2015 SESSION OF THE
MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
| | | |
| 2015 SESSION OF THE |
| Volume 21, Number 2 | February 20, 2015 |
Here are some of the hot issues as the 2015 Legislative Session develops:
State Officials at FastForward East Opening
Augustine Commission Announces Recommendations
Dean Klag in Annapolis
BILLS INTRODUCED
Behavioral Health HB367/SB469 Public Health - Maryland Behavioral Health Crisis Response System Altering the name of the Maryland Mental Health Crisis Response System to be the Maryland Behavioral Health Crisis Response System; altering the services provided by the System; requiring the Crisis Response System to evaluate the outcomes of services through the annual collection of data on behavioral health calls received by police, attempted and completed suicides, unnecessary hospitalizations, hospital diversions, arrests and detentions and diversion of arrests and detentions of individuals with behavioral health diagnoses; etc. Hearing Date: Tue 2/24 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 HB368/SB214 Civil Actions - Immunity From Liability - Emergency Medical Care for Drug Overdose Providing immunity from civil liability for a specified person administering medications or treatment in response to an apparent drug overdose if the person is trained and certified under specified protocols established by the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene; extending immunity under the Act to a corporation under specified circumstances; and applying the Act prospectively. Hearing Date: Wed 2/25 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 HB435 Department of Health and Mental Hygiene - Award of Grant - Study of Past Practices at State Psychiatric Institutions Requiring, on or before January 1, 2016, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to award a grant to a nonprofit organization to conduct a specified study related to the past practices regarding the treatment of patients at State psychiatric institutions; and requiring, as a condition of the grant and on or before December 1, 2016, the nonprofit organization awarded the grant to submit the results of the study to specified persons. Hearing Date: Thu 2/19 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 HB451/SB162 Task Force to Study Regulation of Teletherapy Establishing the Task Force to Study Regulation of Teletherapy; providing for the composition, chair, and staffing of the Task Force; prohibiting a member of the Task Force from receiving compensation, but authorizing the reimbursement of expenses; requiring the Task Force to study and make recommendations on specified matters; and requiring the Task Force to submit an interim report and a final report by specified dates. Hearing Date: Thu 2/19 1:00 PM Effective Date: July 1, 2015 HB629/SB575 Health Occupations - Alcohol and Drug Counselors - Qualifications and Practice Limitations Altering the qualifications individuals are required to meet to be licensed to practice clinical alcohol and drug counseling, to qualify to practice as a licensed graduate alcohol and drug counselor under supervision for a limited period of time, to qualify as a certified associate counselor-alcohol and drug, or to qualify as a certified supervised counselor-alcohol and drug; etc. Hearing Date: Mon 3/9 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 HB650/SB281 Blue Ribbon Commission to Study Maryland's Behavioral Health System Establishing the Blue Ribbon Commission to Study Maryland's Behavioral Health System; providing for the composition, chair, staffing, and duties of the Commission; requiring, to the extent practicable, that the membership of the Commission reflect the geographic, racial, ethnic, cultural, and gender diversity of the State; etc. Hearing Date: Tue 3/10 1:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2015 HB662/SB157 Consultation, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Mental and Emotional Disorders - Consent by Minors Altering the health care providers who provide consultation, diagnosis, and treatment of a mental or emotional disorder to which minors who are 16 years old and older have the same capacity as an adult to consent; providing that the capacity to consent does not include the capacity to refuse consultation, diagnosis, or treatment for a mental or emotional disorder by specified health care providers for which a parent, guardian, or custodian of the minor has given consent; etc. Hearing Date: Tue 2/24 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB195 Mental Health - Voluntary and Involuntary Admissions - Assent and Certification by Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners Altering the circumstances under which a specified unit of a State facility may admit a minor under a specified provision of law for the treatment of a mental disorder to allow for the assent to the admission to be made by a psychiatric nurse practitioner and a physician; altering the requirement that a certificate accompany an application for involuntary admission to a facility or Veterans' Administration hospital under specified provisions of law to allow for a psychiatric nurse practitioner to complete a certificate; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 2/18 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB199/HB1134 Public Health - Opioid Maintenance Programs - Licensing Requiring that specified regulations adopted by the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene include a requirement that the process for approval of a license for an opioid maintenance program include an assessment of the number of existing slots in specified programs in a specified zip code and the number of individuals in need of specified services in a specified zip code, the severity of drug-related crime in a specified zip code, the population at risk of opioid addiction in a specified zip code, and the need for a program; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 2/18 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB281/HB650 Blue Ribbon Commission to Study Maryland's Behavioral Health System Establishing the Blue Ribbon Commission to Study Maryland's Behavioral Health System; providing for the composition, chair, staffing, and duties of the Commission; requiring, to the extent practicable, that the membership of the Commission reflect the geographic, racial, ethinic, cultural, and gender diversity of the State; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 2/25 1:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2015 SB318/HB1026 Community Mental Health Services - Telemental Health Services - Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners Requiring that regulations adopted by the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene under a specified provision of law allow psychiatric nurse practitioners to provide and receive reimbursement from State and federal funds for telemental health services. Hearing Date: Wed 2/25 1:00 PM Effective Date: July 1, 2015 SB321/HB926 Baltimore City and Baltimore County - Police Mental Health Units - Pilot Program Requiring, on or before June 1, 2016, the Baltimore City and Baltimore County police departments to establish mental health units; requiring a mental health unit to consist of at least six officers who are specially trained to understand the needs of mentally ill individuals; requiring the training to be developed in consultation with the Behavioral Health Administration in the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; establishing the purpose and goals of a mental health unit; and terminating the Act after June 30, 2019. Hearing Date: Wed 2/25 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB384 Mental Hygiene Community-Based Services Fund - Residential Rehabilitation Programs Requiring that specified funds in the Mental Hygiene Community-Based Services Fund that are used to increase the availability of specified housing and employment opportunities for specified individuals include services provided in residential rehabilitation programs developed by community health providers. Hearing Date: Wed 3/11 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB385 Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs - Performance Measures and Assessment Criteria Requiring the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene to adopt regulations setting standards that use the American Society of Addiction Medicine criteria for treatment, care, and rehabilitation of individuals with a substance use disorder; requiring, on or before January 1 of each year, the Behavioral Health Administration to submit a copy of a specified evaluation to the Governor and the General Assembly; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 3/11 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB430/HB975 Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Benefits - Parity Providing that specified provisions of law apply to mental health and substance use disorder benefits provided by the Maryland Medical Assistance Program or administered by an administrative services organization; requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to use the standards used to determine compliance with the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act in determining compliance with a specified provision of law; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 3/11 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB516/HB745 Public Health - Overdose Response Program Authorizing specified advanced practice nurses, in addition to specified nurse practitioners and pharmacists, to conduct specified overdose prevention educational training programs; altering the circumstances under which specified employees or volunteers may conduct the training programs; authorizing specified individuals to prescribe and dispense naloxone to specified certificate holders directly or under a specified standing order under specified circumstances; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 3/12 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB546 Civil Actions - Immunity From Liability - Emergency Medical Care for Drug Overdose Providing immunity from civil liability for a specified person administering medications or treatment in response to an apparent drug overdose if the person is trained and certified under specified protocols established by the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene; extending immunity under the Act to a corporation when its fire department personnel are immune under the Act; and applying the Act prospectively. Hearing Date: Wed 3/4 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB607/HB896 Maryland Opioid Use Disorder Consortium Establishing the Maryland Opioid Use Disorder Consortium; providing for the composition, cochairs, and staffing of the Consortium; requiring the Consortium to develop, monitor implementation of, and revise a strategic statewide plan to treat and reduce opioid use disorders in the State through a specified process; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 3/12 1:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2015 SB641 Public Health - Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes Partnership Fund Altering the definition of "eligible populations" to allow funds from the Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes Partnership Fund to be used for services provided to drug offenders under the supervision of the problem solving courts; altering the information an applicant is required to include in an request for Partnership funding; authorizing a participating county, under specified circumstances, to use Partnership funding to continue or expand funding for eligible functions; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 3/11 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB697/HB1053 Department of Health and Mental Hygiene - Workgroup to Evaluate Mental Health Care Delivery on the Eastern Shore Requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to convene a workgroup to evaluate and make findings and recommendations regarding the state of mental health care delivery on the Eastern Shore of Maryland; requiring the workgroup to include specified individuals; requiring the Department to report the findings and recommendations of the workgroup to specified committees of the General Assembly on or before December 31, 2015; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 2/26 1:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2015 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] HB405/SB374 Maryland False Claims Act Prohibiting specified actions constituting false claims against a governmental entity; providing specified penalties for making false claims; requiring the court to consider and give special attention to specified factors in determining the amount of fines and penalties to be levied under the Act; authorizing a person and the governmental entity to file a civil action against a person that makes a specified false claim under specified circumstances; providing that the Act does not apply to specified claims, records, or statements; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 2/25 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB386/HB40 Courts - Certificate of Merit - Provider of Professional Services Requiring the contents of the certificate of a qualified expert to include a statement from a qualified expert that the licensed professional failed to meet an applicable standard of professional care and supervision; applying the Act prospectively; etc. Hearing Date: Tue 2/17 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] SB572/HB1006 Hospitals - Designation of Caregivers Requiring a hospital to provide a specified patient or the legal guardian of the patient with a specified number of opportunities to designate a caregiver within a specified number of hours after the entrance of the patient to the hospital and before the patient is discharged from the hospital; requiring a hospital to document in a patient's medical record specified information; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 3/12 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB596 Health Care Facilities - Surveys, Inspections, and External Reviews Requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to survey freestanding ambulatory care facilities in accordance with federal regulations, with a specified exception; requiring the Department to survey each freestanding birthing center at least once per calendar year; requiring the Department to inspect the operations of each home health agency at least every 3 years; exempting a specified health maintenance organization from a specified external review; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 2/26 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB598 Public Health - Vaccination Reporting Requirements - ImmuNet Requiring all health care providers in the State to report all vaccinations to the Maryland immunization registry, ImmuNet; altering specified responsibilities of the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene relating to specified forms and a specified brochure; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 2/25 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] HB52/SB65 Clerks of the Circuit Courts - Hospital Lien Docket - Repeal Repealing a requirement that the clerks of the circuit courts provide a hospital lien docket. Hearing Date: Wed 2/4 2:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 HB327 Health - Ambulatory Surgical Facility - Definition Altering the definition of an ambulatory surgical facility as one that operates primarily for the purpose of providing surgical services to patients requiring a period of postoperative observation but not requiring hospitalization in which the expected duration of services would exceed 24 hours following admission; and conforming with provisions of law governing freestanding ambulatory care facilities in the State under the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regulations. Hearing Date: Thu 2/19 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 HB613/SB513 Hospitals - Rate-Setting - Participation in 340B Program Under the Federal Public Health Service Act Altering the definition of "hospital services" to include a specified hospital outpatient service of a specified hospital for the purpose of allowing the hospital outpatient service to continue to participate in the federal 340B Program under rates set by the State Health Services Cost Review Commission. Hearing Date: Thu 3/12 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] HB422/SB717 Health Occupations - Athletic Trainers and Physician Assistants - Reports to the Board of Physicians Requiring hospitals, related institutions, alternative health systems, and employers to report specified employment actions and terminations of employment of athletic trainers and physician assistants to the State Board of Physicians, subject to specified exceptions; requiring athletic trainers and physician assistants to notify hospitals, related institutions, alternative health systems, or employers of a decision to enter an alcohol or a drug treatment program; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 3/12 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 HB629/SB575 Health Occupations - Alcohol and Drug Counselors - Qualifications and Practice Limitations Altering the qualifications individuals are required to meet to be licensed to practice clinical alcohol and drug counseling, to qualify to practice as a licensed graduate alcohol and drug counselor under supervision for a limited period of time, to qualify as a certified associate counselor-alcohol and drug, or to qualify as a certified supervised counselor-alcohol and drug; etc. Hearing Date: Mon 3/9 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB105/HB9 Maryland Home Birth Safety Act Establishing a licensing and regulatory system for the practice of direct-entry midwifery under the State Board of Nursing; establishing the Direct-Entry Midwifery Advisory Committee; requiring the Board to set fees for the issuance and renewal of licenses; requiring continuing education, peer review, and data submission as a condition of license renewal; providing specified health care providers with specified immunity from civil liability; defining specified terms; subjecting the Act to the Maryland Program Evaluation Act; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 2/11 1:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2015 SB252 Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Enacting, with specified other member states, the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact; establishing the purpose of the Compact; establishing specified eligibility requirements for a physician to receive specified licensure; requiring physicians to designate a specified state as the state of principal license for purposes of specified registration for specified expedited licensure; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 2/25 1:00 PM Effective Date: July 1, 2015 SB723/HB999 Nurse Practitioner Full Practice Authority Act of 2015 Repealing a prohibition against a certified nurse practitioner practicing in the State unless the nurse practitioner has an approved attestation that the nurse practitioner has an agreement for collaboration and consulting with a specified physician and will practice in accordance with specified standards; requiring a nurse practitioner to practice in accordance with specified standards; repealing a requirement that the State Board of Nursing maintain a specified attestation; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 3/18 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] HB552/SB703 Health Insurance - Medical Stop-Loss Insurance - Small Employers Altering, with a specified exception, the attachment points above which a medical stop-loss insurer assumes liability for losses incurred by an insured; applying the altered attachment points to renewal of a policy or contract of medical stop-loss insurance; prohibiting a medical stop-loss insurer, for a specified stop-loss insurance policy or contract, from taking specified actions; requiring a medical stop-loss insurer, for a specified stop-loss insurance policy or contract, to guarantee specified rates; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 3/4 1:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2015 HB660/SB450 Health Insurance - Expense Reimbursement Claims Forms - Methods for Submission Requiring insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations to permit an insured, a subscriber, or a member to submit a claim for reimbursement for specified expenses by first-class mail and by facsimile transmission or through a Web site; requiring insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations to provide a specified notice and instructions on how to submit a claim by facsimile transmission or through a secure Web site; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 2/26 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB241/HB781 Health Insurance - Coverage for Ostomy Equipment and Supplies - Required Requiring insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations that provide specified health insurance benefits under specified insurance policies or contracts to provide coverage for specified equipment and supplies used for the treatment of ostomies; requiring the Maryland Insurance Commissioner, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene, to adopt by regulation and periodically update a list of specified ostomy equipment and supplies; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 2/18 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB416/HB838 Health Insurance - Mandated Benefits - In Vitro Fertilization and Artificial Insemination Procedures Prohibiting insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations from excluding benefits for expenses arising from artificial insemination procedures performed on a married policyholder or subscriber or on the dependent spouse of a policyholder or subscriber; requiring benefits to be provided when the patient and the patient's spouse are of the same sex; altering the guidelines and standards to which medical facilities performing specified covered procedures must conform; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 3/4 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB450/HB660 Health Insurance - Expense Reimbursement Claims Forms - Methods for Submission Requiring insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations to permit an insured, a subscriber, or a member to submit a claim for reimbursement for specified expenses by first-class mail and by facsimile transmission or through a Web site; requiring insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations to provide a specified notice and instructions on how to submit a claim by facsimile transmission or through a secure Web site; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 3/4 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB471/HB949 Task Force to Study the Provision of Health Care Coverage to Uninsured Marylanders Establishing the Task Force to Study the Provision of Health Care Coverage to Uninsured Marylanders; providing for the composition, chair, and staffing of the Task Force; establishing the purpose of the Task Force; requiring the Task Force to submit a final report on its recommendations and findings to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Health and Government Operations Committee on or before January 1, 2017; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 3/18 1:00 PM Effective Date: July 1, 2015 SB556 Health Insurance - Conformity With Federal Law Altering provisions relating to the provision of benefits for the diagnosis and treatment of a mental illness or an emotional, drug abuse, or alcohol abuse disorder to conform to the requirements of the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act; requiring specified insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations to have procedures in place for individuals to request an expedited review of a request for coverage of a nonformulary drug or device based on an exigent circumstance; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 3/4 1:00 PM Effective Date: Upon Enactment SB586/HB1010 Health Insurance - Federal and State Mental Health and Addiction Parity Laws - Report on Compliance Requiring health maintenance organizations, insurers, and nonprofit health service plans that offer specified contracts and health benefit plans to submit to the Maryland Insurance Commissioner a report certifying and outlining how designated contracts and health benefit plans comply with the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and State mental health and addiction parity laws; requiring the report to be submitted on specified dates by a specified person and to include specified information; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 2/25 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB606/HB887 Health Insurance - Abuse-Deterrent Opioid Analgesic Drug Products - Coverage Requiring insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations to provide coverage for abuse-deterrent opioid analgesic drug products; prohibiting the insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations from imposing limits or cost-sharing requirements on coverage for abuse-deterrent opioid analgesic drug products that are less favorable to an insured or an enrollee than the limits or cost sharing that apply to coverage for any other opioid analgesic drug product; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 3/4 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] HB944/SB539 Patient Referrals - Oncologists - Radiation Therapy Services and Nondiagnostic Computer Tomography Scan Services Altering the definition of "in-office ancillary services" to include specified oncology group practices or offices of oncologists that provide specified radiation therapy services or computer tomography services; providing that specified prohibitions on referrals do not apply to a referral by specified oncologists for specified radiation therapy services or computer tomography services; etc. Hearing Date: Mon 3/16 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB539/HB944 Patient Referrals - Oncologists - Radiation Therapy Services and Nondiagnostic Computer Tomography Scan Services Altering the definition of "in-office ancillary services" to include specified oncology group practices or offices of oncologists that provide specified radiation therapy services or computer tomography services; providing that specified prohibitions on referrals do not apply to a referral by specified oncologists for specified radiation therapy services or computer tomography services; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 3/5 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 HB108/SB37 Tobacco Taxes - Healthy Maryland Initiative Altering specified fees for licenses for tobacco manufacturers, retailers, and storage warehouses; altering specified fees for licenses for other tobacco products manufacturers, retailers, tobacconists, and storage warehouses; requiring a specified level of funding for the Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Program; altering the tobacco tax rates on cigarettes and other tobacco products; requiring a person to obtain specified permits before selling and shipping directly to a consumer in the State; etc. Hearing Date: Tue 2/24 1:00 PM Effective Date: July 1, 2015 HB580/SB198 Health Care Disparities, Cultural and Linguistic Competency, and Health Literacy - Continuing Education Requiring specified applicants and health care professionals to provide specified boards evidence of completion of specified continuing education requirements; requiring specified boards, in consultation with the Office on Minority Health and Health Disparities and State experts, to adopt specified regulations; stating the intent of the General Assembly that the regulations require 5 to 10% of the total required continuing education credits be in specified subject matter; etc. Hearing Date: Tue 3/10 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 HB658/SB344 Public Health - Emergency Use Auto-Injectable Epinephrine Program Establishing the Emergency Use Auto-Injectable Epinephrine Program in the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; establishing the purpose of the Program as a means of authorizing persons to obtain and store auto-injectable epinephrine and administer auto-injectable ephinephrine to individuals who are experiencing anaphylaxis and medical services are not available; and authorizing the Department to adopt specified regulations, collect specified fees, issue and renew specified certificates, and approve specified training programs. Hearing Date: Tue 3/3 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 HB687 Public Health - Religious Exemptions from Immunization Requirements - Repeal Repealing the prohibition against the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene requiring the immunization of an individual under specified circumstances; and repealing the requirement that the Department adopt rules and regulations for religious exemptions under a specified provision of law. Hearing Date: Mon 3/16 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB105/HB9 Maryland Home Birth Safety Act Establishing a licensing and regulatory system for the practice of direct-entry midwifery under the State Board of Nursing; establishing the Direct-Entry Midwifery Advisory Committee; requiring the Board to set fees for the issuance and renewal of licenses; requiring continuing education, peer review, and data submission as a condition of license renewal; providing specified health care providers with specified immunity from civil liability; defining specified terms; subjecting the Act to the Maryland Program Evaluation Act; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 2/11 1:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2015 SB198/HB580 Health Care Disparities, Cultural and Linguistic Competency, and Health Literacy - Continuing Education Requiring specified applicants and health care professionals to provide specified boards evidence of completion of specified continuing education requirements; requiring specified boards, in consultation with the Office on Minority Health and Health Disparities and State experts, to adopt specified regulations; stating the intent of the General Assembly that the regulations require 5 to 10 percent of the total required continuing education credits be in health care disparities, health literacy, and other specified subject matter; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 2/25 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB344/HB658 Public Health - Emergency Use Auto-Injectable Epinephrine Program Establishing the Emergency Use Auto-Injectable Epinephrine Program in the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; establishing the purpose of the Program as a means of authorizing persons to obtain and store auto-injectable Epinephrine and administer auto-injectable Ephinephrine to individuals who are experience anaphylaxis and medical services are not available; authorizing the Department to adopt specified regulations, collect specified fees, issue and renew specified certificates, approve specified training programs; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 3/5 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB512/HB984 Hepatitis C - Opportunity for Testing and Follow-Up Health Care Requiring hospitals and specified health care practitioners who provide specified care in specified health care facilities to offer, to the extent practicable, specified individuals a hepatitis C screening test or a hepatitis C diagnostic test; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 3/5 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB597 Public Health - Immunizations - Related Institutions Altering the circumstances under which a resident or an employee of a related institution is not required to receive a specified vaccine; and authorizing a related institution to permit a resident or an employee to refuse to receive a specified vaccine after being fully informed by the related institution of the health risks associated with not receiving the vaccine. Hearing Date: Wed 2/25 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB598 Public Health - Vaccination Reporting Requirements - ImmuNet Requiring all health care providers in the State to report all vaccinations to the Maryland immunization registry, ImmuNet; altering specified responsibilities of the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene relating to specified forms and a specified brochure; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 2/25 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB599 Public Health - Expedited Partner Therapy for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Providing for the purpose of expedited partner therapy; authorizing specified health care providers who diagnose chlamydia or gonorrhea in an individual patient to prescribe, dispense, or otherwise provide prescription antibiotic drugs to that patient's sexual partners without examination of that patient's partners; requiring the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene to adopt specified regulations; repealing a reporting requirement regarding the Expedited Partner Therapy Pilot Program; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 2/25 1:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2015, October 1, 2015 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] SB297 Task Force on Family Caregiving and Long-Term Supports Establishing the Task Force on Family Caregiving and Long-Term Supports; providing for the composition, staff, and duties of the Task Force; prohibiting a member of the Task Force from receiving specified compensation, but authorizing the reimbursement of specified expenses; requiring the Task Force to make recommendations for legislative and administrative action relating to family caregiving; requiring the Task Force to report specified findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before September 30, 2016. Hearing Date: Thu 2/26 1:00 PM Effective Date: July 1, 2015 SB619 State Advisory Council on Quality Care at the End of Life - Membership and Chair Authorizing a specified member of the State Advisory Council on Quality Care at the End of Life to serve another 4 years as a member and chair of the Advisory Council after the completion of two consecutive 4-year terms, notwithstanding specified provisions of law. Hearing Date: Thu 3/12 1:00 PM Effective Date: July 1, 2015 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] HB355/SB431 Public Health - Dental Services for Adults - Coverage and Access Requiring, beginning July 1, 2016, the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide dental services to postpartum women during a specified period; requiring that specified dental services for postpartum women be included as a benefit under a specified program under the Program; requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, in conjunction with specified entities, to work with stakeholders to identify certain options for expanding access to dental services; etc. Hearing Date: Tue 2/24 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB216 Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Guardianship Commissions and Fees - Income Deduction Requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to deduct as a remedial service specified guardianship commissions and attorney's fees when determining the portion of income specified recipients of Maryland Medical Assistance Program benefits are required to contribute to the cost of care under the Program; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 2/19 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB563 Developmental Disabilities Administration and Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Services - Military Families Providing that specified dependents who are determined eligible to receive services from the Developmental Disabilities Administration shall retain eligibility for the services under specified circumstances; requiring the Administration to allow specified dependents to remain on a specified waiting list under specified circumstances; requiring the Administration to resume specified services for specified dependents under specified circumstances; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 3/11 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] HB470 Health Care Malpractice - Certificates and Reports of Qualified Experts Establishing specified procedures for determining the legal sufficiency of specified certificates of qualified experts and their reports in health care malpractice claims or actions; and applying the Act prospectively. Hearing Date: Wed 3/11 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 HB52/SB65 Clerks of the Circuit Courts - Hospital Lien Docket - Repeal Repealing a requirement that the clerks of the circuit courts provide a hospital lien docket. Hearing Date: Wed 2/4 2:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB569/HB724 Health Care Provider Malpractice Insurance - Scope of Coverage Repealing a prohibition on the inclusion, in a policy that insures a health care provider against damages due to medical injury arising from providing or failing to provide health care, of coverage for the defense of a health care provider in a specified disciplinary hearing; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 3/4 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] SB347/HB716 Health Occupations - Prescriber-Pharmacist Agreements and Therapy Management Contracts Authorizing licensed dentists, physicians, podiatrists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners to enter into prescriber-pharmacist agreements for therapy management contracts; requiring the submission of specified documents to specified health occupations boards; requiring specified contracts to include specified provisions; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 3/5 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB537/HB733 Pharmacists - Substitution and Dispensing - Interchangeable Biological Products Authorizing a pharmacist to substitute an interchangeable biological product for specified prescribed products only under specified circumstances; requiring a pharmacist or a specified designee of a pharmacist to inform retail consumers of the availability of a interchangeable biological product and the approximate cost difference as compared to the brand name drug; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 3/5 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB346/HB657 Pharmacists - Scope of Practice - Revisions Authorizing pharmacists to administer a drug or biological product that is prescribed by an authorized prescriber in accordance with regulations adopted by the State Board of Pharmacy; authorizing pharmacists to prescribe self-administered medications that do not require a diagnosis or that treat urgent or emergent conditions in accordance with specified protocols and specified regulations; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 3/5 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] HB385/SB40 Labor and Employment - Maryland Healthy Working Families Act Requiring specified employers to provide employees with specified earned sick and safe leave; providing for the manner in which earned sick and safe leave is accrued by the employee and treated by the employer; requiring an employer to allow an employee to use earned sick and safe leave for specified purposes; requiring an employee, under specified circumstances, to request leave, notify the employer of specified information, and comply with specified procedures; etc. Hearing Date: Fri 2/13 12:30 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 HB42/SB527 Fair Employment Preservation Act of 2015 Providing that an employer is liable under specified circumstances in an action concerning a violation of specified provisions of employment discrimination and retaliation law based on quid pro quo harassment or the creation or continuation of harassment in a hostile work environment; and applying the Act prospectively. Hearing Date: Wed 2/11 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 HB229/SB604 Human Relations - Employment Discrimination - Protection for Interns Establishing specified protections for interns and applicants for internships from specified discriminatory acts; providing that a specified intern has access to a specified complaint resolution procedure or, under specified circumstances, may file a complaint with the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights for specified administrative remedies; providing that the Act does not create an employment relationship between an employer and an intern for the purposes of specified remedies or specified provisions of law; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 2/11 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 HB421/SB312 Maryland Secure Choice Retirement Savings Program and Trust This bill establishes the Maryland Secure Choice Retirement Savings Trust and Program to provide a retirement savings plan to employees of private-sector employers with at least five employees that do not already provide an employer-sponsored retirement or pension plan. The bill phases in over nine months a requirement that eligible employers make the program available to their employees through a payroll deduction. Employees of participating employers are required to participate unless they opt out. Before the program begins operation, (1) the program must secure qualification from the federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a tax-favored plan and (2) it must be determined that the plan is not subject to the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Hearing Date: Tue 2/24 1:00 PM Effective Date: July 1, 2015 HB478 Labor and Employment - Discrimination Based on the Use of Tobacco Products - Prohibition Prohibiting, except under specified circumstances, an employer from discriminating in any manner or taking adverse action against an employee or an applicant using tobacco products off the employer's premises during nonworking hours; authorizing employees and applicants to submit to the Commissioner of Labor and Industry a written complaint under specified circumstances; authorizing the Commissioner to investigate whether a specified provision of the Act has been violated on receipt of a specified complaint; etc. Hearing Date: Tue 3/10 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 HB528 Labor and Employment - Wage Records, Wages, and Paydays - Requirements Requiring employers to keep wage records for each pay period for at least three years; expanding the types of wage records that employers are required to keep for each pay period; requiring employers to give employees a specified written notice within 10 days of hiring; expanding the information that employers are required to give to employees at the time of hiring and for each pay period; requiring employers to provide employees with an explanation of how wages were calculated; etc. Hearing Date: Tue 2/24 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB424/HB1051 Labor and Employment - Equal Pay for Equal Work Altering a specified provision of law concerning equal pay for equal work to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity; prohibiting an employer from discriminating between employees in any occupation by providing less favorable employment opportunities based on sex or gender identity; prohibiting an employer from taking any adverse employment action against an employee concerning the disclosure or discussion of an employee's wages; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 3/5 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB425 Labor and Employment - Wage Disclosure and Discussion Protection Prohibiting an employer from taking any adverse employment action against an employee concerning an inquiry about or disclosure or discussion of an employee's wages; authorizing an employer, in a specified policy, to establish specified limitations on specified inquiries about or discussions or disclosures of wages; providing that, under specified circumstances, the failure of an employee to adhere to specified limitations shall be an affirmative defense against specified claims; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 3/5 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB688/HB969 Labor and Employment - Fair Scheduling Act Requiring an employer to provide employees with a specified work schedule within a specified time period, notify employees of specified changes, and provide employees with a new work schedule within 24 hours after making a change to the initial schedule; requiring an employer to conspicuously post at each work site specified work schedules; requiring an employer to pay specified predictability pay under specified circumstances; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 3/19 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 Legislative Session Office Legislative Hotline is a service of Johns Hopkins Government Affairs. © 2015 The Johns Hopkins Institutions. 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Please contact Government Relations if you have concerns or would like additional information. Your input assists us greatly in evaluating and formulating the position of Johns Hopkins on all legislation.
47 State Circle, Suite 203
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Chelsea Beaupre [email protected] Mickey Geisler [email protected] Matt Greenwood [email protected] Sheila Higdon [email protected] Nicki McCann [email protected] Patrick Murray [email protected] Delora Sanchez [email protected]
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