Public Health – Public Health Services and Protections – Revisions

This Maryland bill removes the legal exception that previously allowed active-duty military personnel aged 18 to 21 to purchase tobacco products, aligning state law with the federal minimum age of 21. It also updates signage requirements for tobacco retailers to clearly state that no one under 21 may be sold tobacco products, regardless of military status. Additionally, the legislation reorganizes several public health and child welfare functions by transferring responsibility for emergency medical payments in child abuse cases from the Department of Health to the Governor's Office, repealing a yearly expert panel on child abuse research, and allowing the reallocation of unspent cancer grant funds between counties.