On March 4, Policy Fellow Charlotte Fleckenstein testified before the Appropriations Committee in support of HB 1049 – Behavioral Health Crisis Response Grant Program – Funding.  This bill requires the Governor to include $5 million in the annual budget bill for fiscal years 2027 through 2029 for the Behavioral Health Crisis Response Grant Program. Counties are key providers of behavioral health services, often being the first point of contact for individuals in crisis. The Behavioral…

On February 25, Policy Fellow Charlotte Fleckenstein testified before the Appropriations Committee in support of HB 1061 – State-Owned Property – Inventory and Disposition – Housing and Solar Energy Production.  This bill requires the State to assess excess land in its inventory and determine if any of these properties are suitable for affordable housing or solar development. Two of the most prominent issues in a historic number of complex generational challenges facing the Maryland General…

On February 25, Policy Fellow Charlotte Fleckenstein testified before the Appropriations Committee in support of HB 865 – Catastrophic Event Account – Transfer of Funds – State Disaster Recovery Fund.  This bill bolsters Maryland’s disaster recovery framework by authorizing the transfer of funds from the Catastrophic Event Account to the State Disaster Recovery Fund when existing balances are insufficient. While the State Disaster Recovery Fund is an essential tool for local governments to respond to…

On February 11, Policy Fellow Charlotte Fleckenstein testified before the Health and Government Operations Committee in support of HB 421 - Public Safety – 9-1-1 Trust Fund – 9-8-8 Suicide Prevention Hotline.  This bill improves coordination between 9-1-1 emergency services and the 9-8-8 crisis response system while preserving the integrity of dedicated 9-1-1 funding. By allowing limited 9-1-1 Trust Fund resources to support shared operational needs such as software integration and joint training, the bill removes…