1. (a) There is a Correctional Education Council under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and the Department.

2. (b)

   1. (1) The Council consists of 14 members.

   2. (2) Four of the members of the Council shall be residents of this State appointed by the Governor for a term of 4 years who each shall serve until a successor is appointed and qualifies as follows:

      1. (i) two representing the business community;
      2. (ii) a former offender; and
      3. (iii) one member of the general public.

   3. (3) The following officials shall serve ex officio:

      1. (i) the Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services;
      2. (ii) the Secretary of Labor;
      3. (iii) the State Superintendent of Schools, or the State Superintendent's designee;
      4. (iv) the Secretary of Higher Education, or the Secretary's designee;
      5. (v) the Secretary of Commerce, or the Secretary's designee;
      6. (vi) the president of a community college in the State, or the president's designee;
      7. (vii) the Chair of the Governor's Workforce Development Board, or the Chair's designee;
      8. (viii) the Director of Education and Workforce Skills Training for Correctional Institutions, or the Director's designee;
      9. (ix) an official from a local correctional facility, or the official's designee; and
      10. (x) the county superintendent of schools from a county where a correctional institution of the Division of Correction is located, who shall be selected by the State Superintendent, or the county superintendent's designee.

3. (c) Each member of the Council:

   1. (1) serves without compensation; but
   2. (2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses in accordance with the Standard State Travel Regulations.

4. (d)

   1. (1) The Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services and the Secretary shall serve as cochairs of the Council.

   2. (2) The Council:

      1. (i) shall meet at least four times per year;
      2. (ii) shall designate the time and place of its meetings; and
      3. (iii) may adopt rules for the conduct of its meetings.
   3. (3) The Council shall be within the Department for administrative and budgetary purposes.
   4. (4) The Department shall provide technical and clerical assistance and support to the Council.

5. (e)

   1. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection and subject to paragraph (3) of this subsection, a member shall be considered to have resigned who has been appointed to the Council by the Governor if the member did not attend at least two-thirds of the Council meetings held during any consecutive 12-month period while the member was serving on the Council.
   2. (2) The Governor may waive a member's resignation and allow the member to continue serving if the member has been unable to attend meetings for reasons satisfactory to the Governor and the reasons are made public.
   3. (3) In accordance with § 8-501 of the State Government Article, the cochairs shall provide notice to the Governor and the Governor shall appoint a successor.

Added by Acts 2008, c. 134, § 1, eff. July 1, 2008. Amended by Acts 2008, c. 36, § 6, eff. April 8, 2008; Acts 2009, c. 309, § 1, eff. July 1, 2009; Acts 2013, c. 20, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2013; Acts 2014, c. 588, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 2014; Acts 2015, c. 22, § 5; Acts 2015, c. 123, § 1, eff. July 1, 2015; Acts 2016, c. 344, § 1, eff. July 1, 2016; Acts 2017, c. 687, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2017; Acts 2019, c. 8, § 5.