Appointed by the Governor with Senate advice and consent, the Secretary has executive jurisdiction over the Department and appoints all Division Chiefs. The Secretary serves as principal adviser to the Governor in fiscal matters.
The Secretary is a member of the Governor's Executive Council; the Governor's Cabinet for Energy Management; the Governor's Subcabinet for Children, Youth and Families, and the Governor's Council on Adolescent Pregnancy. The Secretary also serves on the Board of Revenue Estimates; the Procurement Advisory Council; the Capital Debt Affordability Committee; the Pricing and Selection Committee for Rehabilitation and Employment Programs; the Commission on Correctional Standards; the State Use Correctional Standards; the State Use Industries Advisory Committee; the Asbestos Oversight Committee; the Information Technology Board; the Peabody Institute Oversight Committee; the Board of Trustees for Maryland State Retirement and Pension Systems; the Interagency Economic Growth, Resource Protection and Planning Committee; and the Interdepartmental Advisory Committee for Minority Affairs.
The Secretary chairs the State Employees Health Insurance Advisory Council. The Secretary also prepares the Department's portion of the Agenda for Board of Public Works meetings (Code State Finance and Procurement Article, Secs. 3-201 through 3-206).