The Governor shall include in the State budget, beginning with fiscal year 1997, at a minimum, sufficient funds for local health services as required by this subtitle.
The funding required in the State budget for local health services, exclusive of special fund and federal appropriations, shall be at least the amount set forth in subsection (b) of this section.
The funding shall be:
For fiscal years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, the amount of funding provided through the formula for the preceding fiscal year adjusted for:
Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (All Urban Consumers), on June 30 of the second preceding fiscal year, calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor; and
Population growth, as measured by the growth in the total population of the State on June 30 of the second preceding fiscal year, according to the most recent statistics available through the U.S. Department of Commerce;
For fiscal year 2025, $70,000,000, to be distributed to each municipality or subdivision in the same proportion as the fiscal year 2024 funding distributed to each municipality or subdivision;
For fiscal year 2026, $80,000,000, to be distributed to each municipality or subdivision in the same proportion as the fiscal year 2025 funding distributed to each municipality or subdivision; and
For fiscal year 2027 and each subsequent fiscal year, the greater of:
The funding provided by the formula for the immediately preceding fiscal year; or
The actual funds appropriated for the immediately preceding fiscal year, adjusted for:
Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (All Urban Consumers), on June 30 of the second immediately preceding fiscal year, calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor; and
Population growth, as measured by the growth in the total population of the State on June 30 of the second immediately preceding fiscal year, according to the most recent statistics available through the U.S. Department of Commerce.
For fiscal year 2027 and each subsequent fiscal year, no subdivision may receive less State funding for local health services under this section than that subdivision received in fiscal year 2026.
The Secretary shall, in consultation with local health department directors, adopt regulations to guide the distribution of the funding required under this section. The regulations shall give consideration to appropriate measures of community health need, local funding effort, and other relevant factors.
As to appropriations required by this subtitle, a local match shall be required as a condition of any distribution to a subdivision; however, the local match percentage required by the Secretary of Health may not exceed the local match percentage required for the subdivision for fiscal year 1996.
The appropriations described in this subtitle shall be used for programs, including related administrative expenses, directed at the following:
Communicable disease control services;
Environmental health services;
Family planning services;
Maternal and child health services;
Wellness promotion services;
Adult health and geriatric services;
Data management and exchange services regarding communicable diseases and other health matters, as allowed under federal and State law;
Providing protective equipment for nurses, physician assistants, physicians, and other health care personnel in contact with patients;
Providing equipment, medication, and other materials determined to be appropriate to prepare for potential communicable disease emergencies, or other public health emergencies; and
Administration and communication services associated with the provision of the services described in items (1) through (9) of this section.
The funds designated for the provision of local health services under this subtitle may not be transferred to any other program for any other purpose.