Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 12, 2026

HB 1420: Health Occupations - Criminal History Records Checks

HB 1420 requires criminal history background checks for applicants and renewing licensees in specific healthcare professions, including nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, and others listed in the bill. Starting July 1, 2027, new applicants must submit fingerprints and pay fees to the state’s Central Repository for a criminal records check under new Section 1A-302.1. Existing licensees renewing after January 1, 2028, must also provide proof of a criminal check. The bill establishes standardized procedures for conducting these checks while ensuring confidentiality and allowing applicants to contest results.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires criminal checks for healthcare licensees (nursing, pharmacy, etc.) to ensure patient safety, aligning with protecting patient rights in healthcare.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 12, 2026

HB 423: Prince George's County - Public High Schools - Drug Detection Products PG 501-26

HB 423 requires Prince George’s County public high schools to provide free drink spiking detection products (for GHB/ketamine) and fentanyl detection strips to all students starting the 2026-2027 school year. These products must be available at no cost in school health clinics or libraries. Each school must also report annually (by October 1) to Maryland’s Office of Overdose Response the quantity distributed during the prior school year. The bill applies exclusively to Prince George’s County schools and takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProvides free drug detection tools in schools to prevent overdoses, aligning with public health initiatives to improve safety and access to harm reduction services.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 12, 2026

HB 625: Human-Relevant Research Fund - Collection of Contributions - Responsible Entity

HB 625 shifts responsibility for collecting fees from research facilities to the Maryland Department of Agriculture, replacing the current system under the Department of Health. It requires facilities submitting USDA Form 7023 (for animal testing) to pay annual contributions based on animal count: $5,000 for ≤100 animals, $10,000 for 101-500, $55,000 for 501-5,000, and $75,000 for over 5,000. Funds collected will support the Human-Relevant Research Fund established under Maryland’s Economic Development Article. The bill repeals existing health code provisions and creates new agriculture code sections for this fee structure, effective October 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes mandatory annual fees ($5k-$75k) based on animal counts, directing collected funds to a specific research fund, creating new revenue and fiscal allocation.92% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates Human-Relevant Research Fund to support medical research alternatives, advancing healthcare innovation through funding animal testing fee shifts.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 466: Income Tax - Credit for Physician Preceptors in Areas With Health Care Workforce Shortages - Alterations

SB 466 modifies Maryland's income tax credit for physicians mentoring medical students in underserved areas. It removes a requirement that students must be enrolled in Maryland medical schools and reduces the minimum hours per clinical rotation from 100 to 90. The bill directly affects licensed physicians serving as preceptors in areas designated as having health care workforce shortages by the state. This change aims to expand eligibility for the $1,000-per-student rotation tax credit (capped at $10,000 annually per physician), potentially increasing mentor availability in shortage regions. The credit remains limited to $100,000 total annually for all physicians.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExpands tax credit eligibility for physicians, providing tax relief (reducing state revenue) to address healthcare workforce shortages via fiscal policy.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands tax credit eligibility for physician preceptors in healthcare shortage areas by removing enrollment restrictions and lowering hour requirements, directly increasing provider access in underserved communities.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 555: Health - Dementia Services and Brain Health Program and Provider Resource Toolkit

SB 555 establishes the Dementia Services and Brain Health Program within the Maryland Department of Health to lead state public health efforts for brain health and dementia care. The bill shifts responsibilities from a "Director" position to this new Program, requiring it to staff the Virginia I. Jones Alzheimer’s Council, oversee implementation of the State Plan on dementia, and develop a clinical toolkit for healthcare providers. The toolkit will provide evidence-based guidance to help providers deliver person-centered dementia care across medical settings. This bill directly affects Maryland residents living with dementia or at risk, healthcare providers who will use the toolkit, and the Council’s operations.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes Dementia Services Program to develop clinical toolkit for providers, advancing dementia care and brain health services within public health framework.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 792: Hospitals - Immigration Enforcement Action - Policy Requirement

SB 792 requires the State Health Services Cost Review Commission to create and publish a model policy for hospitals regarding immigration enforcement actions. It also mandates that certain hospitals in Maryland develop their own policies based on this model. The bill amends specific sections of Maryland's health code to implement these requirements, focusing on standardizing how hospitals address immigration enforcement within their facilities. This directly affects designated hospitals by making written policies on immigration enforcement a formal requirement.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires hospitals to develop policies protecting patients from immigration enforcement during care, directly safeguarding patient access and rights within healthcare facilities.90% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationMandates hospitals to develop policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, protecting immigrant patients within healthcare settings.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 742: Maryland Medical Assistance Program and Developmental Disabilities Administration - Home- and Community-Based Services Eligibility Determinations (Maryland Protecting People With Disabilities Act)

SB 742, the "Maryland Protecting People With Disabilities Act," modifies Maryland’s Medicaid eligibility processes to better protect individuals with disabilities who receive home- and community-based services. It extends the appeal timeframe for those losing eligibility and requires services to continue uninterrupted during appeals, preventing administrative errors from causing abrupt service loss. The bill prohibits "procedural disenrollment" (terminating coverage due to renewal process issues) and mandates the Department of Health to reserve waiver slots for people who lost eligibility unfairly. These changes align with the Olmstead decision, ensuring individuals can remain in community settings without unnecessary bureaucratic barriers. The bill directly affects Maryland Medicaid recipients with disabilities who rely on home- and community-based services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends Medicaid appeal timelines and prevents service disruption for disability beneficiaries, ensuring continuous healthcare access under Medicaid eligibility rules.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 28, 2026

HB 1109: Public Health Reform Act

HB 1109 creates the Maryland Medical Reserve Corps, a statewide volunteer network for emergencies like disease outbreaks or disasters, managed by the Maryland Department of Health. It requires the Department to notify county health officers about procurement opportunities for electronic health records systems, allowing counties to join without state approval if fully funded locally. The bill establishes a Public Health Workforce Development Fund (using interest earnings and transfers from another fund) and mandates the Department of Legislative Services to assess health equity impacts of new legislation. These changes directly affect county health departments, the Department of Health, and public health workforce planning.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates Maryland Medical Reserve Corps for emergencies, establishes Public Health Workforce Development Fund, and mandates EHR procurement opportunities - directly strengthening public health infrastructure and workforce capacity.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 28, 2026

HB 1284: Residential Service Agencies - Private Duty Nursing - On-Site Nurse Training Programs

HB 1284 allows residential service agencies providing private duty nursing to hire licensed nurses who lack full clinical experience requirements, under specific conditions. Agencies must provide approved on-site training programs, ensure clinical supervision by a qualified registered nurse, and conduct documented competency evaluations for these nurses. The bill requires agencies to maintain records of training completion and annual or disciplinary competency assessments. This directly affects private duty nursing agencies and nurses who may not meet standard clinical experience thresholds, while maintaining existing licensing and scope-of-practice standards.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables residential agencies to hire less-experienced nurses with mandatory training/supervision, expanding access to private duty nursing services while maintaining quality standards.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 28, 2026

HB 1377: Prescription Drug Repository Program - Redirecting Safe Prescription Drugs Pilot Program

HB 1377 establishes a 18-month pilot program to redirect unused, unopened prescription drugs to a state repository program. It requires participating pharmacies (repositories) to collect eligible medications during National Prescription Drug Take Back Days, package them properly, and transfer them to designated drop-off sites for distribution to eligible patients - while sending controlled substances directly to the DEA. The program aims to expand medication access for underserved communities, reduce pharmaceutical waste, and ensure drug safety through collaboration between Maryland’s Secretary of Health and the federal DEA. The pilot runs from July 2026 through December 2027, with mandatory reporting on collected medications by October 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRedirects unused prescriptions to underserved communities, improving medication access without restricting coverage or funding.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare