Department of Licensing & Regulatim/379

ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

The Department of Licensing and Regulation supervises many of the State's licensing and regulatory
boards. Created in 1970, the Department consolidated over thirty State agencies and boards responsible
for licensing and regulating businesses, professions, and trades. The oldest of these date to the nineteenth
century: the Insurance Department (1872); the Bureau of Statistics and Information (1884); and the State
Board of Examining Engineers (1892). More boards were established in the twentieth century: State Board
of Public Accountancy in 1900; Board of Barber Examiners in 1904; State Board of Commisioners of
Practical Plumbing and Board of Examining Moving Picture Machine Operators in 1910; Maryland State
Board of Censors in 1916; Scare Athletic Commission and Maryland Radng Commission in 1920; Board
of Examiners and Registration of Architects and Board of Hairdressers and Beauty Culcurists in 1935; State
Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Real Estate Commission of Maryland in 1939;

Maryland Home Improvement Commission in 1962; Board of Examiners for Hearing Aid Dealers in 1969;

Maryland Board of Examiners of Landscape Architects in 1971; State Board of Registration for Foresters
in 1972; State Board of Registration for Professional Land Surveyors in 1977; State Commission of Real
Estate Appraisers in 1990; and State Board of Certified Interior Designers in 1991.

The first effort to bring together licensing and regulatory boards came in 1951, when the Central
License Office was authorized to house five boards (Chapter 280, Acts of 1951). The Office provided
office space and clerical services to the Board of Barber Examiners, the Board of Examining Engineers,
the Board of Examiners of Motion Picture Machine Operators, the Board of Electrical Examiners and
Supervisors, and the State Board of Commissioners of Practical Plumbing. In 1970, the Office was
abolished when the Department of Licensing and Regulation was created (Chapter 402, Acts of 1970).

The Department is organized into five Divisions: Insurance, Financial Regulation, Labor and Industry,
Occupational and Professional Licensing, and Racing. The Insurance Division supervises all aspects of
insurance services used by Maryland residents. The Division of Financial Regulation controls the operation
of banks, State-chartered savings and loan associations, credit unions, consumer loan companies, sales
finance companies, mortgage companies, and collection agencies. The Division also insures certain savings
and loan associations.

Protection for workers is provided by the Division of Labor and Industry, which sees safety standards
and promotes harmony between employers and employees. The Division also protects the public by
inspecting railroads, boilers, elevators, and amusement rides. Standards of performance for several
vocations are enforced by the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. The Division supervises
a variety of specialized occupations, including accountants, architects, engineers, cosmetologists, barbers,
home improvement contractors, and real estate brokers. The Division regulates the sports of boxing and
wrestling as well. The Maryland Racing Commission, through the Division of Racing, regulates
thoroughbred and harness horse racing.