# Maryland SB 0707: Mental Health Law - Danger to the Life or Safety of the Individual or of Others - Definition (Right to Treatment) Maryland SB 0707, Mental Health Law - Danger to the Life or Safety of the Individual or of Others - Definition (Right to Treatment), is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Justin Ready (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-28 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 177) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0707-2026RS - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maryland SB 0707 - State: Maryland - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Mental Health Law - Danger to the Life or Safety of the Individual or of Others - Definition (Right to Treatment) - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-02-06 - Last action: 2026-04-28, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 177 - Sponsor: Justin Ready (Republican) - Cosponsors: 10 - Subjects: Public Health, Administrative Agencies, Data -see also- Census; Demographics, Emergencies -see also- Pandemics, Evaluations and Reviews, Health Care Facilities -see also- Clinics; Hospices; etc, Hospitals -see also- Clinics; State Hospitals, Injury, Medical Testing and Diagnosis, Medical Treatments, Mental and Behavioral Health -see also- Aut; Cogn; Dev; etc., Petitions, Reports, Safety -see also- Occupational Safety, Veterans - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 3 (212 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 2 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Public reports on emergency evaluation petitions: benefit, low. The Behavioral Health Administration must publish yearly reports on emergency evaluation petitions. Reports are due by December 15 in 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2029. Each report covers petitions from October 1 of the prior year through September 30. Reports must break out counts by ZIP code, age, race,… - New standard for involuntary mental health care: mixed, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, Maryland uses a “substantial risk” test in emergency evaluations and involuntary admission. The risk must be due to a mental disorder. Decisions must rely on recent and relevant conduct, the person’s current condition, and any recent personal, medical, and psychiatric his… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Justin Ready (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Mary Beth Carozza (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Arthur Ellis (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Dawn Gile (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Stephen S. Hershey (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Katie Fry Hester (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Mary-Dulany James (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Karen Lewis Young (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Mike McKay (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: C. Anthony Muse (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Johnny Ray Salling (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-09 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 41 | 0 | 2 | | 2026-04-08 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 129 | 0 | 6 | | 2026-03-23 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 42 | 0 | 2 | ## Actions (18) - 2026-04-28: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 177 - 2026-04-09: Passed Enrolled (Senate) - 2026-04-09: Third Reading Passed (41-0) (Senate) - 2026-04-09: Senate Concurs House Amendments (Senate) - 2026-04-08: Third Reading Passed (129-0) (House) - 2026-04-08: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House) - 2026-04-08: Favorable with Amendments {473626/1 Adopted (House) - 2026-04-08: Favorable with Amendments Report by Health (House) - 2026-03-27: Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m. (House) - 2026-03-27: Hearing canceled (House) - 2026-03-24: Hearing 3/31 at 1:00 p.m. (House) - 2026-03-24: Referred Health (House) - 2026-03-23: Third Reading Passed (42-0) (Senate) - 2026-03-23: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate) - 2026-03-23: Favorable with Amendments {873527/1 Adopted (Senate) - 2026-03-23: Favorable with Amendments Report by Finance (Senate) - 2026-02-09: Hearing 2/24 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate) - 2026-02-06: First Reading Finance (Senate) ## Bill text - Enacted, 2026-04-28: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_177_sb0707e.pdf) - Enrolled, 2026-04-09: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0707e.pdf) - Third Reading, 2026-03-23: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0707t.pdf) - First Reading, 2026-02-06: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0707f.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_177_sb0707e.pdf) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0707e.pdf) - [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0707t.pdf) - [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0707f.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) - [Maryland state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0707-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).