Federally Qualified Health Centers Grant Program - Acquisition of Land
Summary
SB1005 expands Maryland’s Federally Qualified Health Centers Grant Program by adding a new eligible use of grant funds: the acquisition of land for the construction or use of a federally qualified health center. Under current law, the program already allows grants for converting public buildings, acquiring existing buildings, renovating health centers, purchasing capital equipment, and planning, designing, and constructing health centers. This bill adds land acquisition to that list, giving counties, municipal corporations, and nonprofit organizations another financing tool to support FQHC development.
The practical effect is to broaden the authority of the Board of Public Works, on the recommendation of the Secretary of Health, to award grants for site acquisition tied to health center projects. The bill amends Section 24-1302 of the Health-General Article and takes effect October 1, 2025. By allowing grant support for land purchases, the measure is intended to make it easier to establish or expand community-based primary care facilities, especially in areas where suitable sites are difficult or expensive to secure.
Impact
The bill amends Maryland Health-General § 24-1302 to expressly authorize grants for the acquisition of land for federally qualified health centers, in addition to the program’s existing categories of eligible project costs. It does not create a new program, but it expands the scope of the existing Federally Qualified Health Centers Grant Program and the Board of Public Works’ grant-making authority. Counties, municipal corporations, and nonprofit organizations become eligible to seek state grant support for land purchases associated with FQHC construction or use.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests broad bipartisan support and little controversy. The bill passed the Senate unanimously, 44-0, and passed the House by a wide margin, 126-10. No committee transcripts are available, but the strong vote totals indicate the measure was generally viewed favorably as a practical health-care access and infrastructure bill.
Contention
There is no recorded committee debate in the provided materials, and the final votes show limited opposition. Any potential point of contention would likely have centered on whether state grant funds should be used for land acquisition rather than only buildings, renovations, equipment, or construction. However, the overwhelming support suggests that concerns about expanding eligible uses were minimal compared with the perceived benefit of helping communities secure sites for federally qualified health centers.