Subcommittee reports several behavioral‑health and related bills; votes and referrals summarized

The House subcommittee on behavioral health considered a slate of bills and moved several forward while postponing or rejecting others.

HB 225: Delegate Hope sought to create a Marcus Alert evaluation task force placed with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; sponsor noted a budget amendment anticipating some fiscal impact. The committee reported HB 225 as amended and referred it to the Appropriations Committee by a vote of 5 to 1.

HB 309: The committee adopted a substitute clarifying custody while a medical TDO is being sought and reported the bill as substituted, 6 to 0 (see separate article on HB 309).

HB 513 (substitute): Delegate Martinez secured a substitute permitting local and regional suicide fatality review teams to review veteran and military suicide deaths, allow closed meetings and keep review records confidential and exempt from FOIA. The substitute was moved and reported in committee.

HB 681: Delegate Hayes' bill to permit retired law enforcement to assist with transports related to temporary detention orders was reported 6 to 0 after members discussed training requirements.

HB 695: The substitute narrowed menu‑sodium disclosure to restaurants subject to federal labeling rules and replaced a civil penalty with a license‑revocation mechanism; several members expressed concern that revocation is a severe penalty. The patron agreed to work with stakeholders and the committee "passed by for the day" to allow further negotiation.

Several items were amended in committee and some were reported with unanimous or near‑unanimous support; the subcommittee ended its session after a failed motion to report another bill on waterworks receivership.