2019 Legislative Session Wrap Up
Advocating for the protections of our patients is core to our mission. We are pleased to share with you the wins we achieved during the 2019 Legislative Session.
Here are the bills Planned Parenthood of Maryland championed:
Sponsored by Delegate Shane E. Pendergrass and Senator Delores G. Kelley
Maryland Department of Health - Family Planning Program – Funding
Prohibiting the Maryland Department of Health from accepting any federal funding under Title X of the federal Public Health Service Act if the Title X program excludes family planning providers and does not require certain providers to provide a broad range of acceptable and effective medically approved family planning methods and services; requiring the Governor to fund the Family Planning Program with State funds at the same level of total funds as the preceding fiscal year if the Department does not accept Title X program funds; etc.
HB 100
Budget Bill (Fiscal Year 2020)
Making the proposed appropriations contained in the State Budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, in accordance with Article III, Section 52 of the Maryland Constitution; etc.
Other reproductive health and justice wins in Maryland:
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These efforts were led by our coalition partners.
HB 127/SB 36
Sponsored by Delegate Ariana B. Kelly and Senator Clarence K. Lam
Health Insurance - Health Benefit Plans - Special Enrollment Period for Pregnancy
Requiring certain health benefit plans and certain carriers to provide a special enrollment period during which individuals who become pregnant may enroll in a health benefit plan; establishing a 90-day duration for the special enrollment period beginning on the date a pregnancy is confirmed by a health care practitioner; establishing certain effective dates of coverage; requiring the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to report to certain legislative committees on the use of the special enrollment period by January 1, 2022; etc.
HB 768
Sponsored by Delegate Joseline A. Pena-Melnyk
Health - Prescription Drug Affordability Board
Establishing the Prescription Drug Affordability Board to protect State residents and certain stakeholders from the high costs of prescription drug products; requiring the Board to collect data and identify prescription drug products that may cause affordability challenges; authorizing the Board to meet in closed session when discussing trade secrets; authorizing the Board to set an upper payment limit for certain drug products; creating a Stakeholder Council to assist the Board with certain reporting requirements; etc.
SB 809
Sponsored by Senator Susan C. Lee
Correctional Facilities - Restrictive Housing - Pregnant Inmates
Requiring each correctional facility to have a written policy in place regarding the medical care of pregnant inmates that addresses the use of medical isolation or restrictive housing for certain purposes, during pregnancy and during a certain post-pregnancy period; establishing that a pregnant inmate may not be involuntarily placed in certain restrictive housing, with certain exceptions; providing that a certain pregnant inmate may be placed in certain restrictive housing if a certain managing official makes a certain determination; etc.
SB 821
Sponsored by Senator Mary Washington
Correctional Services – Prerelease Study and Report
Requiring the Commissioner of Correction to conduct a study on gender-based equity in prerelease programming and facilities in Maryland that examines certain matters; and requiring the Commission to report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the results of the study by January 1 2020.
HB 364/SB 909
Sponsored by Delegate Heather Bagnall and Senator Brian J. Feldman
Health Care Practitioners - Medical Examinations on Anesthetized or Unconscious Patients
Prohibiting health care practitioners and certain students and trainees from performing certain examinations on a patient who is under anesthesia or unconscious unless informed consent has been obtained from the patient, the examination is within the standard of care, the patient is unconscious and the examination is required for diagnostic or treatment purposes, or an emergency exists, it is impractical to obtain the patient's consent, and the examination is required for diagnostic or treatment purposes; etc.
HB 1249/SB 657
Sponsored by Senator Nancy J. King and Delegate Kirill Reznik
Pilot Program - Alleged Rape, Sexual Offense, or Child Sexual Abuse - HIV Postexposure Prophylaxis
Establishing the Pilot Program for Preventing HIV Infection for Rape Victims to be administered by the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention and to provide a victim of an alleged rape or sexual offense or a victim of alleged child sexual abuse treatment and follow-up care for postexposure prophylaxis for the prevention of HIV infection; providing that payments made to certain health care providers from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board may not exceed a total of $750,000 annually; etc.
HB 1116/SB 911
Sponsored by Delegate Shelly Hettleman and Senator Pamela Beidle
Gender Diversity in the Boardroom – Annual Report
Establishing the intent of the General Assembly to promote gender diversity in corporate management and boardrooms; requiring a certain entity submitting an annual report to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation to include information relating to the number of female members of the board and the total number of members of the board; providing the Act does not apply to a privately held company if at least 75% of the company's shareholders are family members; etc.
Sponsored by Delegate Ariana B. Kelly and Senator Clarence K. Lam
Health Insurance - Health Benefit Plans - Special Enrollment Period for Pregnancy
Requiring certain health benefit plans and certain carriers to provide a special enrollment period during which individuals who become pregnant may enroll in a health benefit plan; establishing a 90-day duration for the special enrollment period beginning on the date a pregnancy is confirmed by a health care practitioner; establishing certain effective dates of coverage; requiring the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to report to certain legislative committees on the use of the special enrollment period by January 1, 2022; etc.
HB 768
Sponsored by Delegate Joseline A. Pena-Melnyk
Health - Prescription Drug Affordability Board
Establishing the Prescription Drug Affordability Board to protect State residents and certain stakeholders from the high costs of prescription drug products; requiring the Board to collect data and identify prescription drug products that may cause affordability challenges; authorizing the Board to meet in closed session when discussing trade secrets; authorizing the Board to set an upper payment limit for certain drug products; creating a Stakeholder Council to assist the Board with certain reporting requirements; etc.
SB 809
Sponsored by Senator Susan C. Lee
Correctional Facilities - Restrictive Housing - Pregnant Inmates
Requiring each correctional facility to have a written policy in place regarding the medical care of pregnant inmates that addresses the use of medical isolation or restrictive housing for certain purposes, during pregnancy and during a certain post-pregnancy period; establishing that a pregnant inmate may not be involuntarily placed in certain restrictive housing, with certain exceptions; providing that a certain pregnant inmate may be placed in certain restrictive housing if a certain managing official makes a certain determination; etc.
SB 821
Sponsored by Senator Mary Washington
Correctional Services – Prerelease Study and Report
Requiring the Commissioner of Correction to conduct a study on gender-based equity in prerelease programming and facilities in Maryland that examines certain matters; and requiring the Commission to report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the results of the study by January 1 2020.
HB 364/SB 909
Sponsored by Delegate Heather Bagnall and Senator Brian J. Feldman
Health Care Practitioners - Medical Examinations on Anesthetized or Unconscious Patients
Prohibiting health care practitioners and certain students and trainees from performing certain examinations on a patient who is under anesthesia or unconscious unless informed consent has been obtained from the patient, the examination is within the standard of care, the patient is unconscious and the examination is required for diagnostic or treatment purposes, or an emergency exists, it is impractical to obtain the patient's consent, and the examination is required for diagnostic or treatment purposes; etc.
HB 1249/SB 657
Sponsored by Senator Nancy J. King and Delegate Kirill Reznik
Pilot Program - Alleged Rape, Sexual Offense, or Child Sexual Abuse - HIV Postexposure Prophylaxis
Establishing the Pilot Program for Preventing HIV Infection for Rape Victims to be administered by the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention and to provide a victim of an alleged rape or sexual offense or a victim of alleged child sexual abuse treatment and follow-up care for postexposure prophylaxis for the prevention of HIV infection; providing that payments made to certain health care providers from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board may not exceed a total of $750,000 annually; etc.
HB 1116/SB 911
Sponsored by Delegate Shelly Hettleman and Senator Pamela Beidle
Gender Diversity in the Boardroom – Annual Report
Establishing the intent of the General Assembly to promote gender diversity in corporate management and boardrooms; requiring a certain entity submitting an annual report to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation to include information relating to the number of female members of the board and the total number of members of the board; providing the Act does not apply to a privately held company if at least 75% of the company's shareholders are family members; etc.