WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 767
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Chapter 767
(Senate Bill 439)
AN ACT concerning
Family Law – Victims of Domestic Violence Program – Certification and Grant
Fund
FOR the purpose of requiring a victims of domestic violence program to be certified by the
federally recognized State domestic violence coalition as a comprehensive domestic
violence program; establishing the Victims of Domestic Violence Program Grant
Fund as a special, nonlapsing fund in the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention,
Youth, and Victim Services; requiring interest earnings of the Fund to be credited to
the Fund; and generally relating to the victims of domestic violence program.
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article – Family Law
Section 4–515 and 4–516
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement)
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
Article – State Finance and Procurement
Section 6–226(a)(2)(i)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement)
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article – State Finance and Procurement
Section 6–226(a)(2)(ii)189. and 190.
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement)
BY adding to
Article – State Finance and Procurement
Section 6–226(a)(2)(ii)191.
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
Article – Family Law
4–515.
Ch. 767 2024 LAWS OF MARYLAND
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(a) (1) The Executive Director shall establish a program in the Governor’s
Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services to help victims of domestic violence
and their children.
(2) The purpose of the program is to provide for victims of domestic violence
and their children, in each region of this State:
(i) temporary shelter or help in obtaining shelter;
(ii) counseling;
(iii) information;
(iv) referral; and
(v) rehabilitation.
(b) As a part of the domestic violence program, there shall be, in a major
population center of this State, at least 1 program serving the area.
(c) Any program established under this section shall be subject to the following
conditions:
(1) the program shall provide victims of domestic violence and their
children with a temporary home and necessary counseling;
(2) the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services
shall:
(i) supervise the program;
(ii) set standards of care and admission policies;
(iii) monitor the operation of the program and annually evaluate the
effectiveness of the program;
(iv) adopt rules and regulations that set fees for services at and
govern the operation of each program; and
(v) regularly consult, collaborate with, and consider the
recommendations of the federally recognized State domestic violence coalition regarding
domestic violence programs and policies, practices, and procedures that impact victims of
domestic violence and their children;
WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 767
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(3) the program shall accept from the police or any other referral source in
the community any victim of domestic violence and the child of any victim of domestic
violence; [and]
(4) housing may not be provided under this subtitle to an applicant for
housing who is not a resident of this State at the time the application for housing is made;
AND
(5) THE PROGRAM SHALL BE CERTIFIED BY THE FED ERALLY
RECOGNIZED STATE DOMESTIC VIOLEN CE COALITION AS A CO MPREHENSIVE
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PR OGRAM.
[(d) (1) As funds become available, the Executive Director may extend the
domestic violence program to other areas in this State.
(2) Expansion of the domestic violence program may include:
(i) establishing additional shelters; or
(ii) providing funds and technical assistance to a local organization
or agency that shows that it is able and willing to run a domestic violence program.]
4–516.
(a) Subject to § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the Executive Director
shall submit to the General Assembly a report on the domestic violence program annually.
[(b) In addition to receiving funds from the annual budget, the Executive Director
shall attempt to secure funding, including in–kind contributions, for the establishment and
operation of the domestic violence program from:
(1) the federal government;
(2) local governments; and
(3) private sources.]
(B) (1) IN THIS SUBSECTION , “FUND” MEANS THE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE PROGRAM GRANT FUND.
(2) THERE IS A VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAM GRANT
FUND.
(3) THE PURPOSE OF THE FUND IS TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO PUBLIC
OR PRIVATE NONPROFIT COMPREHENSIVE DOMEST IC VIOLENCE PROGRAMS Ch. 767 2024 LAWS OF MARYLAND
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CERTIFIED BY THE FED ERALLY RECOGNIZED STATE DOMESTIC VIOLEN CE
COALITION.
(4) THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF CRIME PREVENTION, YOUTH, AND
VICTIM SERVICES SHALL :
(I) ADMINISTER THE FUND; AND
(II) ESTABLISH PROCEDURES TO AWARD GRANTS FROM THE
FUND.
(5) GRANTS MAY BE USED BY PROGRAMS CERTIFIED B Y THE
FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED STATE DOMESTIC VIOLEN CE COALITION FOR PROGRAM
OPERATIONS, INCLUDING ESTABLISHI NG ADDITIONAL SHELTERS .
(6) (I) THE FUND IS A SPECIAL, NONLAPSING FUND THAT IS NOT
SUBJECT TO § 7–302 OF THE STATE FINANCE AND PROCUREMENT ARTICLE.
(II) THE STATE TREASURER SHALL HOLD THE FUND
SEPARATELY, AND THE COMPTROLLER SHALL ACC OUNT FOR THE FUND.
(7) THE FUND CONSISTS OF :
(I) MONEY APPROPRIATED I N THE STATE BUDGET TO THE
FUND;
(II) ANY INTEREST EARNINGS OF THE FUND; AND
(III) ANY OTHER MONEY FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE ACC EPTED
FOR THE BENEFIT OF T HE FUND.
(8) THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SHALL ATTEMP T TO SECURE
FUNDING FOR THE FUND, INCLUDING IN–KIND CONTRIBUTIONS , FROM:
(I) THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ;
(II) LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ; AND
(III) PRIVATE SOURCES .
(9) THE FUND MAY BE USED ONLY TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO PU BLIC
OR PRIVATE NONPROFIT COMPREHENSIVE DOMEST IC VIOLENCE PROGRAMS WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 767
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CERTIFIED BY THE FED ERALLY RECOGNIZED STATE DOMESTIC VIOLEN CE
COALITION.
(10) (I) THE STATE TREASURER SHALL INVES T THE MONEY OF THE
FUND IN THE SAME MANN ER AS OTHER STATE MONEY MAY BE IN VESTED.
(II) ANY INTEREST EARNING OF THE FUND SHALL BE CREDITE D
TO THE FUND.
(11) THE GOVERNOR MAY INCLUDE IN THE ANNU AL BUDGET BILL AN
APPROPRIATION ANNUAL LY OF $5,000,000 TO THE FUND.
Article – State Finance and Procurement
6–226.
(a) (2) (i) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and unless
inconsistent with a federal law, grant agreement, or other federal requirement or with the
terms of a gift or settlement agreement, net interest on all State money allocated by the
State Treasurer under this section to special funds or accounts, and otherwise entitled to
receive interest earnings, as accounted for by the Comptroller, shall accrue to the General
Fund of the State.
(ii) The provisions of subparagraph (i) of this paragraph do not apply
to the following funds:
189. the Teacher Retention and Development Fund; [and]
190. the Protecting Against Hate Crimes Grant Fund; AND
191. THE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAM
GRANT FUND.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 2024.
Approved by the Governor, May 16, 2024.