HB 537

Mental Health Law – Petitions for Emergency Evaluation – Procedures

Sponsor: Sheila Ruth (District 44B)Committee: Health and Government OperationsSubject: Public HealthStatus: Hearing 2/16 at 1:30 p.m. (as of Dec 1, 2021)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Authorizing, rather than requiring, a certain petitioner for emergency evaluation of an individual to give the petition to a peace officer; repealing the requirement that a peace officer explain certain information to a certain petitioner; requiring a certain petitioner for emergency evaluation to take an emergency evaluee to the nearest emergency facility under certain circumstances; etc.

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Testimony (30)

MGA witness list

FAV 17FavorableFWA 3Favorable with amendmentsUNF 9UnfavorableINFO 1Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Morris Sr., Ricky	Baltimore Harm Reduction Coalition (BHRC)	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Tompsett, Thomas	Harris Jones & Malone	Written (PDF)
FAV	Diamond, Joanna	Health Care for the Homeless	Written (PDF)
FAV	Willis , Greta	Kevin L Cooper Foundation	Oral
FAV	Hilliard, Michael	Law Enforcement Action Partnership	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Faulkner, Rachael	Public Policy Partners	Written (PDF)
FAV	Avruch, David	Social Welfare Action Alliance	Oral
FAV	Sanft, Hsin-Lun	TIME Organization	Written (PDF)
FAV	Alheri, Onyinye	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Chan, Sam	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Ruth, Delegate Ruthlegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Epps-Stewart, Mercer	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hanson, Anne	Individual	Oral
FAV	Hines, Stacia	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Robertson, Jesse	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Ruth, S	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Tome, Gretchen	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Breidenstine, Adriennelobbyist	Behavioral Health System Baltimore	Written (PDF)
UNF	Shattuck, Daniellobbyist	Brocato & Shattuck	Written (PDF)
UNF	Office of Governmental Affairs, Maryland Department of Health	Maryland Dept. of Health	Written (PDF)
UNF	Dorrien, Erinlobbyist	Maryland Hospital Association	Written (PDF)
UNF	Elalamy, Sara	Maryland Judiciary	Written (PDF)
UNF	Tenney, Lisa	Maryland State Council Emergency Nurses Association	Written (PDF)
UNF	Kasemeyer, Pam	Schwartz, Metz & Wise, P.A.	Position only
UNF	Elliott, Robynlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	mcavoy, vince	Individual	Oral
FWA	Adams, MD, Joseph	Maryland-DC Society of Addiction Medicine	Written (PDF)
FWA	Livshin, Michelle	On Our Own of Maryland, Inc.	Written (PDF)
FWA	Najera, Deanna	Individual	Written (PDF)
INFO	Coble, Annie	Johns Hopkins	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Baltimore Harm Reduction Coalition (BHRC)FAV 1

Behavioral Health System BaltimoreUNF 1

Brocato & ShattuckUNF 1

Harris Jones & MaloneFAV 1

Health Care for the HomelessFAV 1

Johns HopkinsINFO 1

Kevin L Cooper FoundationFAV 1

Law Enforcement Action PartnershipFAV 1

Maryland Dept. of HealthUNF 1

Maryland Hospital AssociationUNF 1

Maryland JudiciaryUNF 1

Maryland State Council Emergency Nurses AssociationUNF 1

Maryland-DC Society of Addiction MedicineFWA 1

On Our Own of Maryland, Inc.FWA 1

Public Policy PartnersFAV 1

Schwartz, Metz & Wise, P.A.UNF 1

Social Welfare Action AllianceFAV 1

TIME OrganizationFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

UNFBreidenstine, AdrienneBehavioral Health System BaltimoreRegistered for: Behavioral Health System Baltimore

UNFShattuck, DanielBrocato & ShattuckRegistered for: Acorn Health; American Physical Therapy Association Maryland - APTA MD; Arthritis & Rheumatism Associates, P.C.; Associates in Radiation Medicine; League for People with Disabilities, The; Maryland Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics…

UNFDorrien, ErinMaryland Hospital AssociationRegistered for: Maryland Hospital Association

UNFElliott, RobynRegistered for: American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists; Amica Center for Immigrant Rights; CareForth; Chase Brexton Health System; Coordinating Center, The; Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition…