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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0202*
HOUSE BILL 202
J1 6lr0683
(PRE–FILED)
By: Delegate Vogel
Requested: August 13, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Health
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Health – Social Isolation and Loneliness Pilot Grant Program – 2
Establishment 3
FOR the purpose of establishing the Social Isolation and Loneliness Pilot Grant Program 4
in the Maryland Department of Health to pr ovide grants for the operating costs 5
associated with the maintenance or expansion of programs that target vulnerable 6
populations with socioemotional support addressing social isolation and loneliness; 7
and generally relating to the Social Isolation and Loneliness Pilot Grant Program. 8
BY adding to 9
Article – Health – General 10
Section 13 –5901 and 13 –5902 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 59 . Social 11
Isolation and Loneliness Pilot Grant Program” 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
Article – Health – General 17
SUBTITLE 59. SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS PILOT GRANT PROGRAM. 18
13–5901. 19
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 20
INDICATED. 21
2 HOUSE BILL 202
(B) “ELIGIBLE ENTITY” MEANS AN ENTITY OR ORGANIZATION THAT SERVES 1
PATIENTS, CLIENTS, OR PROGRAMMING PARTI CIPANTS VULNERABLE TO THE 2
ADVERSE HEALTH EFFEC TS OF SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONEL INESS, AS 3
DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT. 4
(C) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS PILOT 5
GRANT PROGRAM. 6
13–5902. 7
(A) (1) THERE IS A SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS PILOT GRANT 8
PROGRAM IN THE DEPARTMENT. 9
(2) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM. 10
(B) THE PURPOSES OF THE PROGRAM ARE TO: 11
(1) EXAMINE THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS ON 12
VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES; 13
(2) ENCOURAGE PROGRAMMING TO ALLEVIATE THE ADVERSE 14
MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH EFFECTS CAUSE D BY SOCIAL ISOLATIO N AND 15
LONELINESS; 16
(3) TARGET POPULATIONS IN THE STATE THAT ARE AT INC REASED 17
RISK FOR SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS; AND 18
(4) INFORM FUTURE POLICY AND PROGRAMMING TO REDUCE SOCIAL 19
ISOLATION AND LONELINESS. 20
(C) (1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPHS (2) AND (3) OF THIS SUBSECTION, THE 21
PROGRAM SHALL AWARD A GRANT TO FIVE ELIGIBLE ENTITIES FOR THE OPERATING 22
COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MAINTENANCE OR EXPANSION OF A PROGRAM THAT 23
TARGETS VULNERABLE POPULATIO NS WITH SOCIOEMOTION AL SUPPORT 24
ADDRESSING SOCIAL IS OLATION AND LONELINE SS, INCLUDING VENUE FEES , 25
PERSONNEL COSTS, AND LICENSING FEES. 26
(2) THE PROGRAM, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF 27
AGING, THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE FOR CHILDREN, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF 28
HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, SHALL PRIORITIZE YOU TH, SENIOR, 29
AND RURAL POPULATIONS WHEN AWARDING GRANTS TO ELIGIBLE ENTITIES. 30
(3) A GRANT AWARDED BY THE PROGRAM MAY NOT EXCEED $20,000. 31
HOUSE BILL 202 3
(D) AN ELIGIBLE ENTITY TH AT RECEIVES A GRANT UNDER THIS SECTION 1
MAY NOT USE THE FUNDS FOR: 2
(1) RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS; OR 3
(2) CAPITAL EXPENDITURES. 4
(E) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2028, THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUDE IN THE 5
ANNUAL BUDGET BILL AN APPROPRIATION OF $100,000 FOR THE PROGRAM. 6
(F) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2029, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL 7
CONDUCT AN EVALUATIO N OF THE PROGRAM AND REPORT IT S FINDINGS TO THE 8
GOVERNOR AND , IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT 9
ARTICLE, TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN A REPORT THAT INCLUDES: 10
(1) AN ACCOUNTING OF FINANCIAL RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES; 11
(2) ANY PROGRESS MADE IN JUR ISDICTIONS THAT RECEIVED 12
PROGRAM GRANTS BASED ON THE OUTCOME METRI CS PRODUCED BY THE G RANT 13
RECIPIENTS; AND 14
(3) THE IMPACT OF PROGRAM ACTIVITIES WITH RESP ECT TO 15
TREATING AND SERVING PATIENTS, CLIENTS, AND PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. 16
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this A ct shall take effect 17
October 1, 2026. It shall remain effective for a period of 3 years and 6 months and, at the 18
end of March 31, 2030, this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, 19
shall be abrogated and of no further force and effect. 20