Healthcare

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 20, 2026

HB 931: Health Care Facilities - Nursing Homes - Medical Director Requirements

HB 931 requires nursing homes in Maryland to designate physicians as medical directors who either hold a specific certification (CMD from PALTMED) or are actively working toward it. The bill directly affects nursing homes (which must comply with the certification requirement) and physicians serving in medical director roles (who must meet the certification standard). Key provisions include mandating the Maryland Department of Health to create a public online directory listing all nursing home medical directors with their credentials and certification status, and setting a deadline of September 30, 2028, for current medical directors to obtain certification. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires nursing home medical directors to hold specific certification, strengthening oversight and quality of care in healthcare facilities.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 20, 2026

HB 1485: Public Health - Crisis Response System - Resources for Family Members and Trauma-Informed Care Training (Tiarra's Law)

HB 1485, known as Tiarra's Law, requires Maryland's Department of Health to create a pamphlet listing state and national crisis support resources for families affected by overdose deaths. Healthcare providers and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner must provide this pamphlet to families during specific circumstances, such as after an overdose-related death. The bill also mandates the Department to review trauma-informed care training for first responders and behavioral health staff. These changes aim to improve support for grieving families and address gaps highlighted in cases like Tiarra Brown's 2020 overdose death, where families received no resources or guidance. The law amends existing health and public safety codes to integrate these requirements into Maryland's crisis response system.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates crisis resources pamphlet and trauma-informed care training for overdose-related deaths, enhancing mental health support services for families.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 20, 2026

HB 373: State Board of Dental Examiners - Disciplinary Action and Unannounced Inspections

HB 373 allows Maryland's State Board of Dental Examiners to conduct unannounced inspections of non-hospital dental offices to verify compliance with CDC infection control guidelines. It updates disciplinary rules for dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants by adding failure to follow these guidelines as grounds for license denial, suspension, or revocation. The bill also requires certified expanded function dental assistants to be properly trained and supervised, and prohibits employers from using uncertified assistants or violating specific practice standards. These changes directly affect dental professionals and their practices across Maryland.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnforces CDC infection control compliance in dental offices, strengthening patient safety standards and regulatory oversight in healthcare services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 20, 2026

HB 628: Human Services - Foster Care Transition Grant Program - Establishment

HB 628 establishes a program providing $1,000 monthly payments for three years to young adults who were in out-of-home care (like foster care) on their 18th birthday, with birthdays on or after October 1, 2026. Payments cannot be counted as income for Medicaid, the Maryland Earned Income Tax Credit, or state/federal financial aid for education. The Department of Human Services must report annually on participants' income, location, employment, and housing status starting October 2027. The program will run from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2031, with automatic termination after that date.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEstablishes state-funded program ($1,000/month for 3 years) for foster youth, increasing government spending on social services. Payments excluded from income for tax credits, supporting fiscal management.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcarePrevents basic income from affecting Medicaid eligibility, maintaining healthcare coverage access for foster youth transitioning to adulthood.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 19, 2026

HB 1108: Labor and Employment - Greenhouse Workers - Collective Bargaining and Heat Protection

HB 1108 grants collective bargaining rights to workers in Maryland greenhouses (controlled-environment agricultural operations), allowing them to form unions and negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions with employers. The bill requires the state Labor Secretary to establish regulations for union elections, certification, and resolving bargaining disputes, while mandating greenhouse employers to provide rest breaks during extreme heat to prevent heat-related illness. This law directly affects greenhouse workers and their employers, creating a formal process for union representation and heat protection. It amends Maryland's labor code to include these specific protections for greenhouse workers, who previously lacked these rights under state law.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates rest breaks during extreme heat to prevent heat-related illness, directly protecting worker health and aligning with public health safety measures.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentGrants collective bargaining rights and mandates heat protection for greenhouse workers, advancing labor rights and workplace safety.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 19, 2026

HB 310: Correctional Services - Restrictive Housing - Individuals With Developmental or Intellectual Disabilities

HB 310 limits the use of restrictive housing (locked cell confinement for 22+ hours daily) for incarcerated individuals in Maryland state facilities who have a developmental or intellectual disability. It requires a licensed clinical professional to assess new inmates for these disabilities during intake and to recommend against placing them in restrictive housing for more than 15 consecutive days within any 30-day period. This 15-day limit does not apply if the individual commits a "prohibited act," such as causing serious injury, making threats, or possessing weapons. The bill directly affects incarcerated people with these disabilities and mandates correctional facilities to follow this assessment and limitation process.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRestricts restrictive housing for disabled inmates, requiring clinical assessments and limiting confinement duration - aligns with criminal justice reform to protect civil rights and improve correctional conditions.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates clinical assessments for disabilities and restricts harmful confinement, protecting vulnerable inmates' mental health access through healthcare standards.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 18, 2026

HB 1068: Health Insurance - Special Enrollment Period for Newly Hired Employees of Small Businesses

HB 1068 requires health insurance carriers in Maryland to provide a 60-day special enrollment period for individuals who become newly hired by small businesses that do not offer employer-sponsored health plans. This applies to people purchasing coverage through the state’s health insurance marketplace (Individual Exchange) or outside it. The special enrollment period begins on the first day of employment and allows new hires to enroll in health insurance without waiting for the standard open enrollment period. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, directly benefiting newly employed workers at small businesses without health benefits.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates 60-day special enrollment for new hires at small businesses without employer plans, expanding health insurance access without waiting for open enrollment.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides immediate health insurance access for new hires at small businesses, expanding worker benefits under employment standards.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 18, 2026

HB 599: Health - Licensure of Hospitals - Ownership Requirements

HB 599 requires hospitals seeking a new license or undergoing ownership changes after October 1, 2026, to be federally recognized nonprofit organizations registered with the state. Specifically, it mandates that hospitals qualifying for licensure on or after that date must operate as nonprofits under federal law and maintain that status as a condition of their license. The bill also prohibits transferring ownership of any licensed hospital after October 1, 2026, to any entity other than another nonprofit organization. This directly affects hospitals seeking new licenses, renewing licenses, or changing ownership in Maryland after the effective date.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates nonprofit hospital ownership to prioritize community care over profit, aligning with protecting patient access and preventing profit-driven service cuts.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 13, 2026

HB 60: Sickle Cell Disease - Institutions of Higher Education - Policies, Procedures, and Educational Campaigns (Kaitlyn's Law)

This bill requires Maryland colleges and universities to provide reasonable accommodations to students with sickle cell disease and prohibits denying them access to facilities or services based on their diagnosis. It mandates the Maryland Department of Health to create an education campaign for campus staff, develop guidelines for supporting students with sickle cell disease, and compile training materials for faculty and administrators. The law directly affects students with sickle cell disease at public and private institutions of higher education in Maryland, as well as campus staff responsible for implementing these policies. The requirements take effect October 1, 2026, with institutions needing to establish clear reporting procedures for violations.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires accommodations for sickle cell disease students in higher ed, mandates staff training, and ensures access to facilities/services - directly enhances educational access and support for students.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates accommodations for sickle cell patients in education, prohibits denial of services based on diagnosis, and requires health department education campaigns to protect patient access and rights.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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