SB 100
Department of Legislative Services
Maryland General Assembly
2021 Session
FISCAL AND POLICY NOTE
Enrolled
Senate Bill 100 (Senator Kelley, et al.)
Finance Health and Government Operations
Task Force on Oral Health in Maryland
This bill establishes the Task Force on Oral Health in Maryland. The Maryland Department
of Health (MDH) and the Department of Legislative Services (DLS) must provide staff for
the task force. Members may not receive compensation but are entitled to reimbursement
for expenses under the standard State travel regulations, as provided in the State budget.
The task force must submit an interim report by May 1, 2022, and a final report by
December 1, 2022, to the Governor and specified committees of the General Assembly.
The bill takes effect July 1, 2021, and terminates June 30, 2023.
Fiscal Summary
State Effect: MDH general fund expenditures increase by $39,700 in FY 2022 and
$32,100 in FY 2023 for contractual support to staff the task force and complete the required
reports. Revenues are not affected.
(in dollars) FY 2022 FY 2023 FY 2024 FY 2025 FY 2026
Revenues $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
GF Expenditure 39,700 32,100 0 0 0
Net Effect ($39,700) ($32,100) $0 $0 $0
Note:() = decrease; GF = general funds; FF = federal funds; SF = special funds; - = indeterminate increase; (-) = indeterminate decrease
Local Effect: None.
Small Business Effect: None.
Analysis
Bill Summary: The task force must:
analyze current access to dental services in the State, with a focus on the
socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, age, and disability of residents as factors
impacting access to dental services;
identify areas of the State where a significant number of residents are not receiving
oral health care services, distinguishing between pediatric and adult populations;
identify barriers to receiving dental services in areas in need;
analyze the specific impact of such barriers;
assess options to eliminate such barriers, including the feasibility of establishing a
program for dental therapy in the State; and
make recommendations to increase access to dental services in the State.
Current Law: The Oral Health Safety Net Program, established under the Health-General
Article, provides start-up funding to expand oral health capacity for underserved
low-income and disabled individuals, including individuals enrolled in Medicaid and the
Maryland Children’s Health Program. MDH’s Office of Oral Health conducts an annual
evaluation of the program and reports specified information to the Governor and the
General Assembly annually. Per §13-2504(b) of the Health-General Article, Medicaid, in
conjunction with the office, must submit an annual oral health access report that includes
information on Medicaid dental utilization and expenditures and actions taken by MDH
and the office to increase access to dental services and overall oral health in the State. The
most recent report was submitted on December 8, 2020.
State Expenditures: Previous estimates for similar legislation advised that MDH could
handle the bill’s requirements with existing resources. However, due to the ongoing
demands of the COVID-19 pandemic, DLS advises that MDH will likely need additional
resources to fulfill the requirements of the bill. Thus, MDH general fund expenditures
increase by $39,738 in fiscal 2022, which accounts for the bill’s July 1, 2021 effective date.
This estimate reflects the cost of hiring one part-time, contractual health policy analyst to
staff the task force and complete the required reports. It includes a salary, fringe benefits,
one-time start-up costs, and ongoing operating expenses.
FY 2022 FY2023
Contractual Position 0.5 (0.5)
Salaries and Fringe Benefits $27,932 $25,359
Operating Expenses 11,806 6,716
Total FY 2022 State Expenditures $39,738 $32,075
SB 100/ Page 2
In fiscal 2023, general fund expenditures increase by $32,075, which reflects an ongoing
salary, fringe benefits, and operating expenses through the anticipated termination of the
contractual position on June 30, 2023.
This estimate does not include any health insurance costs that could be incurred for
specified contractual employees under the State’s implementation of the federal Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Additional Information
Prior Introductions: SB 511 of 2020 passed in the Senate and received a hearing in the
House Health and Governmental Operations Committee, but no further action was taken.
SB 431 of 2019 received a hearing in the Senate Finance Committee, but no further action
was taken. Its cross file, HB 309, received a hearing in the House Health and Government
Operations Committee, but no further action was taken. In addition, similar bills were
introduced in the 2018 session.
Designated Cross File: HB 368 (Delegate Bagnall) - Health and Government Operations.
Information Source(s): Maryland Higher Education Commission; University System of
Maryland; Maryland Department of Health; Legislative Services; Department of
Legislative Services
Fiscal Note History: First Reader - January 16, 2021
rh/jc Third Reader - March 19, 2021
Revised - Amendment(s) - March 19, 2021
Enrolled - April 12, 2021
Analysis by: Amberly Holcomb Direct Inquiries to:
(410) 946-5510
(301) 970-5510
SB 100/ Page 3
Statutes affected: Text - First - Task Force on Oral Health in Maryland: 21-257 []
Text - Third - Task Force on Oral Health in Maryland: 21-257 []
Text - Enrolled - Task Force on Oral Health in Maryland: 21-257 []