EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0293*
HOUSE BILL 293
J1 2lr1524
CF SB 241
By: Delegates K. Young, Belcastro, Charkoudian, Forbes, Healey, Kaiser, Kerr,
McComas, Reznik, and Ruth
Introduced and read first time: January 17, 2022
Assigned to: Health and Government Operations and Appropriations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Behavioral Health Crisis Response Services – 9–8–8 Trust Fund 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the 9–8–8 Trust Fund as a special, nonlapsing fund; 3
requiring interest earnings of the Fund to be credited to the Fund; requiring the 4
Maryland Department of Health to designate 9–8–8 as the primary phone number 5
for the State’s behavioral health crisis hotline; requiring the Department to work to 6
promote public messaging relating to 9–8–8 services in a certain manner; and 7
generally relating to behavioral health crisis response services and the 9–8–8 8
hotline. 9
BY adding to 10
Article – Health – General 11
Section 7.5–5A–01 through 7.5–5A–04 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 5A. 12
9–8–8 Trust Fund” 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 15
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 16
Article – State Finance and Procurement 17
Section 6–226(a)(2)(i) 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2021 Replacement Volume) 20
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 21
Article – State Finance and Procurement 22
Section 6–226(a)(2)(ii)144. and 145. 23
Annotated Code of Maryland 24
(2021 Replacement Volume) 25
BY adding to 26 2 HOUSE BILL 293
Article – State Finance and Procurement 1
Section 6–226(a)(2)(ii)146. 2
Annotated Code of Maryland 3
(2021 Replacement Volume) 4
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 5
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 6
Article – Health – General 7
SUBTITLE 5A. 9–8–8 TRUST FUND. 8
7.5–5A–01. 9
IN THIS SUBTITLE, “FUND” MEANS THE 9–8–8 TRUST FUND. 10
7.5–5A–02. 11
(A) THERE IS A 9–8–8 TRUST FUND. 12
(B) THE PURPOSE OF THE FUND IS TO PROVIDE RE IMBURSEMENT FOR 13
COSTS ASSOCIATED WIT H: 14
(1) DESIGNATING AND MAINT AINING 9–8–8 AS THE UNIVERSAL 15
TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR A NATIONAL SUICIDE P REVENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH 16
CRISIS HOTLINE IN AC CORDANCE WITH THE FE DERAL NATIONAL SUICIDE HOTLINE 17
DESIGNATION ACT OF 2020; AND 18
(2) DEVELOPING AND IMPLE MENTING A STATEWIDE INITIATIVE FOR 19
THE COORDINATION AND DELIVERY OF THE CONT INUUM OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH 20
CRISIS RESPONSE SERV ICES IN THE STATE, INCLUDING: 21
(I) CRISIS CALL CENTERS ; 22
(II) MOBILE CRISIS TEAM SE RVICES; 23
(III) CRISIS STABILIZATION CENTERS; AND 24
(IV) OTHER ACUTE BEHAVIORA L HEALTH CARE SERVIC ES. 25
(C) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADMI NISTER THE FUND. 26
(D) (1) THE FUND IS A SPECIAL , NONLAPSING FUND THAT IS NOT 27
SUBJECT TO § 7–302 OF THE STATE FINANCE AND PROCUREMENT ARTICLE. 28 HOUSE BILL 293 3
(2) THE STATE TREASURER SHALL HOLD THE FUND SEPARATELY , 1
AND THE COMPTROLLER SHALL ACC OUNT FOR THE FUND. 2
(E) THE FUND CONSISTS OF : 3
(1) MONEY APPROPRIATED IN THE STATE BUDGET TO THE FUND; 4
(2) INTEREST EARNINGS OF THE FUND; AND 5
(3) ANY OTHER MONEY FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE ACCEPTED FOR 6
THE BENEFIT OF THE FUND. 7
(F) THE FUND MAY BE USED ONLY FOR CARRYING OUT THE PURPOSE OF 8
THE FUND. 9
(G) (1) THE STATE TREASURER SHALL INVES T THE MONEY OF THE FUND 10
IN THE SAME MANNER A S OTHER STATE MONEY MAY BE IN VESTED. 11
(2) ANY INTEREST EARNINGS OF TH E FUND SHALL BE CREDITE D TO 12
THE FUND. 13
(H) EXPENDITURES FROM THE FUND MAY BE MADE ONLY IN ACCORDANCE 14
WITH THE STATE BUDGET . 15
(I) MONEY EXPENDED FROM T HE FUND FOR CARRYING OUT THE PURPOSE 16
OF THE FUND IS SUPPLEMENTAL TO AND IS NOT INTEN DED TO TAKE THE PLAC E OF 17
FUNDING THAT OTHERWI SE WOULD BE APPROPRI ATED FOR CARRYING OU T THE 18
PURPOSE OF THE FUND. 19
(J) NO PART OF THE FUND MAY REVERT OR BE CREDITED TO: 20
(1) THE GENERAL FUND OF THE STATE; OR 21
(2) ANY OTHER SPECIAL FUN D OF THE STATE. 22
(K) THE FUND IS SUBJECT TO AU DIT BY THE OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE 23
AUDITS AS PROVIDED IN § 2–1220 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE. 24
7.5–5A–03. 25
THE DEPARTMENT , IN COLLABORATION WIT H THE FEDERAL SUBSTANCE 26
ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION , THE NATIONAL 27 4 HOUSE BILL 293
SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE, THE NATIONAL VETERANS CRISIS LINE, AND 1
OTHER APPROPRIATE EN TITIES, SHALL WORK TO PROMOT E THE PUBLIC 2
MESSAGING OF 9–8–8 SERVICES IN A CONSIS TENT MANNER . 3
7.5–5A–04. 4
ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1 EACH YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SUBMIT 5
A REPORT TO THE LEGISLATIVE POLICY COMMITTEE, THE SENATE BUDGET AND 6
TAXATION COMMITTEE, AND THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, IN 7
ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THAT 8
INCLUDES FOR THE IMM EDIATELY PRECEDING F ISCAL YEAR A D ETAILED 9
DESCRIPTION OF : 10
(1) THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS T RANSFERRED AND DISTR IBUTED FROM 11
THE FUND IN ACCORDANCE WI TH § 7.5–5A–02(B) OF THIS SUBTITLE; 12
(2) THE ADDITIONAL SERVIC ES PROVIDED BY THE F UNDING IN EACH 13
LOCAL JURISDICTION ; 14
(3) THE AMOUNT OF ANY UNS PENT FUNDS IN THE FUND; AND 15
(4) THE REASONS FUNDS IDE NTIFIED UNDER ITEM (3) OF THIS 16
SECTION WERE NOT SPE NT. 17
Article – State Finance and Procurement 18
6–226. 19
(a) (2) (i) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and unless 20
inconsistent with a federal law, grant agreement, or other federal requirement or with the 21
terms of a gift or settlement agreement, net interest on all State money allocated by the 22
State Treasurer under this section to special funds or accounts, and otherwise entitled to 23
receive interest earnings, as accounted for by the Comptroller, shall accrue to the General 24
Fund of the State. 25
(ii) The provisions of subparagraph (i) of this paragraph do not apply 26
to the following funds: 27
144. the Health Equity Resource Community Reserve Fund; 28
[and] 29
145. the Access to Counsel in Evictions Special Fund; AND 30
146. THE 9–8–8 TRUST FUND. 31
HOUSE BILL 293 5
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That before July 16, 2022, the 1
Maryland Department of Health shall designate 9–8–8 as the primary phone number for 2
the State’s behavioral health crisis hotline to provide crisis intervention services and crisis 3
care coordination to individuals accessing suicide prevention and behavioral health services 4
from any jurisdiction within the State 24 hours a day, 7 days a week under the federal 5
National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020. 6
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, for fiscal year 2024, the 7
Governor shall include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $10,000,000 to the 8
9–8–8 Trust Fund established under § 7.5–5A–02 of the Health – General Article, as 9
enacted by Section 1 of this Act. 10
SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 11
1, 2022. 12