Public Health - Local Drug Overdose Fatality Review Teams - Membership

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0515*

HOUSE BILL 515
J1 6lr1596

By: Delegate Vogel
Introduced and read first time: January 27, 2026
Assigned to: Health

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Public Health – Local Drug Overdose Fatality Review Teams – Membership 2

FOR the purpose of requiring that the hospital representative on a local drug overdose 3
fatality review team be a vice president, chief medical officer, or assistant medical 4
officer at the hospital; and generally relating to drug overdose fatality review teams. 5

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 6
Article – Health – General 7
Section 5–901 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 10

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 11
Article – Health – General 12
Section 5–902 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 15

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17

Article – Health – General 18

5–901. 19

In this subtitle, “local team” means the multidisciplinary and multiagency drug 20
overdose fatality review team established for a county. 21

5–902. 22

2 HOUSE BILL 515

(a) (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, there may be a 1
multidisciplinary and multiagency drug overdose fatality review team in each county. 2

(2) Instead of a local team in each county, two or more counties may agree 3
to establish a single multicounty local team. 4

(3) A multicounty local team shall execute a memorandum of 5
understanding on membership, staffing, and operation. 6

(b) The local team membership shall be drawn, if available, from the following 7
individuals, organizations, agencies, and areas of expertise: 8

(1) The county health officer, or the officer’s designee; 9

(2) The director of the local department of social services, or the director’s 10
designee; 11

(3) The State’s Attorney, or the State’s Attorney’s designee; 12

(4) The superintendent of schools, or the superintendent’s designee; 13

(5) A State, county, or municipal law enforcement officer; 14

(6) The director of behavioral health services in the county, or the director’s 15
designee; 16

(7) An emergency medical services provider in the county; 17

(8) A representative of a hospital WHO SERVES AS A VICE PRESIDENT, A 18
CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, OR AN ASSISTANT MEDICAL OFFICER AT THE HOSPITAL; 19

(9) A health care professional who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, 20
and treatment of substance use disorders; 21

(10) A representative of a local jail or detention center; 22

(11) A representative from parole, probation, and community corrections; 23

(12) The Secretary of Juvenile Services, or the Secretary’s designee; 24

(13) A member of the public with interest or expertise in the prevention and 25
treatment of drug overdose deaths, appointed by the county health officer; and 26

(14) Any other individual necessary for the work of the local team, 27
recommended by the local team and appointed by the county health officer. 28

(c) Each local team shall elect a chair from among its members. 29
HOUSE BILL 515 3

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 1
October 1, 2026. 2