ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR., Governor                             Ch. 309

Article 70B - Department of Aging

7.

(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.

(p) "Governing body" means a board of directors, board of trustees, or similar
group that ultimately directs the affairs of a provider THAT HAS ALL OF ITS
FACILITIES LOCATED WITHIN MARYLAND, but whose members are not required to
have an equity interest in the provider.

11A.

(a)     At least annually, each provider shall conduct a meeting, open to all of the
provider's subscribers, at which an authorized officer of the provider shall present a
summary of the provider's operations, significant changes from the previous year, and
the goals and objectives for the next year. The provider shall make provisions to have
an authorized officer receive and answer questions from subscribers at the meeting.

(b)     (1) A provider that has a governing body shall include at least one of the
provider's subscribers as a full and regular member of the governing body.

(2)     If a provider that has a governing body owns or operates more than
three facilities in the State, there shall be at least one of the provider's subscribers as
a full and regular member of the governing body for every three facilities in the State.

(3)     (i) Subject to the provisions of subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph,
a governing body member selected to meet the requirements of this subsection shall
be a subscriber at a facility in the State and be selected according to the same general
written standards and criteria used to select other members of the governing body.

(ii) The governing body shall confer with the resident association at
each facility of the provider before the subscriber officially joins the governing body.

(c)     A provider that does not have a governing body shall appoint a select
committee of its officers or partners to meet at least twice annually with the resident
association at each of its facilities to address concerns of the subscribers and to ensure
that the opinions of subscribers are relayed to all officers or partners of the provider.
If a facility does not have a resident association, the committee shall meet with a
reasonable number of representatives, not required to exceed fifteen, elected by the
subscribers.

Chapter 150 of the Acts of 2002

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That:

(a) (1) If a person's existing operations become subject to the Continuing
Care Contracts subtitle of Article 70B of the Annotated Code of Maryland on October
1, 2002 when this Act becomes effective, the person shall have until:

(i) January 1, 2003 to submit a feasibility study to the Department
of Aging that satisfies the requirement of § 10 of Article 70B of the Annotated Code of
Maryland;

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