Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention within the Maryland Department of Health to address gun violence and misuse through a public health approach. The center will be led by an executive director who coordinates efforts with federal, state, and local agencies while actively seeking input from communities disproportionately affected by firearm violence and public health experts. Key responsibilities include developing state plans for violence reduction, issuing guidance on evidence-based strategies, facilitating data sharing, and conducting public awareness campaigns. Funding for the center will be included in the state budget starting in fiscal year 2026, and the law takes effect on October 1, 2024.
Del. Diana Fennell
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 1092 requires the Maryland 9-1-1 Board to create training standards for public safety answering point personnel that include high-quality telecommunications cardiopulmonary resuscitation instruction. This training must follow current national emergency care guidelines, cover recognition protocols for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and teach compression-only CPR techniques. The bill also updates the 9-1-1 Trust Fund to allow money from this source to pay for these specific CPR training costs. These changes aim to better equip 9-1-1 operators to provide life-saving guidance during cardiac emergencies.
Maddy summaryThis Maryland bill requires health insurers and health plans to cover specific breast and lung cancer screening services without imposing copayments, coinsurance, or deductibles, with the exception of high-deductible health plans. For breast cancer, the law expands the definition of supplemental screening to include image-guided breast biopsies and mandates that these services be covered at the same cost as standard breast cancer screening. Regarding lung cancer, the bill ensures coverage for recommended screenings and necessary follow-up diagnostic imaging, such as CT scans and biopsies, while explicitly prohibiting plans from requiring prior authorization for these services. These coverage requirements apply to all health policies issued, delivered, or renewed in the state on or after January 1, 2025.