HB 1645

HOUSE BILL 1645
     J1  6lr3613
     By: Delegate Howard
     Rules suspended
     Introduced and read first time: February 28, 2026
     Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations
  A BILL ENTITLED
1 AN ACT concerning
2      Public Health – American Legion Automated External Defibrillator Grant
3Program – Established
4 FOR the purpose of establishing the American Legion Automated External Defibrillator
5      Grant Program; requiring the Maryland Department of Health to award grants to
6      eligible American Legion posts to procure and make available automated external
7      defibrillators on the premises of American Legion posts; and generally relating to
8      automated external defibrillators in American Legion posts.
9 BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
10Article – Education
11Section 13–517(a)(1) and (2)
12Annotated Code of Maryland
13(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
14 BY adding to
15      Article – Health – General
16      Section 20–2501 and 20–2502 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 25. American
17Legion Automated External Defibrillator Grant Program”
18      Annotated Code of Maryland
19      (2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
20SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
21 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
22Article – Education
23 13–517.
24(a)     (1)     In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
     EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
  [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
  *hb1645*
2HOUSE BILL 1645
1(2)    “Automated external defibrillator (AED)” means a medical heart
2 monitor and defibrillator device that:
3(i)    Is cleared for market by the federal Food and Drug
4 Administration;
5(ii)  Recognizes the presence or absence of ventricular fibrillation or
6 rapid ventricular tachycardia;
7(iii) Determines, without intervention by an operator, whether
8 defibrillation should be performed;
9(iv) On determining that defibrillation should be performed,
10 automatically charges; and
11(v)    1.    Requires operator intervention to deliver the electrical
12 impulse; or
132.    Automatically continues with delivery of electrical
14 impulse.
15Article – Health – General
16     SUBTITLE 25. AMERICAN LEGION AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR
17GRANT PROGRAM.
18 20–2501.
19      (A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS
20 INDICATED.
21(B)  “AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR (AED)” HAS THE MEANING
22 STATED IN § 13–517 OF THE EDUCATION ARTICLE.
23(C)“GRANT PROGRAM” MEANS THE AMERICAN LEGION AUTOMATED
24 EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR GRANT PROGRAM.
25 20–2502.
26(A) THERE IS AN AMERICAN LEGION AUTOMATED  EXTERNAL
27 DEFIBRILLATOR GRANT PROGRAM IN THE DEPARTMENT.
  HOUSE BILL 1645  3
1      (B)  THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANT PROGRAM IS TO AWARD GRANTS TO
2 AMERICAN LEGION POSTS IN THE STATE TO PROCURE AND MAKE AVAILABLE AEDS
3 ON THE PROPERTY OF AMERICAN LEGION POSTS.
4      (C)  AN AMERICAN LEGION POST THAT IS NOT ABLE TO PROCURE AND MAKE
5 AVAILABLE AT LEAST TWO AEDS ON THE PREMISES IS ELIGIBLE FOR A GRANT
6 UNDER THE GRANT PROGRAM.
7      (D)   THE DEPARTMENT SHALL:
8(1)   ADMINISTER THE GRANT PROGRAM; AND
9(2)   IDENTIFY AND APPLY FOR FUNDING FOR THE GRANT PROGRAM.
10      (E)   (1)
  IN AWARDING GRANTS UNDER THE GRANT PROGRAM, THE
11 DEPARTMENT SHALL PRIORITIZE APPLICANTS IN ORDER OF DESCENDING NEED.
12(2)   AN APPLICANT THAT DOES NOT HAVE AN AED ON PREMISES
13 SHALL BE CONSIDERED TO BE OF GREATER NEED THAN AN APPLICANT THAT HAS
14 ONLY ONE AED ON PREMISES.
15      (F) THE GOVERNOR MAY INCLUDE IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET BILL AN
16 APPROPRIATION TO THE GRANT PROGRAM.
17      (G)   (1)   THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT
18 THIS SUBTITLE.
19(2)   REGULATIONS ADOPTED UNDER THIS SUBSECTION SHALL
20 INCLUDE:
21(I)    A SIMPLE COMMON APPLICATION PROCEDURE; AND
22(II)FOR ELIGIBLE AMERICAN LEGION POSTS, A PROCESS TO
23 FACILITATE THE PARTICIPATION OF AMERICAN LEGION POSTS THAT HAVE LIMITED
24 RESOURCES OR LANGUAGE BARRIERS.
25SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
26 October 1, 2026.