EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW. [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law. Underlining indicates amendments to bill. Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by amendment. *hb0136* HOUSE BILL 136 E4, J1 5lr0128 (PRE–FILED) CF SB 199 By: Chair, Judiciary Committee (By Request – Departmental – Office of Crime Prevention and Policy) Requested: September 29, 2024 Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025 Assigned to: Judiciary Committee Report: Favorable House action: Adopted Read second time: February 22, 2025 CHAPTER ______ AN ACT concerning 1 Criminal Procedure – Sexual Assault Exam and Treatment Reimbursement 2 FOR the purpose of providing that the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy, 3 rather than the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, is responsible for payment 4 to a physician, qualified health care provider, and hospital for providing certain 5 services to a victim of an alleged rape or sexual offense or a victim of alleged child 6 sexual abuse; and generally relating to reimbursement for sexual assault exams and 7 treatments. 8 BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9 Article – Criminal Procedure 10 Section 11–1007(b) and 11–1008(c)(2) 11 Annotated Code of Maryland 12 (2018 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 13 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15 Article – Criminal Procedure 16 11–1007. 17 2 HOUSE BILL 136 (b) If a physician, a qualified health care provider, or a hospital provides a service 1 described in subsection (c) of this section to a victim of an alleged rape or sexual offense or 2 a victim of alleged child sexual abuse: 3 (1) the services shall be provided without charge to the individual; and 4 (2) the physician, qualified health care provider, or hospital: 5 (i) is entitled to be paid by [the Criminal Injuries Compensation 6 Board as provided under Subtitle 8 of this title] THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF CRIME 7 PREVENTION AND POLICY for the costs of providing the services; 8 (ii) shall provide written or electronic verification signed by a 9 physician or qualified health care provider to [the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board] 10 THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF CRIME PREVENTION AND POLICY that services 11 described in subsection (c) of this section were rendered to a victim of an alleged rape or 12 sexual offense or a victim of alleged child sexual abuse; and 13 (iii) may not include in any request to obtain payment under this 14 subsection a narrative describing the alleged offense of a victim or a photograph of the 15 victim. 16 11–1008. 17 (c) (2) (i) A victim who receives treatment under this subsection may 18 decline to provide health insurance information or submit personal information to a 19 payment assistance program if the victim believes that providing the information would 20 interfere with personal privacy or safety. 21 (ii) The physician, qualified health care provider, or hospital 22 providing a victim with treatment and follow–up care under paragraph (1) of this 23 subsection shall inform the victim of the victim’s right to decline to provide health 24 insurance information or submit personal information to a payment assistance program. 25 (iii) If a victim declines to provide health insurance information or to 26 submit personal information to a payment assistance program: 27 1. the treatment and follow–up care shall be provided 28 without charge to the victim; and 29 2. the physician, qualified health care provider, or hospital 30 providing the treatment or follow–up care is entitled to be paid by [the Criminal Injuries 31 Compensation Board as provided under Subtitle 8 of this title] THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE 32 OF CRIME PREVENTION AND POLICY for the costs of providing the services. 33 HOUSE BILL 136 3 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 1 1, 2025. 2 Approved: ________________________________________________________________________________ Governor. ________________________________________________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Delegates. ________________________________________________________________________________ President of the Senate.