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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0537*
SENATE BILL 537
E3 6lr2751
CF 6lr2271
By: Senator McCray
Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2026
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings and Budget and Taxation
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Youth Delinquency Prevention Fund – Establishment 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the Youth Delinquency Prevention Fund; and generally 3
relating to the Youth Delinquency Prevention Fund. 4
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 5
Article – State Finance and Procurement 6
Section 6–226(a)(1) and (2)(i) and (ii) 7
Annotated Code of Maryland 8
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 9
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10
Article – State Finance and Procurement 11
Section 6–226(a)(2)(iii)212. and 213. 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14
BY adding to 15
Article – State Finance and Procurement 16
Section 6–226(a)(2)(iii)214. 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 19
BY adding to 20
Article – State Government 21
Section 9–3603 and 9–3604 22
Annotated Code of Maryland 23
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 24
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 25
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 26
2 SENATE BILL 537
Article – State Finance and Procurement 1
6–226. 2
(a) (1) Except as otherwise specifically provided by law or by regulation of the 3
Treasurer, the Treasurer shall credit to the General Fund any interest on or other income 4
from State money that the Treasurer invests. 5
(2) (i) This paragraph does not apply in fiscal years 2024 through 2028. 6
(ii) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and unless 7
inconsistent with a federal law, grant agreement, or other federal requirement or with the 8
terms of a gift or settlement agreement, net interest on all State money allocated by the 9
State Treasurer under this section to special funds or accounts, and otherwise entitled to 10
receive interest earnings, as accounted for by the Comptroller, shall accrue to the General 11
Fund of the State. 12
(iii) The provisions of subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph do not 13
apply to the following funds: 14
212. the Department of Social and Economic Mobility Special 15
Fund; [and] 16
213. the Population Health Improvement Fund; AND 17
214. THE YOUTH DELINQUENCY PREVENTION FUND. 18
Article – State Government 19
9–3603. 20
(A) IN THIS SECTION , “FUND” MEANS THE YOUTH DELINQUENCY 21
PREVENTION FUND. 22
(B) THERE IS A YOUTH DELINQUENCY PREVENTION FUND IN THE OFFICE. 23
(C) THE PURPOSE OF THE FUND IS TO PROVIDE GR ANTS TO 24
COMMUNITY–BASED PROGRAMS , INCLUDING YOUTH SERVICE BUREAUS, THAT 25
PROVIDE SERVICES TO: 26
(1) PROVIDE COMMUNITY –ORIENTED DELINQUENCY PREVENTION, 27
YOUTH SUICIDE PREVEN TION, DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABU SE PREVENTION , AND 28
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT; 29
SENATE BILL 537 3
(2) AMELIORATE CONDITIONS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO DELINQUENCY, 1
YOUTH SUICIDE, DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE, AND FAMILY DISRUPTION; AND 2
(3) ADVOCATE FOR YOUTH NEEDS. 3
(D) THE OFFICE SHALL ADMINISTER THE FUND. 4
(E) (1) THE FUND IS A SPECIAL , NONLAPSING FUND THAT IS NOT 5
SUBJECT TO REVERSION UNDER § 7–302 OF THE STATE FINANCE AND 6
PROCUREMENT ARTICLE. 7
(2) THE TREASURER SHALL HOLD THE FUND SEPARATELY, AND THE 8
COMPTROLLER SHALL ACCOUNT FOR THE FUND. 9
(F) THE FUND CONSISTS OF: 10
(1) MONEY APPROPRIATED IN THE STATE BUDGET TO THE FUND; 11
(2) INTEREST EARNINGS OF THE FUND; AND 12
(3) ANY OTHER MONEY FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE ACC EPTED FOR 13
THE BENEFIT OF THE FUND. 14
(G) THE FUND MAY BE USED ONLY FOR CARRYING OUT THE PURPOSE OF 15
THE FUND. 16
(H) (1) THE STATE TREASURER SHALL INVEST THE MONEY OF THE FUND 17
IN THE SAME MANNER AS OTHER STATE MONEY MAY BE INVESTED. 18
(2) ANY INTEREST EARNINGS OF THE FUND SHALL BE CREDITED TO 19
THE FUND. 20
(I) EXPENDITURES FROM THE FUND MAY BE MADE ONLY IN ACCORDANCE 21
WITH THE STATE BUDGET. 22
(J) MONEY EXPENDED FROM THE FUND FOR CARRYING OUT THE PURPOSE 23
OF THE FUND IS SUPPLEMENTAL TO AND IS NOT INTENDED TO TAKE THE PLACE OF 24
FUNDING THAT OTHERWI SE WOULD BE APPROPRI ATED FOR CARRYING OU T THE 25
PURPOSE OF THE FUND. 26
(K) NO PART OF THE FUND MAY REVERT OR BE CREDITED TO: 27
(1) THE GENERAL FUND OF THE STATE; OR 28
4 SENATE BILL 537
(2) ANY OTHER SPECIAL FUND OF THE STATE. 1
(L) THE FUND IS SUBJECT TO AU DIT BY THE OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE 2
AUDITS ACCORDING TO § 2–1220 OF THIS ARTICLE. 3
9–3604. 4
ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2027, AND EVERY DECEMBER 1 THEREAFTER, 5
THE OFFICE SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE LEGISLATIVE POLICY COMMITTEE, 6
THE SENATE BUDGET AND TAXATION COMMITTEE, AND THE HOUSE 7
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THIS ARTICLE, 8
THAT INCLUDES FOR THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING FISCAL YEAR: 9
(1) THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS TRANSFERRED AND DISTRIBUTED FROM 10
THE YOUTH DELINQUENCY PREVENTION FUND; 11
(2) THE NUMBER OF GRANTS DISTRIBUTED BY THE YOUTH 12
DELINQUENCY PREVENTION FUND; 13
(3) THE A MOUNT OF EACH GRANT DISTRIBUTED BY THE YOUTH 14
DELINQUENCY PREVENTION FUND; 15
(4) THE NUMBER OF CHILDR EN AND FAMILIES SERV ED USING THE 16
GRANTS DISTRIBUTED F ROM THE YOUTH DELINQUENCY PREVENTION FUND, 17
DISAGGREGATED BY: 18
(I) AGE OF THE CHILD; 19
(II) GEOGRAPHIC REGION; 20
(III) RACE; AND 21
(IV) ETHNICITY; 22
(5) IF A CHILD OR FAMILY SERVED USING THE GRANTS DISTRIBUTED 23
FROM THE YOUTH DELINQUENCY PREVENTION FUND HAS INTERACTED WITH THE 24
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM OR THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AFTER RECEIVING 25
THE GRANT; 26
(6) THE AMOUNT OF ANY UN SPENT MONEY IN THE YOUTH 27
DELINQUENCY PREVENTION FUND; AND 28
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(7) THE REASONS WHY THE FUNDS UNDER ITEM (5) OF THIS SECTION, 1
IF ANY, WERE NOT SPENT. 2
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 3
October 1, 2026. 4