2024 Maryland General Assembly Recap
If you would like more information on any of the bills we supported this session, whether they passed or not, or if you want to be sure we're aware of an important issue, please contact Ashley Tauler, Policy & Advocacy Associate.
Maryland Coalition of Families is proud of the bills we helped pass during the 2024 Maryland General Assembly and we are committed to continuing to advocate for measures that didn't advance as far as we hoped. We were gratified by the support of our community and the families we support, who answered the call when we asked them to contribute their voices to the conversations about proposed legislation. MCF's Executive Director, Christi Green, and Policy & Advocacy Associate, Ashley Tauler, testified a combined 32 times. In addition, Ashley helped 13 people who have a loved one with a behavioral health challenge prepare their own written or oral testimony.
These efforts resulted in the passage of 7 of the 11 bills MCF supported this legislative session.
SB 165/HB 204: This bill will require all public school and college or university coaches to be trained to recognize signs of mental illness in students who participate in athletic programs.
SB 212/ HB 1048: This bill requires the Commission on Behavioral Health Care Treatment and Access and the Behavioral Health Advisory Council to meet jointly and submit joint annual reports. It also requires the Commission to make recommendations regarding the financing structure and quality oversight necessary to integrate somatic and behavioral health services under Medicaid.
HB 933/SB 974: This is the bill that establishes a long-term funding plan to sustain 988 services in Maryland.
SB 571/HB 603: This bill, known as the Maryland Kids Code, will require developers of online products most often used by children to build in safety measures by default and design.
HB 903/SB 797: This bill will provide legal assistance to low-income individuals who need support for issues related to special education services.
SB 93/HB 110: Toward the end of the session, this bill was combined with SB 791/HB 932 and ensures transparency from insurers to explain why a mental health or substance use claim is denied.
SB1099: This is a bill we were asked to support by Senator Will Smith toward the end of the session. Though not part of the initial bills we were watching, we gladly signed on because it's important and makes good sense. This bill would require that all public buildings in Maryland have naloxone co-located in places where there are Automated External Defibrillator (AED) machines. Naloxone is a nasal spray that can be administered to someone in the midst of an opioid overdose and has been known to save many lives.