WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor                             Ch. 94

(11)    ENCOURAGE THE UTILIZATION OF THE STATE'S INNOVATIVE IDEA
AWARD PROGRAM AND THE INCENTIVE PERFORMANCE AWARDS PROGRAM FOR
STATE EMPLOYEES UNDER TITLE 8, SUBTITLE 2 OF THE STATE PERSONNEL AND
PENSIONS ARTICLE AND ASSESS THE NEED FOR EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY UNDER
THESE PROGRAMS;

(12)    WORK WITH APPROPRIATE STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS:

(I)       TO ASSESS THE COSTS AND BENEFITS OF EXISTING STATE
MANDATES IMPOSED ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND OF PROPOSALS FOR HELPING
TO MITIGATE THE FISCAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE MANDATES;

(II)    • TO EVALUATE THE FUNDING AND MANAGEMENT OF THOSE
COUNTY-FUNDED STATE ENTITIES SPECIFIED IN ARTICLE 24, § 8-101 OF THE CODE;

(III)    AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR INDIVIDUAL STATE GRANT PROGRAMS,
TO INVESTIGATE BLOCK GRANT FUNDING PROPOSALS THAT AFFORD GREATER
FLEXIBILITY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL FOR USE OF GRANT FUNDS;

(IV)    TO IDENTIFY DUPLICATIVE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AND
DETERMINE WHICH LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE EXCLUSIVELY
RESPONSIBLE FOR ADMINISTRATION AND FUNDING OF THESE PROGRAMS AND
SERVICES;

(V)     TO FORMULATE SHORT- AND LONG-TERM STRATEGIES THAT
FOCUS ON THE OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET NEEDS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
AND THE EXTENT, IF ANY, TO WHICH THE STATE SHOULD BE COMMITTED TO HELP
FINANCE THESE NEEDS; AND

(VI)    TO DETERMINE APPROPRIATE CHANGES, IF ANY, TO EXISTING
TAXING AUTHORITIES; AND

(13)    HOLD REGULAR PUBLIC HEARINGS THROUGHOUT THE STATE FOR
THE PURPOSE OF SOLICITING PUBLIC INPUT PERTINENT TO COST EFFICIENCY IN
STATE GOVERNMENT.

9-1808.

(A)     EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION, THE STATE,
THE COMMISSION, AND THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION ARE NOT PERSONALLY
LIABLE IN ANY ACTION FOR DAMAGES BECAUSE OF ACTS COMMITTED OR OMITTED
BY THE COMMISSION, ANY MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION, OR ANY EMPLOYEE OF
THE COMMISSION, IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES.

(B)     THE IMMUNITY FROM LIABILITY PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS
SECTION DOES NOT APPLY IN THE CASE OF WILLFUL MALFEASANCE OR BREACH OF
TRUST BY THE STATE, THE COMMISSION, OR ANY OF ITS MEMBERS OR STAFF.

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