Ch. 350

2004 LAWS OF MARYLAND

(d) (1) The Secretary may delegate the Secretary's authority under
subsection (a) of this section to the Maryland Long-Term Care Ombudsman and to
the director of a local office on aging in accordance with a local long-term care
ombudsman program established pursuant to regulations promulgated by the
Secretary.

(2) The regulations shall provide for:

(i) Minimum training requirements for all program staff and
volunteers;

(ii) Cooperation with the Departments of Health and Mental
Hygiene and Human Resources;

(iii) Annual review of all ombudsman activities by the Department;

(iv) Complaint review, investigation, and resolution procedures
including provisions which assure the confidentiality of complaints and the right of
privacy of any complainant or resident of a related institution;

(v) Maintenance by the local ombudsman of a recordkeeping or
information system which assures the confidentiality of records or files and the right
of privacy of any complainant or resident of a related institution; [and]

(vi) Access, review, and copying of medical records to the extent
authorized by § 4-305(b)(3) of the Health - General Article when the local
ombudsman is the person in interest or as otherwise provided by law; AND

(VII) A PROCESS FOR ASSISTING INDIVIDUALS WITH ORGANIZING
AND OPERATING A FAMILY COUNCIL IN A NURSING HOME.

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 2004.

Approved May 11, 2004.

CHAPTER 350
(House Bill 523)

AN ACT concerning

Frederick County - Bond Rating Enhancement Reserve and Appropriation

FOR the purpose of requiring the Board of County Commissioners of Frederick
County to establish and maintain a bond rating enhancement reserve and
establish criteria for maintaining the reserve; stating the purpose of the reserve;
authorizing the County Commissioners to increase appropriations and expend
the increased appropriations; requiring the County Commissioners to establish,
by ordinance, criteria for increasing appropriations and expending the increased
appropriations and requiring the increase to be derived from the reserve or a

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