ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR., Governor                               Ch. 21

(b)     The Task Force consists of the following members:

(1)     Two Senators appointed by the President of the Senate of Maryland;

(2)     Two Delegates appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates;

(3)     The Attorney General or a designee of the Attorney General; and

(4)     Nineteen members appointed by the Governor, as follows:

(i) Seven health care clients or consumers with specialized or
personal knowledge of or experience with the problem of sexual exploitation of clients
by health professionals;

(ii) Two members of the religious community of the State; and

(iii) One member representing each of the following professions,
recommended to the Governor by the appropriate State professional associations,
with knowledge of and concern for the problem of sexual exploitation of clients by
health professionals: medicine, psychiatry, nursing, professional counseling,
psychology, physical therapy, law, social work, chiropractic, and dentistry.

(c)      The Task Force shall develop a comprehensive strategy for preventing and
reducing the incidence of sexual exploitation of clients by health professionals by:

(1)     Examining the scope of the problem in Maryland, and existing legal
mechanisms for addressing it;

(2)     Examining the efforts of other states, the affected professions, and
client-oriented groups to study and address the problem;

(3)     In consultation with educators in the health professions, developing
educational initiatives to include both professional training and continuing
professional education;

(4)     In consultation with client-oriented groups, developing initiatives for
effective public education;

(5)     Evaluating and recommending, as appropriate, legislation,
regulations, and guidelines to address the problem;

(6)     Recommending guidelines for counseling and treating clients who
have been victimized, health professionals who may be at risk, and offenders; and

(7)     Developing other appropriate recommendations for the public and
private sectors to address problems and consequences associated with health
professional-client sexual exploitation.

(d)     The Governor shall designate the Chairperson of the Task Force.

(e)     Members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation.

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