The segments below provide a brief overview of MACo’s advocacy in emergency services policy in the 2024 General Assembly session.
County governments lead the delivery of public safety services in Maryland and are responsible for county fire, police, and emergency services. MACo’s advocacy in emergency services includes urging for much-needed state support for local public services such as 9-1-1 call centers, front-line county services, and natural disaster response.
Maryland’s 446th legislative session convened amidst a substantial concern over the State’s fiscal situation, with weakened revenues and cost increases for many services at every level of government. Despite the budgetary limitations, many policy issues received a full debate, with many resolutions arising from the 90-day annual process. MACo’s legislative committee guided the association’s positions on hundreds of bills, yielding many productive compromises and gains spanning counties’ uniquely broad portfolio.
Follow these links for more coverage on our Conduit Street blog and Legislative Database.
Emergency Services — Security, Employee Protections, and Next Generation 9-1-1
MACo supported HB 1141/SB 1068- Human Services – 2-1-1 and 3-1-1 Systems – Non-emergency Information and Referrals with amendments. This bill envisioned a statewide 2-1-1 and 3-1-1 system for non-emergency services, resources, and information to streamline service delivery for Maryland residents, businesses, and visitors. While MACo supported the intent of the bill and its stakeholder-driven approach, counties urged amendments to guard against unintended costs for county governments.
As amended, this bill establishes the legislative intent of the General Assembly that the Department of Information Technology (DoIT) evaluate the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in creating a statewide virtual 3-1-1 portal as a source for Maryland residents to obtain non-emergency information and services and, if DoIT determines that the use of AI in creating a virtual 3-1-1 portal is feasible, prioritize the creation of a virtual 3-1-1 portal. This bill passed the Maryland General Assembly.
Bill Information | MACo Coverage
MACo supported SB 210- Emergency Medical Services – Paramedics – Immunization Administration – Effective Date. This bill extends a critical initiative for local health departments to carry out targeted public health initiatives by authorizing paramedics to administer specified vaccines with proper training and oversight. MACo advocates for appropriate support and necessary funding for public health and emergency agencies to maintain staff, services, supplies, and technology ⎯ both in times of crisis ⎯ and for the everyday preventative and responsive health services they provide. This bill passed the Maryland General Assembly.
Bill Information | MACo Coverage
MACo supported HB 1092/SB 649- 9-1-1 Trust Fund – Purposes – Training in Telecommunications Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation to require the Maryland 9-1-1 Board to establish training standards for public safety answering point personnel based on national best practices for high-quality telecommunicator cardiopulmonary resuscitation (T-CPR). In addition, the bill clarifies that any local expenditures for counties that provide T-CPR training are reimbursable by the 9-1-1 Trust Fund. This bill passed the Maryland General Assembly.
Bill Information | MACo Coverage
MACo supported HB 1446/SB 1060- Railroads – Safety Requirements (Maryland Railway Safety Act of 2024) with amendments. This bill would have addressed railroad safety in Maryland, including strengthening requirements governing railroads’ provision of hazardous materials information to state and federal emergency management officials. MACo requested an amendment to ensure rail hazmat information is available to the appropriate federal, state, and county emergency management officials. This bill did not pass in the 2024 session.
Bill Information | MACo Coverage
MACo supported HB 70/SB 496—Criminal Law—Interference With a Public Safety Answering Point Penalties, which bolstered state laws to protect against sophisticated cyber-attacks that significantly threaten the security and stability of MarylaMaryland’s system. The bill passed the House of Delegates but failed to advance from the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. The bill did not pass in the 2024 session.
Bill Information | MACo Coverage
