Bill > HB1012

This bill authorizes counties and municipalities in Maryland to establish local suicide fatality review teams, referred to as "local teams," which are multidisciplinary and multiagency groups tasked with preventing suicide deaths by reviewing suicide deaths, identifying risk factors, promoting coordination among relevant entities, and developing recommendations. These local teams must coordinate with the State Suicide Fatality Review Committee and operate under its guidance. Importantly, meetings of local teams where individual suicide cases are discussed are exempt from the Maryland Open Meetings Act, meaning they can be closed to the public to protect sensitive information. Furthermore, all information and records acquired by a local team are considered confidential and are exempt from public disclosure under the Maryland Public Information Act, with limited exceptions for statistical compilations or reports that do not identify individuals. This confidentiality extends to prohibiting members of local teams and those attending meetings from testifying in any civil or criminal proceeding about information presented or opinions formed during these meetings, unless that information was obtained independently. The bill also specifies that mental health and substance abuse treatment records are subject to additional privacy protections.

Health and Social Services

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB1012?ys=2026RS