Maryland HB 1424: Support and Protections for Individuals Affected by Federal Actions (Protect Our Federal Workers Act)

Bill Text

WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 97

– 1 –
Chapter 97
(House Bill 1424)

AN ACT concerning

Catastrophic Event Account and, Federal Government Shutdown Employee
Assistance Loan Fund, and Powers of the Attorney General – Alterations
Support and Protections for Individuals Affected by Federal Actions
(Protect Our Federal Workers Act)

FOR the purpose of renaming the Federal Government Shutdown Employee Assistance
Loan Fund to be the Federal Government Employee Assistance Loan Fund;
authorizing funds appropriated to the Catastrophic Event Account to be expended to
assist in funding costs in connection with a closure, relocation, or mass layoff of a
unit of the federal government, or other similar circumstances; altering the purpose
of the Fund and the eligibility criteria to receive loans from the Fund; authorizing
the Maryland Department of Labor to disclose certain information to a third–party
vendor for a certain purpose and to forgive a loan from the Fund; expanding the
authority of the Attorney General to take certain actions under certain
circumstances; increasing the amount the Governor is required to appropriate in the
proposed budget each year to the Attorney General to be used for certain purposes;
altering a requirement that the Attorney General use a certain appropriation to
employ a certain number of attorneys; establishing the Expedited Hiring Program in
the Department of Budget and Management; authorizing an appointing authority to
recruit for certain vacant positions in State government under certain circumstances;
authorizing the Secretary of Budget and Management to contract with a certain entity
for a certain purpose; authorizing the disclosure of certain tax information to the
Maryland Department of Labor for certain purposes; requiring the Maryland
Department of Labor to conduct certain research and make a certain report;
authorizing the Governor to make certain transfers of funds subject to the review and
comment of the Legislative Policy Committee; and generally relating to the
Catastrophic Event Account and, the Federal Government Employee Assistance
Loan Fund, and the powers of the Attorney General, and the Expedited Hiring
Program and the Department of Budget and Management.

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
Article – State Finance and Procurement
Section 6–226(a)(1) and (2)(i)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement)

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article – State Finance and Procurement
Section 6–226(a)(2)(ii)118., 7–324, and 7–327
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement)

Ch. 97 2025 LAWS OF MARYLAND

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BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article – State Government
Section 6–106.1
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement)

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
Article – State Personnel and Pensions
Section 1–101(a), (b), (f), (j), (k), (m), and (p)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement)

BY adding to
Article – State Personnel and Pensions
Section 7–201.1
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement)

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article – Tax – General
Section 13–203(c)(17) and (18)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement)

BY adding to
Article – Tax – General
Section 13–203(c)(19)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement)

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

Article – State Finance and Procurement

6–226.

(a) (1) Except as otherwise specifically provided by law or by regulation of the
Treasurer, the Treasurer shall credit to the General Fund any interest on or other income
from State money that the Treasurer invests.

(2) (i) 1. This subparagraph does not apply in fiscal years 2024
through 2028.

WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 97

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2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and unless
inconsistent with a federal law, grant agreement, or other federal requirement or with the
terms of a gift or settlement agreement, net interest on all State money allocated by the
State Treasurer under this section to special funds or accounts, and otherwise entitled to
receive interest earnings, as accounted for by the Comptroller, shall accrue to the General
Fund of the State.

(ii) The provisions of subparagraph (i) of this paragraph do not apply
to the following funds:

118. the Federal Government [Shutdown] Employee
Assistance Loan Fund;

7–324.

(a) In this section, “Account” means the Catastrophic Event Account.

(b) Subject to the provisions of this section, the Account is established to enable
the State or a local government to respond without undue delay to:

(1) a natural disaster or other catastrophic situation[, or];

(2) federal employee financial hardship from a full or partial federal
government shutdown due to a lapse in federal app