SB 163 Maryland Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Health – General Article – References to Mental Health

SB 163 updates Maryland law by replacing all references to "mental hygiene" with "mental health" in specific health statutes, including funding mechanisms and administrative provisions. It directly affects existing laws governing mental health services, community-based funding (like the Mental Health Community-Based Services Fund), and facility management under the Behavioral Health Administration. The bill requires the Maryland Department of Health to review and revise regulations by October 2026 to ensure consistent terminology. This is a purely terminological change with no new policy or funding provisions, aimed at modernizing legal language. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Oct 2024

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Mar 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Oct 15, 2024 Signed May 20, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Health – General Article – References to Mental Health → Third - Health – General Article – References to Mental Health · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill updates references from 'mental hygiene' to 'mental health' throughout Maryland law and adds new requirements for the Department of Health to review and update regulations and public-facing materials. The changes modernize terminology to align with current language preferences and add specific deadlines for updating departmental materials.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope by adding new requirements for the Department of Health to conduct a review of regulations and update public-facing materials, while also modifying the timeline for completing these updates.

DEFINITION

Replaced all references to 'mental hygiene' with 'mental health' throughout the General Article to modernize language and align with current terminology preferences.

REQUIREMENT

Added new requirement for the Department of Health to update all public-facing electronic materials to be consistent with the Act as soon as practicable.

TIMELINE

Changed the deadline for reviewing and adopting regulations from October 1, 2026 to include an additional deadline of July 1, 2027, providing more time for compliance.

Floor votes · Senate Jan 26, 2025 · House of Delegates Mar 14, 2025

How they voted

44–0

Passed

Total votes 44

Jan 26, 2025

D Democratic31

31 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican13

13 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 20, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 760

executive

Mar 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

Returned Passed

upper

Mar 31, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable Report by Health and Government Operations

lower

Mar 14, 2025

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (130-0-9)

house of delegates

Jan 31, 2025

Committee

Referred Health and Government Operations

lower

Jan 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Jan 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

upper

Jan 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Finance

upper

Jan 26, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (44-0)

senate

Jan 8, 2025

Committee

First Reading Finance

upper

Oct 15, 2024

Introduced

Pre-filed

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors