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<section article="ghg" article_name="Health - General" number="19-310.4" title_number="19" title_name="Health Care Facilities" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Hospitals and Related Institutions">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Committee” means the review committee established in accordance with subsection (e) of this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Program” means the Private Hospital Grant Program.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Except as provided in subsection (f) of this section, this section may not be construed to prohibit an organization from receiving funds from a government source other than the Private Hospital Grant Program.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>There is a Private Hospital Grant Program.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The purpose of the Program is to make recommendations to the Governor for funding in the annual State budget for capital projects at private hospitals in the State.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Maryland Hospital Association shall establish a review committee to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Develop the process for hospitals in the State to submit requests for funding in the annual budget;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Establish eligibility criteria for a hospital to submit a request for funding under the Program;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Establish criteria for projects eligible to receive funding under the Program;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Establish deadlines for the submission of requests for funding and the determination of projects recommended for funding;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>Develop project scoring and selection criteria guidelines;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>Review eligible requests for funding; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>Make final recommendations for projects to be funded in the annual State budget.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>To the extent practicable, the membership of the committee established under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall reflect the geographic diversity of hospitals in the State.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The committee shall consult with the Department of Budget and Management and the Department of Legislative Services in:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Establishing the project funding request process under paragraph (1) of this subsection; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Making recommendations for funding requests.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>In consultation with the Department of Budget and Management, the committee may establish conditions under which a request for funding may be rejected for consideration.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>The Maryland Hospital Association shall submit the recommendations of the committee to the Governor and the Secretary of Budget and Management.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>For fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Governor may include in the capital or operating budget bill an appropriation of $20,000,000 for the Private Hospital Grant Program.</text>
  </level>
</section>
