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 · House of Delegates Apr 28, 2026

HB 42: Health Occupations - State Board of Massage Therapy Examiners - Revisions

HB 42 revises Maryland's licensing requirements for massage therapists, transitioning from a "registered" status to mandatory licensure. It requires new applicants (starting October 1, 2024) to complete 750 contact hours of approved education (up from 600 hours for current registrants), meet updated accreditation standards, and pass a board-approved exam. Existing registered massage therapists may continue practicing until October 31, 2026, after which they must obtain a license. The bill also removes outdated administrative penalty hearing requirements and updates rules for out-of-state practitioners seeking reciprocity.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRevises licensing standards to improve professional qualifications in massage therapy, a healthcare service, aligning with quality and safety protections.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 411: Hospitals - Clinical Staffing Committees and Plans - Establishment (Safe Staffing Act of 2026)

SB 411 requires non-state hospitals in Maryland to establish clinical staffing committees with equal representation from management and frontline staff, including nurses, technicians, and other caregivers. These committees must develop evidence-based staffing plans considering patient acuity, staffing gaps, and daily patient needs, which hospitals must implement starting January 1, 2028. Hospitals must annually review these plans, publicly post staffing data on units, and submit annual reports to the Maryland Health Care Commission beginning in 2030. The bill directly affects hospital operations, staffing decisions, and transparency for frontline workers and patients.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires hospitals to establish staffing committees and develop evidence-based plans addressing patient acuity and staffing gaps, directly improving patient safety and care quality per healthcare policy indicators.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires equal frontline staff representation in staffing committees, directly strengthening worker input on workplace safety and staffing conditions per bill's evidence-based plan mandate.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 439: Employment Discrimination - Fire and Rescue Public Safety Employees - Use of Medical Cannabis

SB 439 prohibits Maryland fire and rescue public safety employers from taking negative employment actions (like firing or denying promotions) against employees who use medical cannabis, provided the employee has a valid medical cannabis certification under state law. It amends existing Maryland law to explicitly add this protection for public safety workers, aligning with current medical cannabis certification requirements. The bill does not change how medical cannabis is certified but ensures these employees cannot face discrimination solely for using cannabis legally under the state program. This applies to all fire and rescue employees who meet the state's medical cannabis eligibility criteria.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProtects medical cannabis users' employment rights, advancing healthcare access for public safety workers under state medical cannabis certification.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits employment discrimination against public safety workers using medical cannabis, directly protecting workers' rights under Labor & Employment policies.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 336: Task Force on Responsible Use of Natural Psychedelic Substances - Extension and Membership

SB 336 extends the deadline for the existing Task Force on Responsible Use of Natural Psychedelic Substances, established by 2024 law, to continue its work studying natural psychedelic substances like psilocybin and mescaline (excluding peyote). The task force, composed of state officials, experts, and community representatives, will study current laws, scientific data on benefits and risks, and barriers to access, then make recommendations for a state access program and legal changes. This extension allows the task force to finalize its report on creating equitable access to these substances and transitioning away from criminal penalties for nonviolent uses. The bill does not change current laws but prolongs the study period to inform future policy decisions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill studies psychedelic substances for mental health treatment access, aiming to remove barriers and recommend state programs, aligning with mental health service expansion.85% 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