HB 838 Maryland House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Health Occupations - Licensed Direct-Entry Midwives - Revisions

HB 838 revises Maryland's regulations for licensed direct-entry midwives, making their practice independent without requiring oversight from other healthcare providers. The bill removes the requirement for midwives to report certain information to the Direct-Entry Midwifery Advisory Committee and updates disciplinary procedures for license holders. It also extends the validity of the Maryland Licensure of Direct-Entry Midwives Act through a sunset provision. These changes directly affect licensed midwives and the pregnant people and newborns they serve by increasing midwives' autonomy in providing low-risk maternity care.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Jan 29, 2025 Signed May 20, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Health Occupations - Licensed Direct-Entry Midwives - Revisions → Third - Health Occupations - Licensed Direct-Entry Midwives - Revisions · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill update primarily involves technical and formatting changes rather than substantive policy modifications. The main changes include updating the bill's sponsor list to reflect additional co-sponsors, changing the bill reference from HB 838 to SB 854, and reorganizing the legislative text structure. The core provisions regarding direct-entry midwifery practice remain unchanged.

TECHNICAL

Added additional co-sponsors to the bill including Delegates Alston, Bagnall, Bhandari, Guzzone, Hill, Hutchinson, S. Johnson, Kerr, Kipke, Lopez, Martinez, Pena-Melnyk, Rosenberg, Ross, Taveras, White Holland, Woods, and Woorman

Changed bill reference from HB 838 to SB 854 in the header information

Added committee report status showing favorable with amendments and house action adopted

Reorganized the legislative text structure and formatting, including moving the Annotated Code of Maryland reference to a different location

Removed the original bill introduction date line and replaced with new committee and action status information

Floor votes · House of Delegates Mar 8, 2025

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 20, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 645

executive

Apr 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

Returned Passed

lower

Mar 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

Third Reading Passed

upper

Mar 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed

upper

Mar 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Favorable Report by Finance

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Committee

Referred Finance

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Mar 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

lower

Mar 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Health and Government Operations

lower

Mar 8, 2025

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (131-6-2)

house of delegates

Jan 29, 2025

Committee

First Reading Health and Government Operations

lower

18 primary · 0 co-sponsors