§7.5–5A–02.    IN EFFECT

    (a)    There is a 9–8–8 Trust Fund.

    (b)    The purpose of the Fund is to provide reimbursement for costs associated with:

        (1)    Designating and maintaining 9–8–8 as the universal telephone number for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline in accordance with the federal National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020; and

        (2)    Developing and implementing a statewide initiative for the coordination and delivery of the continuum of behavioral health crisis response services in the State, including:

            (i)    Crisis call centers;

            (ii)    Mobile crisis team services;

            (iii)    Crisis stabilization centers; and

            (iv)    Other acute behavioral health care services.

    (c)    The Department shall administer the Fund.

    (d)    (1)    The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7–302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.

        (2)    The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately, and the Comptroller shall account for the Fund.

    (e)    The Fund consists of:

        (1)    Money from the 9–8–8 fee collected and remitted to the Comptroller under § 7.5–5A–03.1 of this subtitle;

        (2)    Money appropriated in the State budget to the Fund;

        (3)    Interest earnings of the Fund; and

        (4)    Any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund.

    (f)    The Fund may be used only for:

        (1)    Carrying out the purpose of the Fund; and

        (2)    Any related administrative expenses of the Comptroller.

    (g)    (1)    The State Treasurer shall invest the money of the Fund in the same manner as other State money may be invested.

        (2)    Any interest earnings of the Fund shall be credited to the Fund.

    (h)    Expenditures from the Fund may be made only in accordance with the State budget.

    (i)    Money expended from the Fund for carrying out the purpose of the Fund is supplemental to and is not intended to take the place of funding that otherwise would be appropriated for carrying out the purpose of the Fund.

    (j)    No part of the Fund may revert or be credited to:

        (1)    The General Fund of the State; or

        (2)    Any other special fund of the State.

    (k)    The Fund is subject to audit by the Office of Legislative Audits as provided in § 2–1220 of the State Government Article.

    (l)    (1)    Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Comptroller shall distribute to an administrative cost account the amount necessary to administer the fees and to cover the expenses of conducting audits under this section from the 9–8–8 fee revenue collected and remitted to the Comptroller under § 7.5–5A–03.1 of this subtitle.

        (2)    The amount distributed to the administrative cost account may not exceed:

            (i)    For each of fiscal years 2025, 2026, and 2027, 6% of the fees collected by the Comptroller; and

            (ii)    For fiscal year 2028 and each fiscal year thereafter, 3% of the fees collected by the Comptroller.

    (m)    After making the distribution required by subsection (l) of this section, the Comptroller shall deposit the 9–8–8 fee revenue in the Fund.

§7.5–5A–02.    ** TAKES EFFECT JULY 1, 2027 PER CHAPTERS 780 AND 781 OF 2024 **

    (a)    There is a 9–8–8 Trust Fund.

    (b)    The purpose of the Fund is to provide reimbursement for costs associated with:

        (1)    Designating and maintaining 9–8–8 as the universal telephone number for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline in accordance with the federal National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020; and

        (2)    Developing and implementing a statewide initiative for the coordination and delivery of the continuum of behavioral health crisis response services in the State, including:

            (i)    Crisis call centers;

            (ii)    Mobile crisis team services;

            (iii)    Crisis stabilization centers; and

            (iv)    Other acute behavioral health care services.

    (c)    The Department shall administer the Fund.

    (d)    (1)    The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7–302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.

        (2)    The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately, and the Comptroller shall account for the Fund.

    (e)    The Fund consists of:

        (1)    Money from the 9–8–8 fee collected and remitted to the Comptroller under § 7.5–5A–03.1 of this subtitle;

        (2)    Money from the prepaid wireless 9–8–8 fee collected and remitted to the Comptroller under § 7.5–5A–03.2 of this subtitle;

        (3)    Money appropriated in the State budget to the Fund;

        (4)    Interest earnings of the Fund; and

        (5)    Any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund.

    (f)    The Fund may be used only for:

        (1)    Carrying out the purpose of the Fund; and

        (2)    Any related administrative expenses of the Comptroller.

    (g)    (1)    The State Treasurer shall invest the money of the Fund in the same manner as other State money may be invested.

        (2)    Any interest earnings of the Fund shall be credited to the Fund.

    (h)    Expenditures from the Fund may be made only in accordance with the State budget.

    (i)    Money expended from the Fund for carrying out the purpose of the Fund is supplemental to and is not intended to take the place of funding that otherwise would be appropriated for carrying out the purpose of the Fund.

    (j)    No part of the Fund may revert or be credited to:

        (1)    The General Fund of the State; or

        (2)    Any other special fund of the State.

    (k)    The Fund is subject to audit by the Office of Legislative Audits as provided in § 2–1220 of the State Government Article.

    (l)    (1)    Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Comptroller shall distribute to an administrative cost account the amount necessary to administer the fees and to cover the expenses of conducting audits under this section from the 9–8–8 fee revenue collected and remitted to the Comptroller under §§ 7.5–5A–03.1 and 7.5–5A–03.2 of this subtitle.

        (2)    The amount distributed to the administrative cost account may not exceed:

            (i)    For each of fiscal years 2025, 2026, and 2027, 6% of the fees collected by the Comptroller; and

            (ii)    For fiscal year 2028 and each fiscal year thereafter, 3% of the fees collected by the Comptroller.

    (m)    After making the distribution required by subsection (l) of this section, the Comptroller shall deposit the 9–8–8 fee revenue in the Fund.