# Maryland HB 1559: Children in Unlicensed Settings and Pediatric Hospital Overstay Patients - Placement

Maryland HB 1559, Children in Unlicensed Settings and Pediatric Hospital Overstay Patients - Placement, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Mike Griffith (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-28 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 160) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB1559-2026RS
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland HB 1559
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Children in Unlicensed Settings and Pediatric Hospital Overstay Patients - Placement
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-02-13
- Last action: 2026-04-28, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 160
- Sponsor: Mike Griffith (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 42
- Subjects: Children, Social Services - Generally, Administrative Agencies, Age -see also- Age of Maj; Children; Elderly; Inf&Tod.; etc, Children (4-12), Committees and Commissions, Courts -see also- AppCt; Circuit; District; Orphans'; etc., Data -see also- Census; Demographics, Demographics -see also- Census; Data, Disabilities, Department of, Disabilities, Education, State Board of, Electronic Documents, Electronic Government, Emergency Medical Services -see also- Ambul; RescSqd, Ethnic Affairs, Evaluations and Reviews, Family Law -see also- Adoption; Alimony; Annulment; etc., Forms, Foster Care, Gender Identity and Expression -see also- Gender; LGB; etc., Governor, Group Homes -see also- Foster Care; JuvFacil; SubsAbTrt, Health -see also- COVID19; EnvHlth; MedCon; etc., Health Care Commission, Health, Department of, Health Occupations -see also- (specific health occupations), Hospitals -see also- Clinics; State Hospitals, Hotels and Motels, Housing -see also- Apartments; Condos; Mobile & Manuf Homes, Human Services, Department of, Information Technology, Insurance Administration, Intergovernmental Cooperation -see also- AdmAgn; Cmts; etc., Interstate Affairs, Job Training -see also- Continuing Ed; Vocational Rehab, Juvenile Services, Department of, Kinship -see also- Parents and Guardians, Licenses -see also- AB Lic; Certifications; DrLic; Permits, Meetings -see also- Hearings; Open Government, Mental and Behavioral Health -see also- Aut; Cogn; Dev; etc., Minors -see also- Age of Majority; Youth, Ombudsmen, Parents and Guardians, Patients, Plans and Proposals, Procurement, Public Benefits -see also- Housing; MedAsst; SupplNutrAsstP, Racial Matters -see also- Ethnic Affairs; Minorities, Records -see also- Land Records; Vital Records, Reports, Residency -see also- Immigrants and Citizenship, Respite Care, Review Boards, Social Services -see also- Public Benefits, Standards and Best Practices, Studies -see also- Commitees & Commissions; Reports, Sunset, Youth (10-21) -see also- Minors
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (169 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 6

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Children protected from unlicensed placements: benefit, high. Maryland’s out-of-home placement program must prohibit unlicensed placements for children covered by voluntary agreements or court-ordered local department custody. Covered voluntary placements last up to 180 days. Banned settings include hotels, motels, short-term rentals, designated runaway or ho…
- Emergency purchasing helps secure children’s care: benefit, medium. The Rapid Response Placement Team can authorize emergency purchasing of care through Maryland’s Department of Human Services, with required justification. The department can use an in-state or out-of-state provider. Out-of-state placement is allowed only when no Maryland provider offers the care th…
- Faster placement response for hospitalized children: benefit, medium. Maryland hospitals must immediately notify overstay coordinators through the state’s designated system about qualifying patients under 22. Patients qualify after remaining over 48 hours beyond medical clearance for discharge or transfer. Coordinators must convene a placement team within 48 hours of…
- State panel reviews children’s placement problems: benefit, low. A new Child and Youth Placement Review Panel operates in the Governor’s Office for Children, chaired by the Senior Advisor for Children and Families. It reviews hospital overstays and unlicensed placement cases involving people under 22, and recommends system improvements. Covered cases include out…
- State plans more crisis care for children: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, the Advisory Council must form a subgroup to assess licensed, staffed, and physical placement and treatment beds. It must develop electronic tracking of hospital overstay patients’ locations, stay lengths, and discharge plans, including youth entering or under voluntary p…
- Placement searches allow continued hospital stays: cost, low. Maryland’s Department of Human Services counts as following the hospital placement ban while actively searching for a child’s placement. A child can therefore remain in a hospital unit or emergency department during that search. This rule adds no payment duty for the child or family.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Mike Griffith (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Adrienne A. Jones (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Gabriel Acevero (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Tiffany T. Alston (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Heather Bagnall (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Ben Barnes (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Barry Beauchamp (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Mark S. Chang (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Bonnie Cullison (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Dana Jones (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Mark Edelson (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Catherine M. Forbes (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jefferson L. Ghrist (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Pam Lanman Guzzone (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Andrea Fletcher Harrison (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Terri L. Hill (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jim Hinebaugh (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Thomas S. Hutchinson (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Julian Ivey (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Anne R. Kaiser (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Aaron M. Kaufman (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Nicholaus R. Kipke (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Lesley J. Lopez (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Matthew Morgan (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Ashanti Martinez (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Aletheia McCaskill (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Ric Metzgar (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Teresa E. Reilly (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Samuel I. Rosenberg (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kim Ross (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Malcolm P. Ruff (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Steve Johnson (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Emily Shetty (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Stephanie Smith (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Ryan Spiegel (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Joshua J. Stonko (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Kathy Szeliga (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Deni Taveras (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Karen Toles (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Courtney Watson (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jennifer White Holland (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Sarah Wolek (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Teresa Woorman (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-10 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 42 | 0 | 2 |
| 2026-03-21 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 127 | 0 | 6 |

## Actions (14)

- 2026-04-28: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 160
- 2026-04-11: Returned Passed (House)
- 2026-04-10: Third Reading Passed (42-0) (Senate)
- 2026-04-08: Second Reading Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-08: Favorable Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-04-08: Favorable Report by Finance (Senate)
- 2026-03-25: Hearing 3/31 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate)
- 2026-03-23: Referred Finance (Senate)
- 2026-03-21: Third Reading Passed (127-0) (House)
- 2026-03-20: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House)
- 2026-03-20: Favorable with Amendments {533426/1 Adopted (House)
- 2026-03-20: Favorable with Amendments Report by Appropriations (House)
- 2026-02-17: Hearing 3/03 at 1:00 p.m. (Appropriations) (House)
- 2026-02-13: First Reading Appropriations and Health (House)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-04-28: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_160_hb1559t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-20: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1559t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-02-13: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1559f.pdf)

## Related bills

- SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - Authorization (became law)
- SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishment (became law)
- SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law)
- SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-1 Specialists Act) (became law)
- SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits (became law)
- HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law)

## Sources
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_160_hb1559t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1559t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1559f.pdf)

## Related
- [SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - A…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0496-2026RS)
- [SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishm…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0366-2026RS)
- [SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0244-2026RS)
- [SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0148-2026RS)
- [SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0016-2026RS)
- [HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0529-2026RS)
- [Maryland bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland/bills)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB1559-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).