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.
*sb0599*
SENATE BILL 599
J1 5lr2571
CF HB 1049
By: Senators Hettleman and Augustine
Introduced and read first time: January 23, 2025
Assigned to: Budget and Taxation
Committee Report: Favorable
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 28, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Behavioral Health Crisis Response Grant Program – Funding 2
FOR the purpose of requiring the Governor to include in the annual budget bill for certain 3
fiscal years a certain appropriation to the Behavioral Health Crisis Response Grant 4
Program; and generally relating to funding for the Behavioral Health Crisis 5
Response Grant Program. 6
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 7
Article – Health – General 8
Section 7.5–208(a), (b), and (f) 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 11
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
Article – Health – General 13
Section 7.5–208(e) 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 16
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18
Article – Health – General 19
7.5–208. 20 2 SENATE BILL 599
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 1
(2) “Mobile crisis team” has the meaning stated in § 10–1401 of this article. 2
(3) “Program” means the Behavioral Health Crisis Response Grant 3
Program. 4
(b) (1) There is a Behavioral Health Crisis Response Grant Program in the 5
Department. 6
(2) The purpose of the Program is to provide funds to local jurisdictions to 7
establish and expand community behavioral health crisis response systems. 8
(e) The Governor shall include in the annual operating budget bill the following 9
amounts for the Program: 10
(1) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2020; 11
(2) $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2021; 12
(3) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; 13
(4) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; 14
(5) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; [and] 15
(6) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2025; AND 16
(7) $5,000,000 FOR EACH OF FISCAL Y EARS 2027 THROUGH 2029. 17
(f) Beginning in fiscal year 2023, at least one–third of the appropriation required 18
under subsection (e) of this section shall be used to award competitive grants for mobile 19
crisis teams. 20
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 21
1, 2025. 22