(2) Each health insurance policy and certificate shall contain a notice of
the prohibition established by paragraph (1) of this subsection in a form approved by
the Commissioner.

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Section 1 of this Act shall
take effect October 1, 1999.

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That all health insurance
carriers subject to the provisions of this Act shall make the benefits for universal
hearing screening of newborns available on and after July 1, 2000, notwithstanding
any policy or benefit statement to the contrary.

SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Section 2 of this Act shall
take effect July 1, 2000.

SECTION 5. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, except as provided in
Section 4 of this Act, this Act shall take effect October 1, 1999.

Approved April 27, 1999.

CHAPTER 129
(Senate Bill 1)

AN ACT concerning

Ethics Law - Reform of Legislative Ethics Process

FOR the purpose of altering provisions of the Maryland Public Ethics Law relating to
members of the General Assembly and, under certain circumstances, to other
officials and employees of the State; altering provisions of law relating to the
employment of relatives of members of the General Assembly; stating a certain
requirement as to the use of public resources by members of the General
Assembly; authorizing the Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics to adopt
certain Rules of Legislative Ethics; providing for the appointment of a Counsel
to the Joint Committee; specifying the duties of the Counsel; altering certain
employment restrictions relating to members of the General Assembly; altering
certain provisions relating to the solicitation, acceptance, and reporting of gifts
under the Maryland Public Ethics Law; including members of the General
Assembly under a provision prohibiting certain use of the prestige of office;
altering provisions relating to the presumption of a conflict of interests;
prohibiting a member of the General Assembly from participating in certain
legislative action under certain circumstances; requiring the disclosure of
certain information by members of the General Assembly under certain
circumstances; requiring the Joint Committee to make certain information and
documents publicly available on the Internet; requiring the Joint Committee
and the State Ethics Commission to develop certain procedures for the electronic
filing of certain documents; altering procedures under which the Joint
Committee issues advisory opinions; altering procedures for the investigation of