(a) The purpose of the Department is to: (1) provide support for units of State government, individuals, and businesses for the maintenance of social equity policies in the State; (2) monitor trends in social equity programs and policies across the nation; (3) propose new and innovative approaches to social equity programs; (4) compile and produce reports and recommendations related to social equity; (5) ensure the fulfillment of the roles and responsibilities of the entities and social equity programs in the State for which it is the successor; (6) track the performance of social equity programs and small or disadvantaged business assistance programs; (7) promote and encourage full participation in the regulated cannabis industry by individuals from communities that have previously been disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs in order to positively impact those communities and other duties assigned to the Office of Social Equity established under this subtitle; (8) support small or disadvantaged businesses in the State through all duties assigned to the Governor's Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs; and (9) carry out the duties of the Office of Minority Business Enterprises within the Maryland Department of Transportation, including duties assigned to support small or disadvantaged businesses. (b) The Department shall: (1) connect a person with programs in State, federal, and local government that serve designated populations to ensure the person is connected to programs and other opportunities the person is eligible for; (2) provide units of State government with assistance related to the purpose of the Department by: (i) facilitating information sharing between units; (ii) maintaining an inventory of social equity work performed by each unit and relevant reports from those units; (iii) conducting policy analyses on social equity and the effectiveness of social equity programs; (iv) adopting standards for units to promote social equity; and (v) providing technical assistance to units; and (3) adopt regulations to carry out this subtitle.
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