EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0973*
SENATE BILL 973
J3 4lr2611
By: Senator Guzzone
Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2024
Assigned to: Budget and Taxation
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Hospitals – Private Hospital Grant Program – Funding 2
FOR the purpose of codifying a private hospital grant program for the purpose of making 3
recommendations to the Governor for funding for capital projects at private hospitals 4
in the State; requiring the Maryland Hospital Asssociation to establish a certain 5
review committee; authorizing the Governor to include in the capital or operating 6
budget bill a certain amount of funding in each fiscal year for the Private Hospital 7
Grant Program; and generally relating to funding for hospitals in the State. 8
BY adding to 9
Article – Health – General 10
Section 19–310.4 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2023 Replacement Volume) 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
Article – Health – General 16
19–310.4. 17
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANING S 18
INDICATED. 19
(2) “COMMITTEE” MEANS THE REVIEW COM MITTEE ESTABLISHED I N 20
ACCORDANCE WITH SUBS ECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION. 21
(3) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE PRIVATE HOSPITAL GRANT PROGRAM. 22
2 SENATE BILL 973
(B) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (F) OF THIS SECTION , THIS 1
SECTION MAY NOT BE C ONSTRUED TO PROHIBIT AN ORGANIZATION FROM 2
RECEIVING FUNDS FROM A GOVERNMENT SOURCE OTHER THAN THE PRIVATE 3
HOSPITAL GRANT PROGRAM. 4
(C) THERE IS A PRIVATE HOSPITAL GRANT PROGRAM. 5
(D) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO MAKE RE COMMENDATIONS TO 6
THE GOVERNOR FOR FUNDING IN THE ANNUAL STATE BUDGET FOR CAPI TAL 7
PROJECTS AT PRIVATE HOSPITALS IN THE STATE. 8
(E) (1) THE MARYLAND HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION SHALL EST ABLISH A 9
REVIEW COMMITTEE TO : 10
(I) DEVELOP THE PROCESS F OR HOSPITALS IN THE STATE TO 11
SUBMIT REQUESTS FOR FUNDING IN THE ANNUA L BUDGET; 12
(II) ESTABLISH ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR A HOSPI TAL TO 13
SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR FUNDING UNDER THE PROGRAM; 14
(III) ESTABLISH CRITERIA FO R PROJECTS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE 15
FUNDING UNDER THE PROGRAM; 16
(IV) ESTABLISH DEADLINES F OR THE SUBMISSION OF 17
REQUESTS FOR FUNDING AND THE DETERMINATIO N OF PROJECTS RECOMM ENDED 18
FOR FUNDING ; 19
(V) DEVELOP PROJECT SCORING AND SELECTION CRITERIA 20
GUIDELINES; 21
(VI) REVIEW ELIGIBLE REQUESTS FO R FUNDING; AND 22
(VII) MAKE FINAL RECOMMENDATION S FOR PROJECTS TO BE 23
FUNDED IN THE ANNUAL STATE BUDGET . 24
(2) TO THE EXTENT PRACTIC ABLE, THE MEMBERSHIP OF TH E 25
COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED UND ER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION S HALL 26
REFLECT THE GEOGRAPH IC DIVERSITY OF HOSP ITALS IN THE STATE. 27
(3) THE DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT AND THE 28
DEPARTMENT OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES SHALL CONSUL T WITH THE COMMITTEE 29
IN: 30
SENATE BILL 973 3
(I) ESTABLISHING THE PROJECT FUNDING REQUEST PROCESS 1
UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION ; AND 2
(II) MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUNDING REQUESTS . 3
(F) IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND 4
MANAGEMENT , THE COMMITTEE MAY ES TABLISH CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH A 5
REQUEST FOR FUNDING MAY BE REJECTED FOR CONSIDERATION . 6
(G) THE MARYLAND HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION SHALL SUB MIT THE 7
RECOMMENDATIONS OF T HE COMMITTEE TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE SECRETARY 8
OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT . 9
(H) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 AND EACH F ISCAL YEAR THEREAFTE R, THE 10
GOVERNOR MAY INCLUDE IN THE CAPITAL OR OPERATING BUDGET BILL AN 11
APPROPRIATION OF $20,000,000 FOR THE PRIVATE HOSPITAL GRANT PROGRAM. 12
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 13
1, 2024. 14