MD SB537

Establishes the Youth Delinquency Prevention Fund as a special, nonlapsing fund within the Governor's Office to provide grants to community-based programs, including Youth Service Bureaus, for delinquency prevention, youth suicide prevention, drug and alcohol abuse prevention, and youth development

Fund revenue sources include state budget appropriations, interest earnings, and any other accepted money; the fund is exempt from the General Fund interest sweep provision and may not revert to the General Fund or any other special fund

Grants support services that ameliorate conditions contributing to delinquency, youth suicide, drug and alcohol abuse, and family disruption, as well as advocate for youth needs

Requires the administering Office to submit an annual report to legislative committees beginning December 1, 2027, detailing funds distributed, number and amount of grants, demographics of children and families served (disaggregated by age, geographic region, race, and ethnicity), post-grant interactions with the criminal or juvenile justice system, and any unspent funds with explanations

Effective October 1, 2026; introduced by Senator McCray and assigned to the Judicial Proceedings and Budget and Taxation committees