Maryland Bills

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 1162: 9-1-1 Specialist Recruitment and Retention Workgroup

This Maryland bill creates a temporary 9-1-1 Specialist Recruitment and Retention Workgroup to study staffing issues for emergency call operators. The group is composed of state legislators, government officials, and representatives from emergency services organizations, who will meet without pay but can be reimbursed for travel expenses. Their main task is to examine current hiring and retention challenges, such as salary levels, benefits, and training requirements, while reviewing reports from a previous commission. By December 2024 and again in 2025, the workgroup must submit interim and final reports with recommendations to the governor and the state legislature on how to improve the profession. The law is set to expire automatically on December 31, 2025, unless renewed.

Jamila Woods (D) Harry Bhandari (D) Deni Taveras (D) Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D) Nic Kipke (R)

signed · Maryland · Senate May 16, 2024

SB 791: Health Insurance - Utilization Review - Revisions

Maryland Senate Bill 791 updates health insurance rules to improve how prior authorizations are handled and to provide patients with clearer cost information. The law requires insurance companies to create online systems by 2026 that allow doctors to submit and receive decisions on drug approvals electronically, while also displaying real-time out-of-pocket costs and cheaper medication options. Healthcare providers must integrate these tools into their existing software by the same deadline, and insurers cannot charge fees for using this digital process. Additionally, the bill prohibits prior authorization requirements for specific medications used to treat opioid use disorder, ensuring faster access to these treatments.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 451: Tax Assistance for Low-Income Marylanders - Funding

HB 451 directs the state Comptroller to allocate $500,000 annually from abandoned property funds to a specific fund supporting tax clinics for low-income Marylanders starting in fiscal year 2025. The bill also requires the Governor to increase budget funding for the CASH Campaign of Maryland to $800,000 per year beginning in fiscal year 2026, with a portion of these funds designated for grants to external organizations. These grants will support on-demand and mobile tax clinics that serve senior populations, rural communities, and other under-resourced areas, ensuring these clinics report their activities to the CASH Campaign at least quarterly. Ultimately, the legislation aims to expand free tax preparation services and financial education for low-income residents while updating the legal framework governing these funds and programs.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 576: Mental Health - Assisted Outpatient Treatment Programs

This bill updates Maryland's mental health laws to improve how individuals in crisis are evaluated and treated. It requires peace officers to transport people needing emergency evaluation to a nearby facility rather than strictly the nearest one, and it allows psychiatric nurse practitioners to conduct these evaluations alongside physicians. The legislation also mandates that every county establish an assisted outpatient treatment program, which can legally require individuals with severe mental illness to follow a treatment plan if they refuse voluntary care. Additionally, the bill ensures that public defenders provide legal representation during these proceedings and permits electronic submission of necessary petitions.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 16, 2024

SB 615: General Provisions - Commemorative Days - Maryland Veterans Suicide Prevention Day

This bill establishes Maryland Veterans Suicide Awareness Prevention Day, which the Governor must annually proclaim to occur between July 11 and September 30. The legislation directs the state to use this observance to honor veterans and service members while promoting mental health support and reducing stigma within the community. By adding this requirement to state law, the bill ensures that efforts to encourage veterans to seek help are formally recognized each year.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 119: Public Health - Giving Infants a Future Without Transmission (GIFT) Act

This bill updates Maryland's public health laws to improve how hospitals and health care providers report HIV and syphilis cases among pregnant women and newborns. It requires providers to include pregnancy status in their reports and mandates that certain blood samples be sent to medical laboratories for testing. To protect patient privacy, the law designates these specific reports as confidential and prevents them from being used as evidence in criminal, civil, or administrative cases. Additionally, the bill increases fines for individuals who illegally disclose personal health information gathered for these reporting purposes.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 16, 2024

SB 821: Maryland Insurance Administration - Professional Employer Organizations - Study

This bill directs the Maryland Insurance Administration to conduct a study on professional employer organizations, which are companies that manage payroll and benefits for small businesses. The study will examine how these organizations are regulated compared to federal rules and other states, review their history and health plan designs, and analyze membership requirements for businesses. It will also look at how these arrangements allow small business employees to join large group health plans and assess the potential impact of any future legal changes on the state's small group insurance market. The administration must submit its findings to the House Health and Government Operations Committee and the Senate Finance Committee by December 31, 2024.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 565: Correctional Services - Investigation of Suspected Homicide - Reporting

This bill establishes the Maryland Deaths in Custody Oversight Board within the Governor's Office to investigate and analyze deaths of incarcerated individuals. The board will consist of members including formerly incarcerated citizens, family members of inmates, community justice reform representatives, and medical professionals. It requires correctional facilities to provide specific documents and information to the board for every death, including incident reports, complaints, and medical records. The board will conduct administrative and clinical reviews to assess facility conditions, staff responses, and medical care quality, then publish findings and recommendations online within 30 days of a death. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Department of State Police post certain investigation information on its website and report to the Governor and General Assembly.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 1482: Uninsured Driving Penalties - Funding for the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund, Driver Education, and Transportation to Field Trips

This bill updates penalties for driving without insurance in Maryland and directs the resulting fines to fund two new programs: grants for driver education and transportation assistance for school field trips. The legislation creates a special fund to support grants for public high schools and nonprofit organizations offering driver education courses, with a priority given to schools serving students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. It also establishes a separate fund to provide grants to public schools for covering transportation costs when taking students on field trips to state-aided educational institutions. Additionally, the bill adjusts how penalty revenues are distributed to the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund and sets the base amount for future fiscal years.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 97: Baby Food - Toxic Heavy Metals - Testing and Labeling (Rudy's Law)

HB 97, known as Rudy's Law, requires baby food manufacturers in Maryland to test their products for toxic heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury before packaging them for sale. Starting in January 2025, these manufacturers must have their food tested monthly by accredited laboratories and report the results to the Maryland Department of Health. Beginning in January 2026, companies must also publish these test results on their websites and include QR codes on product labels that allow consumers to access the data. The law also mandates that consumers report any baby food they believe contains excessive levels of these metals to state health officials.

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 16, 2024

HB 5: Criminal Law - Indecent Exposure Within the Presence of a Minor

This Maryland bill updates state criminal laws to specifically address indecent exposure involving minors. It prohibits individuals from committing indecent exposure in public and creates a separate, stricter offense for doing so when a minor is present. The law defines a minor in this context as someone at least two years old who is more than four years younger than the person committing the act. Violations of the general indecent exposure rule can result in up to three years in prison or a $1,000 fine, while violating the provision involving minors carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison or a $10,000 fine. The changes take effect on October 1, 2024.

signed · Maryland · Senate May 16, 2024

SB 938: Maryland Department of Health - Public Education Campaign on Prostate, Lung, and Breast Cancer Prevention

This Maryland bill requires the Department of Health to create a three-year public education campaign focused on preventing prostate, lung, and breast cancer, specifically targeting communities that face higher rates of these diseases. The campaign will provide information on risk factors, prevention methods, and the importance of screenings and clinical trials, and it will be developed in partnership with healthcare providers, hospitals, and relevant health organizations. Funding for the initiative, capped at $750,000 over five years, will come from the state's Cigarette Restitution Fund, which is used to support various health and tobacco control programs. The Department must publish the campaign materials online, set measurable goals, and submit annual reports to the General Assembly to track progress.

Bill results