Consumer Protection and Product Liability - Chatbots

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0827*

SENATE BILL 827
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CF 6lr2399
By: Senator Hester
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
Assigned to: Finance

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Consumer Protection and Product Liability – Chatbots 2

FOR the purpose of regulating the manner in which a developer designs and creates and 3
an operator makes available to users in the State a chatbot, including establishing 4
safety an d privacy protections for users , establishing an enhanced protection for 5
users who are minors under a certain age, requiring the display of certain warnings 6
when using a chatbot , and establishing reporting mechanisms and requirements ; 7
establishing that a violation of this Act is an unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade 8
practice subject to enforcement and penalty provisions under the Maryland 9
Consumer Protection Act and certain additional enforcement and penalty provisions; 10
establishing that a chatbot is c onsidered a product for certain product liability 11
actions; applying certain requirements of th is Act to units of State and local 12
government; requiring the Behavioral Health Administration to develop educational 13
materials that contain certain information relating to behavioral health care and 14
services for individuals; and generally relating to the design, use, and operation of 15
chatbots in the State. 16

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 17
Article – Commercial Law 18
Section 13–301(14)(xlvii) 19
Annotated Code of Maryland 20
(2025 Replacement Volume) 21

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 22
Article – Commercial Law 23
Section 13–301(14)(xlviii) 24
Annotated Code of Maryland 25
(2025 Replacement Volume) 26

BY adding to 27
Article – Commercial Law 28
2 SENATE BILL 827

Section 13–301(14)(xlix); and 14–5101 through 14–5112 to be under the new subtitle 1
“Subtitle 51. Chatbots” 2
Annotated Code of Maryland 3
(2025 Replacement Volume) 4

BY adding to 5
Article – Health – General 6
Section 10–918 to be under the amended part “Part III. Miscellaneous” 7
Annotated Code of Maryland 8
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 9

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 10
Article – Health – General 11
Section 10–1502(a) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 15
Article – Health – General 16
Section 10–1502(e) 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 19

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEM BLY OF MARYLAND, 20
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 21

Article – Commercial Law 22

13–301. 23

Unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade practices include any: 24

(14) Violation of a provision of: 25

(xlvii) Title 14, Subtitle 50 of this article; [or] 26

(xlviii) Section 13–411.1(c)(2) of the Transportation Article; or 27

(XLIX) TITLE 14, SUBTITLE 51 OF THIS ARTICLE; OR 28

SUBTITLE 51. CHATBOTS. 29

14–5101. 30

(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 31
INDICATED. 32
SENATE BILL 827 3

(B) “ADVERTISEMENT” MEANS A WRITTEN STATEMENT, AN ORAL 1
STATEMENT, AN ILLUSTRATION, OR A DEPICTION DISPLAYED IN EXCHANG E FOR 2
MONEY OR OTHER CONSIDERATION, INCLUDING ACCESS TO DATA, THAT PROMOTES 3
THE PURCHASE OR USE OF A GOOD OR A SERVICE OR INTEREST IN A BRAND, A GOOD, 4
OR A SERVICE. 5

(C) “AFFIRMATIVE CONSENT” MEANS AN AFFIRMATIVE ACT SIGNIFYING A 6
USER’S FREELY GIVEN, UNAMBIGUOUS, AND INFORMED AUTHORIZATION IN 7
RESPONSE TO A SPECIFIC REQUEST FROM A CHATBOT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 8
14–5102 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 9

(D) “ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGEN CE” OR “AI” MEANS AN ENGINEERED OR 10
MACHINE–BASED SYSTEM THAT VARIES IN ITS LEVEL OF AUTONOMY AND THAT CAN, 11
FOR EXPLICIT OR IMPLICIT OBJECTIVES, INFER FROM THE INPUT IT RECEIVES HOW 12
TO GENERATE OUTPUTS THAT CAN INFLUENCE P HYSICAL OR VI RTUAL 13
ENVIRONMENTS. 14

(E) “CHATBOT” MEANS A GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM 15
WITH A NATURAL LANGUAGE INTERFACE THAT PROVIDES ADAPTIVE RESPONSES TO 16
USER INPUTS. 17

(F) “CHAT LOG” MEANS A RECORD OF: 18

(1) INPUT DATA; AND 19

(2) SYNTHETIC CONTENT GENERATED BY A CHATBOT AND SHARED 20
WITH THE USER. 21

(G) “COLLECT” MEANS TO CREATE, BUY, RENT, GATHER, OBTAIN, RECEIVE, 22
ACCESS, OR OTHERWISE ACQUIRE PERSONAL DATA OR INPUT DATA BY ANY MEANS 23
THROUGH A USER’S INTERACTIONS WITH A CHATBOT. 24

(H) “DE–IDENTIFIED DATA” MEANS DATA HANDLED IN ACCORDANCE WITH 25
§ 14–5103 OF THIS SUBTITLE THAT CANNOT REASONABLY BE: 26

(1) USED TO INFER INFORMATION ABOUT A USER; OR 27

(2) LINKED TO AN IDENTIFIABLE USER. 28

(I) “DEVELOPER” MEANS A PERSON THAT DESIGNS AND CREATES A 29
CHATBOT THAT AN OPERATOR MAKES AVAILABLE TO A USER IN THE STATE. 30

4 SENATE BILL 827

(J) “GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE” MEANS AN ARTIFICIAL 1
INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM THAT CAN GENERATE SYNTHET IC CONTENT INCLUDING 2
TEXT, AN IMAGE, A VIDEO, OR AUDIO DERIVED FRO M THE AI SYSTEM’S TRAINING 3
DATA. 4

(K) “INPUT DATA” MEANS INFORMATION AND CONTENT INCLUDING TEXT, 5
AN IMAGE, A VIDEO, OR AUDIO THAT A USER MAKES AVAILABLE TO A CHATBOT. 6

(L) “OPERATOR” MEANS A PERSON , INCLUDING A DEVELOPE R, THAT 7
MAKES AVAILABLE A CHATBOT TO A USER IN THE STATE. 8

(M) (1) “PERSONAL DATA” MEANS INFORMATION THAT IS LINKED OR MAY 9
REASONABLY BE LINKED TO A USER. 10

(2) “PERSONAL DATA” DOES NOT INCLUDE: 11

(I) DE–IDENTIFIED DATA; OR 12

(II) INFORMATION THAT IS LAWFULLY AVAILABLE TO THE 13
GENERAL PUBLIC: 14

1. AS A RESULT OF A DISCLOSURE BY OR THROUGH ANY 15
UNIT OF GOVERNMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH A PPLICABLE LAWS AND 16
REGULATIONS; OR 17

2. AS WIDELY DISTRIBUTED INFORMATION. 18

(N) “PROCESS” MEANS THE USE , STORAGE, ANALYSIS, DISCLOSURE, 19
DELETION, OR MODIFICATION OF INPUT DATA, INCLUDING PERSONAL DATA. 20

(O) (1) “PROFILE” MEANS PROCESSING PER FORMED ON INPUT DATA , 21
INCLUDING PERSONAL D ATA, TO DETECT AND CLASSI FY OR DESIGNATE 22
PERSONALITY AND BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A USER. 23

(2) “PROFILE” DOES NOT INCLUDE PROCESSI NG CHAT LOGS FOR 24
USER SAFETY PURPOSES OR AS REQUIRED BY LAW. 25

(P) “SELL” MEANS THE EXCHANGE OF INPUT DATA, INCLUDING PERSONAL 26
DATA, FOR MONEY OR OTHER CONSIDERATION. 27

(Q) (1) “TRAINING” MEANS THE USE OF INP UT DATA AS TRAINING DATA 28
TO ADJUST OR MODIFY A CHATBOT. 29

SENATE BILL 827 5

(2) “TRAINING” DOES NOT INCLUDE: 1

(I) TESTING FOR USER SAFETY PURP OSES, INCLUDING FOR 2
RISKS OF HARM TO A USER; 3

(II) ADJUSTMENTS OR OTHER MODIFICATIONS TO ADD RESS 4
IDENTIFIED RISKS OF HARM TO A USER; OR 5

(III) ADJUSTMENTS OR OTHER MOD IFICATIONS REQUIRED BY 6
LAW. 7

(R) “USER” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO INTERACTS OR ENGAGES DIRECTLY 8
WITH A CHATBOT. 9

14–5102. 10

(A) IF A PROVISION OF THI S SUBTITLE REQUIRES A PERSON TO OBTAIN A 11
USER’S AFFIRMATIVE CONSENT, THE REQUEST FOR AFFIRMATIVE CONSENT: 12

(1) SHALL: 13

(I) BE PROVIDED IN A CLEAR AND CONSPICUOUS MANNER; 14

(II) BE REASONABLY ACCESSI BLE TO A USER WITH A 15
DISABILITY; 16

(III) BE AVAILABLE TO A USER IN EACH LANGUAGE IN WHICH 17
THE CHATBOT IS AVAILABLE TO THE USER; AND 18

(IV) CONTAIN AN OPTION TO REFUSE TO PROVIDE AFFIRMATIVE 19
CONSENT THAT IS AT LEAST AS PROMINENT AS, AND CONSISTS OF NOT MORE THAN 20
THE SAME NUMBER OF STEPS THAN, THE OPTION TO PROVID E AFFIRMATIVE 21
CONSENT; AND 22

(2) MAY NOT: 23

(I) INFER FROM A USER ’S INAC TION OR CONTINUED US E OF 24
THE CHATBOT THAT THE USER PROVIDES AFFIRMATIVE CONSENT; 25

(II) BE PART OF THE CHATBOT’S GENERAL TERMS OF USE; OR 26

(III) BE OFFERED USING A USER INTERFACE DES IGNED OR 27
MANIPULATED WITH THE SUBSTANTIAL EFFECT OF SUBVERTING OR IMPAIRING THE 28
6 SENATE BILL 827

AUTONOMY, DECISION MAKING , OR CHOICE OF A USER , SUCH AS A PRACTICE 1
CONSIDERED TO BE A DARK PATTERN BY THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION. 2

(B) IF A PERSON OBTAINS A USER’S CONSENT BY USE OF A MATERIALLY 3
FALSE OR MISLEADING STATEMENT OR REPRESENTATION, THE USER’S CONSENT IS 4
VOID AND UNENFORCEABLE. 5

14–5103. 6

FOR INFORMATION TO BE CONSIDERED DE –IDENTIFIED DATA UNDE R THIS 7
SUBTITLE, THE OPERATOR SHALL: 8

(1) ENSURE AND P UBLICLY COMMIT IN A CLEAR AND CONSPICUOUS 9
MANNER THAT AGGREGATED DATA MAY NOT BE USED TO INFER INFORMATION 10
ABOUT A USER OR ESTABLISH A LINK TO AN IDENTIFIABLE USER; AND 11

(2) CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGAT E A THIRD PARTY THAT RECEIVES 12
DATA FROM AN OPERATOR TO ENSURE THAT AGGREGATED DATA MAY NOT BE USED 13
TO INFER INFORMATION ABOUT A USER OR ESTABLISH A LINK TO AN IDENTIFIABLE 14
USER. 15

14–5104. 16

(A) AN OPERATOR MAY NOT M AKE AVAILABLE TO A U SER IN THE STATE A 17
CHATBOT THAT IS CAPABLE OF: 18

(1) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION: 19

(I) USING INPUT DATA AS T RAINING DATA FOR THE CHATBOT, 20
UNLESS THE USER PROVIDES AFFIRMATIVE CONSENT; OR 21

(II) PROCESSING OR US ING PERSONAL DATA OTHER THAN 22
INPUT DATA AS TRAINI NG DATA FOR THE CHAT BOT, UNLESS NECESSARY TO 23
RESPOND TO A USER PROMPT AND THE USER PROVIDES AFFIRMATIVE CONSENT; 24

(2) PROCESSING A USER’S CHAT LOG TO: 25

(I) DETERMINE WHETHER TO DISPLAY AN ADVERTISE MENT 26
FOR A GOOD OR A SERVICE TO THE USER; OR 27

(II) CUSTOMIZE AN ADVERTISEMENT DISPLAYED TO THE USER; 28

SENATE BILL 827 7

(3) PROFILING A USER OTHE R THAN FOR WHAT IS N ECESSARY TO 1
RESPOND TO A USER PROMPT; 2

(4) RETAINING A CHAT LOG FOR LONGER THAN 10 YEARS, UNLESS 3
REQUIRED BY LAW; OR 4

(5) PROVIDING ADVICE OR A SERVICE THAT AN INDIVIDUAL CANNOT 5
LAWFULLY PROVIDE WIT HOUT A LICENSE, INCLUDING FINANCIAL , LEGAL, OR 6
MEDICAL ADVICE, IN VIOLATION OF APPLICABLE STATE LICENSING LAWS. 7

(B) IF AN OPERATOR OR A D EVELOPER KNOWS OR RE ASONABLY SHOULD 8
KNOW THAT A USER IS A MINOR WHO IS UNDER THE AGE OF 13 YEARS, UNLESS THE 9
USER’S PARENT OR GUARDIAN PROVIDES WRITTEN AFFIRMATIVE CONSENT TO THE 10
OPERATOR OR THE DEVELOPER, THE OPERATOR AND THE DEVELOPER MAY NOT: 11

(1) USE INPUT DATA AS TRAINING DATA FOR THE CHATBOT; OR 12

(2) PROCESS PERSONAL DATA OTHER THAN INPUT DATA. 13

14–5105. 14

(A) A DEVELOPER SHALL ESTA BLISH AND AN OPERATOR SHALL PROVI DE 15
TO A USER OF THE OPE RATOR’S CHATBOT CLEAR AND CONSPICUOUS WARNINGS 16
THAT CHATBOTS ARE ARTIFICIALLY GENERATED AND NOT HUMAN USING BOTH: 17

(1) A STATIC, PERSISTENT WARNING THAT CONTINUOUSLY APPEARS 18
ON THE SCREEN; AND 19

(2) A DYNAMIC WARNING THAT POPS UP ON THE SCREEN AND 20
REQUIRES THE USER TO RESPOND: 21

(I) AT THE START OF A USER’S INTERACTION WITH A CHATBOT; 22

(II) AFTER EVERY HOUR OF A USER ’S CONTINUOUS 23
INTERACTION WITH A CHATBOT; AND 24

(III) WHEN PROMPTED BY A USER IN A MANNER THAT 25
QUESTIONS HOW THE CHATBOT FUNCTIONS OR PROVIDES RESPONSES. 26

(B) A WARNING REQUIRED UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION SHALL 27
BE: 28

8 SENATE BILL 827

(1) AVAILABLE TO A USER I N EACH LANGUAGE IN W HICH THE 1
CHATBOT IS AVAILABLE TO THE USER; 2

(2) REASONABLY ACCESSIBLE TO A USER WITH A DISABILITY; 3

(3) PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED WITHIN THE INTERFACE; AND 4

(4) AT A MINIMUM, BASED ON A MODEL WARNING DEVELOPED BY THE 5
ATTORNEY GENERAL UNDER § 14–5111(1) OF THIS SUBTITLE. 6

14–5106. 7

A DEVELOPER SHALL ESTA BLISH AND AN OPERATO R SHALL PROVIDE TO A 8
USER OF THE OPERATOR ’S CHATBOT A MECHANIS M FOR A USER TO INSPECT THE 9
USER’S CHAT LOG THAT THE OP ERATOR HAS RETAINED IN A FORMAT THAT IS 10
PORTABLE, DOWNLOADABLE, AND HUMAN– AND MACHINE–READABLE. 11

14–5107. 12

(A) A DEVELOPER SHALL ESTABLISH AND AN OPERATOR SHALL PROVIDE: 13

(1) A COMPREHENSIVE DATA S ECURITY PROGRAM THAT CONTAINS 14
ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, AND PHYSICAL SAFEGUA RDS THAT ARE 15
PROPORTIONATE TO THE VOLUME AND NATURE OF THE PERSONAL DATA AND CHAT 16
LOGS RETAINED BY THE OPERATOR; AND 17

(2) MONTHLY SAFETY TESTING. 18

(B) (1) AN OPERATOR SHALL PUBLISH A WRITTEN EXPLANATION OF THE 19
PROGRAM ESTABLISHED AND MAINTAINED UNDER SUBSECTION (A)(1) OF THIS 20
SECTION ON THE OPERATOR’S PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE WEBSITE. 21

(2) EACH MONTH, AN OPERATOR SHALL PUBLISH THE FINDINGS OF 22
THE SAFETY TESTING REQUI RED UNDER SUBSECTION (A)(2) OF THIS SECTION ON 23
THE OPERATOR’S PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE WEBSITE. 24

14–5108. 25

(A) AN OPERATOR OR A DEVELOPER MAY NOT: 26

(1) SELL A CHAT LOG; 27

(2) DISCRIMINATE OR RETALIATE AGAINST A USER FOR: 28
SENATE BILL 827 9

(I) REFUSING TO PROVIDE A FFIRMATIVE CONSENT A S 1
REQUIRED BY THIS SUBTITLE; OR 2

(II) ACCESSING OR REVIEWIN G A CHAT LOG AS ALLO WED BY 3
THIS SUBTITLE; OR 4

(3) ADVERTISE THAT A CHATBOT IS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING ADVICE 5
OR A SERVICE THAT AN INDIVIDUAL CANNOT LAWFULLY PROVIDE WITHOUT A 6
LICENSE, INCLUDING A REPRESEN TATION THAT USER INPUTS O R CHAT LOGS ARE 7
PROTECTED BY AN INAPPLICABLE FIDU CIARY OR OTHER LEGAL DUTY OF 8
CONFIDENTIALITY. 9

(B) FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE DISCLOSURE OF INP UT DATA , 10
INCLUDING PERSONAL D ATA, TO A THIRD PARTY RES PONSIBLE FOR PROCESS ING 11
THE DATA IS NOT CONSIDERED SELLING A CHAT LOG. 12

14–5109. 13

(A) A VIOLATION OF THIS SUBTITLE IS: 14

(1) AN UNFAIR , ABUSIVE, OR DECEPTIVE TRADE PRACTICE WITHI N 15
THE MEANING OF TITLE 13 OF THIS ARTICLE; AND 16

(2) SUBJECT TO THE ENFORCEMENT A ND PENALTY PROVISION S 17
CONTAINED IN TITLE 13 OF THIS ARTICLE. 18

(B) (1) IN ADDITION TO THE REMEDIES CONTAINED IN TITLE 13 OF THIS 19
ARTICLE: 20

(I) THE ATTORNEY GENERAL MAY BRING AN ACTION TO SEEK 21
DECLARATORY RELIEF; 22

(II) AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS AFFECTED BY A VIOLATION OF THIS 23
SUBTITLE MAY BRING AN ACTION TO SEEK AN INJUNCTION, DECLARATORY RELIEF, 24
OR DAMAGES IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION; AND 25

(III) A CHATBOT SHALL BE CONSIDERED A PRODUCT FOR WHICH: 26

1. AN OPERATOR AND A DEVELOPER HAVE A N 27
AFFIRMATIVE DUTY TO ENSURE DOES NOT INJURE OR HARM A USER; 28

10 SENATE BILL 827

2. AN OPERATOR OR A DEVE LOPER MAY BE HELD 1
STRICTLY LIABLE FOR CAUSING INJURY OR HARM TO A USER; AND 2

3. AN INDIVIDUAL MAY BRING AN ACTION FOR A DESIGN 3
DEFECT, A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, OR A MARKETING DEFECT. 4

(2) IN ADDITION TO COMPENSATORY DAMAGES AWARDED UNDER AN 5
ACTION TO RECOVER FO R INJURY OR LOSS UND ER § 13–408 OF THIS ARTICLE , A 6
COURT MAY ORDER A PERSON WHO KNOWINGLY VIOLATES THIS SUBTITLE TO PAY 7
AN INDIVIDUAL AFFECTED BY A VIOLATION OF TH IS SUBTITLE PUNITIVE DAMAGES 8
NOT EXCEEDING THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF ANY ACTUAL DAMAGES RESULTING 9
FROM THE INJURY OR LOSS. 10

(C) IF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL RECOVERS A CIVIL PENALTY THAT IS NOT 11
PAYABLE TO AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS AFFECTED BY A VIOLATION OF THIS SUBTITLE, 12
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SHALL DISTRIBUTE THE PENALTY TO T HE BEHAVIORAL 13
HEALTH WORKFORCE INVESTMENT FUND ESTABLISHED UNDER § 10–1502 OF THE 14
HEALTH – GENERAL ARTICLE. 15

14–5110. 16

(A) THE DUTIES, OBLIGATIONS, AND REMEDIES UNDER THIS SUBTITLE: 17

(1) ARE IN ADDITION TO OTHER DU TIES, OBLIGATIONS, AND 18
REMEDIES PROVIDED UNDER ANY FEDERAL , STATE, OR LOCAL LAW OR 19
REGULATION; AND 20

(2) MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO IMPAIR OR DENY ANY OTHER DUTY, 21
OBLIGATION, OR REMEDY PROVIDED UNDER ANY FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL LAW 22
OR REGULATION. 23

(B) EXCEPT FOR § 14–5109 OF THIS SUBTITLE, THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS 24
SUBTITLE APPLY TO ANY UNIT OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT DESIGNS, 25
CREATES, OR MAKES AVAILABLE A CHATBOT. 26

14–5111. 27

THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER PROTECTION OF THE OFFICE OF THE 28
ATTORNEY GENERAL SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THE PROVISIONS 29
OF THIS SUBTITLE, INCLUDING: 30

(1) THE STANDARD CONTENT AND FORM OF A WARNING REQUI RED 31
UNDER § 14–5105 OF THIS SUBTITLE, INCLUDING MODEL WARNINGS; 32
SENATE BILL 827 11

(2) THE SPECIFIC PARAMETE RS AND METRICS OF THE SECURITY 1
PROGRAM AND SAFETY TESTING REQUIRED UNDER § 14–5107(A) OF THIS SUBTITLE, 2
INCLUDING THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS; AND 3

(3) A PLAN TO DISSEMINATE TO THE PUBLIC THE EDUCATIONAL 4
MATERIALS DEVELOPED BY THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADMINISTRATION UNDER § 5
10–918 OF THE HEALTH – GENERAL ARTICLE. 6

14–5112. 7

THIS SUBTITLE MAY BE CITED AS THE CURBING HARMFUL AI TECHNOLOGY 8
ACT. 9

Article – Health – General 10

Part III. [Enforcement] MISCELLANEOUS. 11

10–918. 12

(A) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL DEVELOP EDUCAT IONAL MATERIALS 13
THAT CONTAIN INFORMATION: 14

(1) DESCRIBING HOW A PERS ON MAY OBTAIN BEHAVI ORAL HEALTH 15
CARE, AS DEFINED IN § 10–101 OF THIS TITLE , FROM A LICENSED MEDI CAL 16
PROFESSIONAL IN THE STATE; AND 17

(2) ABOUT FREE OR LOW –COST SERVICES AVAILA BLE TO 18
INDIVIDUALS IN THE STATE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. 19

(B) THE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS DEVELOPED UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF 20
THIS SECTION SHALL BE: 21

(1) DISSEMINATED TO THE P UBLIC BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IN 22
ACCORDANCE WITH § 14–5111(3) OF THE COMMERCIAL LAW ARTICLE; AND 23

(2) USED FOR ANY OTHER PU RPOSE AS DETERMINED BY THE 24
ADMINISTRATION. 25

10–1502. 26

(a) There is a Behavioral Health Workforce Investment Fund. 27

(e) The Fund shall consist of: 28
12 SENATE BILL 827

(1) CIVIL PENALTIES DISTRIBUTED TO THE FUND UNDER § 14–5109 1
OF THE COMMERCIAL LAW ARTICLE; 2

[(1)] (2) Money appropriated in the State budget to the Fund; 3

[(2)] (3) Interest earnings of the Fund; and 4

[(3)] (4) Any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit 5
of the Fund. 6

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, if any provision of this Act or 7
the application of any provision of this Act to any person or circumstance is held invalid for 8
any reason in a court of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity does not affect other 9
provisions or any other application of this Act that can be given effect without the invalid 10
provision or application, and for this purpose the pr ovisions of this Act are declared 11
severable. 12

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 13
October 1, 2026. 14