In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. “Council” means the Maryland Violence Intervention and Prevention Advisory Council established under § 4–903 of this subtitle. “Evidence–based health program” means a program or an initiative that: is developed and evaluated through scientific research and data collection; uses public health principles that demonstrate measurable positive outcomes in preventing gun violence; and is implemented by a nonprofit organization or public agency. “Evidence–informed health program” means a program, an approach, or an initiative that is: based on public health principles; capable of being studied and evaluated through research and data collection; for the purpose of reducing gun violence; directed to influence factors determined to affect gun violence; and implemented by a nonprofit organization or public agency. “Executive Director” means the Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy. “Fund” means the Maryland Violence Intervention and Prevention Program Fund. “Hospital–based violence intervention program” means a violence intervention program that: is operated by: a hospital; or an individual or entity in collaboration with a hospital; and provides intensive counseling, case management, and social services to individuals who are recovering from injuries resulting from violence. “Local government” means a county or municipality.

There is a Maryland Violence Intervention and Prevention Program Fund. The purpose of the Fund is to: support effective violence reduction strategies by providing competitive grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations to fund evidence–based health programs or evidence–informed health programs; and evaluate the efficacy of evidence–based health programs or evidence–informed health programs funded through the Fund. The Executive Director shall administer the Fund in consultation with the Council. The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7–302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article. The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately and the Comptroller, in conjunction with the Executive Director, shall account for the Fund. The Fund consists of: money appropriated in the State budget to the Fund; investment earnings of the Fund; and money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund. Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, the Governor may annually appropriate up to $10,000,000 to the Fund. The Governor shall annually include in the annual budget bill an appropriation composed of at least $3,000,000 in general funds to the Fund. The Fund shall be used in the following manner: to support effective violence reduction strategies by providing competitive grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations to fund evidence–based health programs or evidence–informed health programs; in an amount not less than 5% but not greater than 10% of the Fund, for the evaluation of the efficacy of evidence–based health programs or evidence–informed health programs awarded grants through the Fund; and in an amount not greater than 4% of the Fund, for the following administrative costs: oversight of the Fund; public outreach and education about the Fund; and technical assistance and best practice education for grantees. The Fund may not be used to: supplant funding that would otherwise be available for violence intervention or prevention programs; or fund suppression activities by law enforcement. The State Treasurer shall invest the money of the Fund in the same manner as other State money may be invested. Any interest earnings of the Fund shall be credited to the Fund. Expenditures from the Fund may be made only in accordance with the State budget. The accounts and transactions of the Fund shall be subject to audit by the Legislative Auditor as provided in § 2–1220 of the State Government Article.

There is a Maryland Violence Intervention and Prevention Advisory Council in the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy. The Council consists of the following members: the Executive Director; one member of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the President of the Senate; one member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the House; one individual from a higher education institution who studies public health, appointed by the Executive Director; one individual who has been affected by gun violence, appointed by the Executive Director; and subject to subsection (c) of this section, eight individuals appointed as follows: four individuals from community–based or hospital–based violence intervention programs that use evidence–based health programs or evidence–informed health programs, two appointed by the President of the Senate and two appointed by the Speaker of the House; two individuals from local police departments or the Department of State Police, one appointed by the President of the Senate and one appointed by the Speaker of the House; and two individuals from local health departments that are implementing violence prevention strategies, one appointed by the President of the Senate and one appointed by the Speaker of the House. In making appointments under subsection (b)(6) of this section, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House shall ensure the inclusion of members from multiple cities and counties affected by violence. The Council shall: advise the Executive Director on: the allocation of funds for the evaluation of the efficacy of evidence–based health programs or evidence–informed health programs in accordance with § 4–907 of this subtitle; and the distribution of funding awards; provide input to the Executive Director on the administration of the Fund; assist the Executive Director in establishing procedures for local governments and nonprofit organizations to apply for funding; assist the Executive Director in establishing procedures for the distribution of funding; create guidelines for funding eligibility; review and publish reports regarding the efficacy of nonsuppression–based violence intervention and prevention programs; advise the Governor and the Executive Director on the implementation of gun violence prevention programs in the State; advise the Executive Director on public outreach and communications regarding the Fund; and be governed by a majority vote. A member of the Council: may not receive compensation as a member of the Council; but is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget.

The Executive Director shall: in accordance with subsection (b) of this section and in consultation with the Council, establish procedures for local governments and nonprofit organizations to use in applying for money from the Fund; and at least 60 days before the application becomes available to local governments and nonprofit organizations, post a notice of the application’s availability on a publicly accessible website. An application shall require a local government or nonprofit organization to provide, at a minimum: clearly defined and measureable objectives; evidence that the proposed evidence–based health programs or evidence–informed health programs would likely reduce gun violence; a description of how the local government or nonprofit organization proposes to use the funding to reduce rates of gun violence by: establishing or enhancing evidence–based health programs or evidence–informed health programs; and enhancing coordination of existing violence intervention and prevention programs, if any, to minimize duplication of services; and a plan for the collection of relevant data.

The Executive Director shall: in accordance with subsection (b) of this section and in consultation with the Council, establish procedures for the distribution of money from the Fund; and forward all applications to the Council for review and comment at least 30 days before decisions regarding the distribution of funding awards. Funding awards shall be made to local governments and nonprofit organizations for a minimum duration of 3 consecutive fiscal years. Preference shall be given to local governments or nonprofit organizations: that serve an area disproportionately affected by violence, as determined by the Council; whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing gun violence in their communities; and that serve a population identified as having the highest risk of perpetrating or being victimized by violence in the near future. Funding awards shall be commensurate with: the levels of gun violence in the jurisdiction served by the local government or nonprofit organization; and the strength of the local government or nonprofit organization’s application.

A local government or nonprofit organization that receives funding under this subtitle shall: except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, provide a cash or in–kind match equivalent to 33% of the amount awarded; and use the award to supplement and not supplant funding that would otherwise be available to implement evidence–based health programs or evidence–informed health programs. The matching fund requirement under subsection (a)(1) of this section shall be waived if the local government or nonprofit organization can demonstrate good cause, as determined by the Executive Director. In addition to any other reporting requirements from the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy, grantees shall submit a report at the end of each grant cycle that shall: include the following information: data collected during the duration of the award; a discussion of any collaborative efforts between the local government or nonprofit organization, a community–based organization, and any other entity in furtherance of the objectives of the award; and an analysis of the progress made in achieving the objectives of the award; and be posted to the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy’s website.

The Executive Director shall, in consultation with the Council: order an ongoing evaluation of the efficacy of each evidence–based health program or evidence–informed health program that receives funding under this subtitle; and retain a sufficient number of independent, third–party evaluators to maintain compliance with this section. Evaluations required under this section shall be: grouped by similar program models, as determined by the Council; conducted by independent, third–party evaluators; and ongoing for the 3–year grant period. An evaluation of an evidence–based health program or evidence–informed health program that receives funding under this subtitle may be conducted only by an evaluator with specialized expertise in the specific model that the evaluator is assigned to evaluate. The results of an evaluation ordered under subsection (a) of this section shall be posted to the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy’s website.