Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 394: Public Health - Expedited Partner Therapy - Bacterial Vaginosis and Licensed Certified Midwives

SB 394 adds bacterial vaginosis to Maryland's list of conditions eligible for expedited partner therapy (EPT). This allows certain healthcare providers - like physicians, advanced practice nurses, and pharmaciststo prescribe antibiotics to a sexual partner of a diagnosed patient without requiring a personal examination of the partner. The law aims to prevent reinfection in the diagnosed patient and stop disease spread, expanding existing EPT rules that previously covered only chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis. It applies to public and private health care settings in Maryland starting October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAdds bacterial vaginosis to EPT eligibility, expanding treatment access for partners without personal exams to prevent reinfection and disease spread.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 28, 2026

HB 595: Income Tax - Credit for Physician Preceptors in Areas With Health Care Workforce Shortages - Alterations

HB 595 modifies Maryland's income tax credit for physicians mentoring medical students in underserved areas. It removes a requirement that students must be enrolled in a Maryland medical school or training program and reduces the required hours per preceptor rotation from 100 to 90 for community-based clinical training. Licensed physicians serving as preceptors in designated healthcare shortage areas may claim a $1,000 tax credit per qualifying student rotation, capped at $10,000 annually per physician and $100,000 statewide. The bill aims to expand access to physician mentorship by broadening eligibility for the credit, directly benefiting doctors and medical training programs in regions facing healthcare workforce shortages.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates a $1,000 tax credit per qualifying student rotation for physicians, providing direct tax relief to incentivize healthcare workforce development in underserved areas.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands tax credit accessibility for physician preceptors in healthcare shortage areas, removing enrollment restrictions and reducing hour requirements to strengthen workforce development in underserved communities.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 326: Physician Assistants and Midwives - Parity With Other Health Care Practitioners (Physician Assistant Parity Act of 2026)

SB 326 expands the authority of physician assistants (PAs) in Maryland by allowing them to perform specific healthcare actions currently restricted to physicians. The bill directly affects PAs, patients requiring guardianship, inmates needing infirmary care, and mental health facilities by adding PAs to certification requirements for treatment incapacity (Section 5-606), guardianship petitions (Section 13-705), and inmate infirmary admissions (Section 9-601.1). It also requires the Maryland Department of Health to cover PA examinations for emergency evaluations and adds PAs to the Statewide Advisory Commission on Immunization. These changes aim to align PA practice with other licensed healthcare professionals in defined clinical scenarios.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands PA authority to perform physician-restricted tasks, improving patient access in mental health and guardianship settings per bill summary.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 28, 2026

HB 377: Physician Assistants and Midwives - Parity With Other Health Care Practitioners

HB 377 expands the scope of practice for physician assistants (PAs) in Maryland by adding them to specific healthcare roles that previously required physicians or other practitioners. The bill allows PAs to certify incapacity for treatment decisions, participate in guardianship petitions for disabled persons, and order infirmary care for pregnant inmates - previously limited to physicians or nurse practitioners. It also requires the Maryland Department of Health to cover PA examinations for emergency evaluees and adds PAs to the Statewide Advisory Commission on Immunization. These changes aim to create parity by treating PAs as equivalent to other licensed healthcare providers in key clinical and administrative processes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands PA scope to certify incapacity, guardianship, and infirmary care, increasing healthcare access without physician oversight95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 449: Workers' Compensation - Heart Disease and Hypertension Presumption and Permanent Partial Disability - Carroll County Correctional Deputies

SB 449 extends workers' compensation benefits to Carroll County correctional deputies who develop heart disease or hypertension. It creates a legal presumption that these conditions are work-related (and thus compensable) if they result in partial disability or death, provided the condition is more severe than any pre-existing condition and the deputy had a medical exam before employment. The bill amends Maryland law to explicitly include "Carroll County Correctional Deputy" in the definition of "public safety employee" for these benefits. This change applies specifically to Carroll County deputies and requires meeting the severity and medical exam conditions to qualify.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends workers' compensation coverage for work-related heart disease/hypertension, expanding health benefits for correctional deputies without requiring proof of causation.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill expands workers' compensation benefits by presuming heart disease/hypertension in deputies is work-related, strengthening coverage for specific workplace health conditions.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 28, 2026

HB 672: Public Health - Maryland Pediatric Cancer Fund - Entities Eligible for Grants

HB 672 amends the Maryland Pediatric Cancer Fund to specify that only nonprofit hospitals, educational institutions, and other nonprofit organizations may receive grants for pediatric cancer research, removing previous eligibility for physicians, laboratories, and individuals. The bill requires grant funds to be used exclusively for direct research costs, prohibiting use for administrative overhead or community-based services. It also mandates annual reporting to the General Assembly on fund administration, promotional efforts, and detailed fund usage.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRestricts grant eligibility to nonprofits for pediatric cancer research, directing funds exclusively to research costs and requiring annual reporting, advancing healthcare funding for pediatric cancer initiatives.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 14, 2026

HB 975: Health Occupations - Massage Therapy - Advertising

HB 975 prohibits licensed massage therapists, registered massage practitioners, and third parties acting on their behalf from advertising massage services that imply sexual activity, suggest prostitution services, or appear on sites known for such ads. It requires all advertising for massage therapy to include the full name and license or registration number of the specific practitioner. The bill also sets standards for permissible advertising, such as allowing business-level ads without listing individual therapists, and mandates that trade names not be deceptive. These changes directly affect massage therapy practitioners and their marketing practices in Maryland, effective October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits deceptive advertising by licensed massage therapists, requiring license transparency to protect consumers and maintain professional standards in healthcare services.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 14, 2026

SB 910: Health Insurance - Graduate-Level Clinical Interns - Required Reimbursement

SB 910 requires Maryland health insurers to reimburse patients for services provided by graduate-level clinical interns in counseling, social work, and psychology, under specific conditions. This affects insured individuals who receive these services and insurers who must cover them. Key conditions include services being provided at outpatient facilities, interns being enrolled in accredited graduate programs, working under direct supervision of a licensed professional, and billed by the supervising provider. The bill amends existing insurance codes (Sections 15-704, 15-707, and 15-714) to add these reimbursement requirements for each profession’s interns.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurer reimbursement for mental health intern services, expanding coverage and improving access to counseling/psychology care under supervision.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 14, 2026

SB 907: Public Health - Female Genital Mutilation

This bill expands Maryland's child abuse reporting requirements by explicitly including female genital mutilation in the legal definition of abuse, which directly affects healthcare providers, educators, and other mandated reporters. It mandates that these professionals report suspected cases of female genital mutilation to authorities and increases penalties for violations while allowing individuals subjected to the procedure to file civil lawsuits for relief. The legislation also requires the Maryland Department of Health to create and distribute educational materials about female genital mutilation in partnership with various public and private organizations. Additionally, the bill authorizes health licensing boards to revoke licenses of individuals who commit violations related to female genital mutilation under specific circumstances.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill strengthens child abuse reporting requirements and protects patients by criminalizing FGM and enabling civil lawsuits, advancing healthcare protection standards.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 14, 2026

HB 1094: Health Insurance - Graduate-Level Clinical Interns - Required Reimbursement

HB 1094 requires Maryland health insurers to reimburse individuals for services provided by graduate-level clinical interns in counseling, social work, and psychology under specific conditions. It applies to insureds covered by policies meeting Maryland’s jurisdictional requirements (e.g., issued in-state or covering Maryland residents). Reimbursement is mandated only when interns work under direct supervision of licensed professionals at outpatient facilities and services are billed by the supervising clinician. The bill amends existing insurance codes to ensure coverage for these supervised intern services, directly affecting insurers, interns, and patients seeking mental health care.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurer reimbursement for mental health intern services, expanding coverage and access to counseling/social work care under supervision.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare