identified by the Workgroup. 21
(h) On or before September 15, 2027, the Workgroup shall provide its findings 22
and recommendations in a report to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of 23
the State Government Article. 24
(i) On or before December 31, 2027, the Department of Budget and Management 25
shall develop and distribute guidance to State agencies on expanding part –time 26
employment opportunities, taking into consideration the findings and recommendations of 27
the Workgroup. 28
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 29
1, 2026. It shall remain effective for a period of 3 2 years and, at the end of J une 30, 2029 30
2028, this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated 31
and of no further force and effect. 32