Governor Holds Last Bill Signing Ceremony
On Tuesday, Mary 16, Governor Wes Moore held his final ceremony for signing into law bills passed by the 2023 Maryland Gerneral Assembly....
UULM-MD joined other advocates in Maryland in 2022 to support Reproductive Health Care Rights legislation in anticipation of the Supreme Court's decision on 6/24/22 to overturn Roe v Wade. In 2023, in the wake of the end of Roe v Wade, we continue to work with these advocates on 4 bills to protect access to abortion and other reproductive health care, not just for Marylanders, but for those who might travel to maryland to seek care for both Marylanders, and also to protect the clinicians and advocates who assist them.
Also in 2023, UULM-MD supported the Maryland Medical Assistance Program--Gender-Affirming Treatment (Trans Health Equity Act). This bill would require Maryland Medical Assistance (Medicaid) to provide the full range of gender-affirming medical and surgical treatments, and would prohibit Medical Assistance insurers from denying gender-affirming-care without having the case reviewed by a physician who is experienced in this field.
HB 705 / SB 798 - Declaration of Rights to Reproductive Liberty: Constitutional protections at the state level for contraception and abortion.
HB 808 / SB 859 - Shielding Bill: Protect those obtaining, providing or supporting abortion care in Maryland from prosecution in states that ban abortions.
HB 812 / SB 786 - Data Privacy Bill: Restrict access to sensitive reproductive healthcare information.
HB 477 / SB 341 - Public Senior Higher Education Institutions - Reproductive Health Services Plans - Requirements. Require state university health centers to provide access to contraception and self-managed abortion.
HB 283 / SB 460 - The Maryland Medical Assistance Program--Gender-Affirming Treatment (Trans Health Equity Act ). Requires Maryland Medical Assistance (Medicaid) to provide the full range of gender affirming medical and surgical treatments, and prohibits Medical Assistance insurers from denying gender-affirming-care without having the case reviewed by a physician who is experienced in this field.
This map of the US from the Guttmacher Institute 1/18/22 shows how Maryland is surrounded by
states where abortion is illegal or severely restricted.
Declaration of Rights – Right to Reproductive Liberty
In 2022, we supported the movement to enshrine Marylanders’ right to abortion access in the state constitution (the Maryland Declaration of Rights), and we plan to do so again in 2023. Maryland has a unique opportunity to solidify its protections for abortion access this year. If passed by the General Assembly, it will be on the ballot as a constitutional amendment in November 2024. While Maryland law already guarantees the legal right to the procedure, having the right in the constitution would not only strengthen this right, it would also make restrictions—which anti-choice legislators introduce every year—more difficult. Without access to abortion, the right is meaningless.
Other Health Issues
UULM-MD will continue to participate with the Health Care for All Coalition to support
the expansion and improvements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in Maryland to reduce the number of Marylanders without health insurance coverage through anticipated legislation including:
(HB 279/SB 202) Prescription Drug Affordability Board - Upper Payment Limits
Health Care Subsidies for Young Adults—Make permanent the 2021 law providing $20 million a year for two years to provide lower income young people (18-34) health care subsidies. It is estimated over 46,000 young people have been enrolled and this was a 7% increase.
(HB 111/SB 26) Maryland Medical Assistance Program, Maryland Children's Health Program, and Social Services Programs - Eligibility and Enrollment: Which would automatically enroll up to 65,000 recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) automatically into Medicaid if they are not already enrolled.
(HB 107/SB 59) Maryland Health Benefit Exchange – Small Employers – Special Enrollment Period and Marketing—Provides $5 million a year for 5 years
for outreach to help small businesses get their employees enrolled in health care
plans.
(HB 363/SB 365) Access to Care-- Health Care for Undocumented Immigrants –Immigration Issue Team is UULM-MD’s lead team working with CASA to expand health care coverage to immigrants in Maryland regardless of their status, click here for more information.
Subject | Bill Number | XFile Bill Number | Sponsor | Title | Status | Current Location | Priority | Position | Action | Synopsis |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
College reproductive services | HB0477 | SB0341 | Delegate Kelly | Public Senior Higher Education Institutions - Reproductive Health Services Plans - Requirements | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 251 | Governor | X | Support | Requiring, on or before August 1, 2024, certain public senior higher education institutions, in consultation with students, to develop and implement a reproductive health services plan to provide at the institution or to refer students to a comprehensive range of reproductive health services; requiring the University of Baltimore, in lieu of developing and implementing a reproductive health services plan, to provide students with access to over-the-counter contraception through certain on-campus means; etc. | |
College reproductive services | SB0341 | HB0477 | Senator Feldman | Public Senior Higher Education Institutions - Reproductive Health Services Plans - Requirements | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 250 | Governor | X | Support | Requiring, on or before August 1, 2024, certain public senior higher education institutions, in consultation with students, to develop and implement a reproductive health services plan; requiring the University of Baltimore, in lieu of developing and implementing a reproductive health services plan, to provide students with access to over-the-counter contraception in a certain manner; and requiring the Maryland Department of Health, on request, to provide assistance to a public senior higher education institution in developing the plan. | |
Constitutional Reproductive Rights | HB0705 | SB0798 | Delegate Jones, A. | Declaration of Rights - Right to Reproductive Freedom | Approved by the Governor, assigned a chapter number, enactment subject to constitutional referendum - Chapter 245 | Referendum in 2024 | X | Support | Establishing that every person, as a central component of an individual's rights to liberty and equality, has the fundamental right to reproductive freedom; and prohibiting the State from, directly or indirectly, denying, burdening, or abridging the right unless justified by a compelling State interest achieved by the least restrictive means. | |
Constitutional Reproductive Rights | SB0798 | HB0705 | Senator Ferguson | Declaration of Rights - Right to Reproductive Freedom | Approved by the Governor, assigned a chapter number, enactment subject to constitutional referendum - Chapter 244 | Referendum in 2024 | X | Support | Establishing that every person, as a central component of an individual's rights to liberty and equality, has the fundamental right to reproductive freedom; and prohibiting the State from, directly or indirectly, denying, burdening, or abridging the right unless justified by a compelling State interest achieved by the least restrictive means. | |
Prescription Drugs-Upper Pmt. Limits | HB0279 | SB0202 | Delegate Cullison | Prescription Drug Affordability Board - Upper Payment Limits | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 39 | Governor | X | Support | Reestablishing the requirement that the Prescription Drug Affordability Board, under certain circumstances, draft a plan of action for implementing a process to set upper payment limits for certain prescription drug products; reestablishing the authority of the Board to set upper payments limits, under certain circumstances, for prescription drug products that are purchased or paid for by or through certain State or local government entities, plans, or programs; etc. | |
Prescription Drugs-Upper Pmt. Limits | SB0202 | HB0279 | Senator Feldman | Prescription Drug Affordability Board - Upper Payment Limits | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 40 | Governor | X | Support | Reestablishing the requirement that the Prescription Drug Affordability Board, under certain circumstances, draft a plan of action for implementing a process to set upper payment limits for certain prescription drug products; reestablishing the authority of the Board to set upper payments limits, under certain circumstances, for prescription drug products that are purchased or paid for by or through certain State or local government entities, plans, or programs; etc. | |
Reproductive Health Protection | HB0808 | SB0859 | Delegate Williams | Reproductive Health Protection Act | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 247 | Governor | X | Support | Prohibiting a judge from requiring a person to give certain testimony or a statement or to produce evidence for a case involving an alleged violation of the criminal law of another state relating to health care that is legally protected in the State; prohibiting a judge from issuing an ex parte order to intercept certain communication for the purpose of investigating or recovering evidence related to legally protected health care, subject to a certain exception; etc. | |
Reproductive Health Protection | SB0859 | HB0808 | Senator Smith | Reproductive Health Protection Act | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 246 | Governor | X | Support | Prohibiting a judge from requiring a person to give certain testimony or a statement or to produce evidence in another state for a case involving an alleged violation of the criminal law of the other state relating to legally protected health care; requiring, subject to certain exceptions, that a request for a foreign subpoena include a sworn statement that the subpoena is not intended or anticipated to further an investigation or proceeding related to legally protected health care; etc. | |
Reproductive Services - Protected Info | HB0812 | SB0786 | Delegate Rosenberg | Health - Reproductive Health Services - Protected Information and Insurance Requirements | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 249 | Governor | X | Support | Regulating the disclosure of certain information related to legally protected health care by custodians of public records, health information exchanges, and electronic health networks; requiring that the regulations adopted by the Maryland Health Care Commission regarding clinical information to be exchanged through the State-designated exchange restrict data of patients who have obtained legally protected health care; establishing the Protected Health Care Commission; etc. | |
Reproductive Services - Protected Info | SB0786 | HB0812 | Senator Hettleman | Health - Reproductive Health Services - Protected Information and Insurance Requirements | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 248 | Governor | X | Support | Regulating the disclosure of certain information related to legally protected health care by custodians of public records, health information exchanges, and electronic health networks; requiring that the regulations adopted by the Maryland Health Care Commission regarding clinical information to be exchanged through the State-designated health information exchange restrict data of patients who have obtained legally protected health care; establishing the Protected Health Care Commission; etc. | |
SNAP auto enrollment | HB0111 | SB0026 | Delegate Charkoudian | Maryland Medical Assistance Program, Maryland Children's Health Program, and Workgroup on Low-Income Utility Assistance | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 283 | Governor | X | Support | Requiring the Maryland Department of Health to establish an Express Lane Eligibility Program by January 1, 2025, to enroll individuals, based on certain eligibility, in the Maryland Medical Assistance Program and the Maryland Children's Health Program; and requiring the Workgroup on Low-Income Utility Assistance to submit a final report to certain committees of the General Assembly by January 1, 2024, of its findings and recommendations, including recommended legislative and regulatory changes. | |
SNAP auto enrollment | SB0026 | HB0111 | Senator Augustine | Maryland Medical Assistance Program, Maryland Children's Health Program, and Workgroup on Low-Income Utility Assistance | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 282 | Governor | X | Support | Requiring the Maryland Department of Health to establish an Express Lane Eligibility Program by January 1, 2025, to enroll individuals, based on certain eligibility, in the Maryland Medical Assistance Program and the Maryland Children's Health Program; and requiring the Workgroup on Low-Income Utility Assistance to submit a final report to certain committees of the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2024, of its findings and recommendations, including recommended legislative and regulatory changes. | |
Small employer enrollment period | HB0107 | SB0059 | Delegate Lewis, R. | Maryland Health Benefit Exchange - Small Employers - Special Enrollment Period and Marketing | Hearing Held, no action by committee | Health and Government Operations | X | Support | Requiring the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to open a special enrollment period for individuals who become employed by a small employer that does not offer employer-sponsored health benefit plans and the individuals' dependents; altering the amount of funds required to be appropriated to the Maryland Health Benefit Fund in certain fiscal years; and requiring certain funds to be allocated for marketing and outreach to small employers and nonprofit employers and their employees to facilitate enrollment in health insurance coverage. | |
Small employer enrollment period | SB0059 | HB0107 | Senator Hester | Maryland Health Benefit Exchange - Small Employers - Special Enrollment Period and Marketing | Hearing Held, no action by committee | Finance | X | Support | Requiring the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to open a special enrollment period for individuals who become employed by a small employer that does not offer employer-sponsored health benefit plans and the individuals' dependents; altering the amount of funds required to be appropriated to the Maryland Health Benefit Fund in certain fiscal years; and requiring certain funds to be allocated for marketing, outreach, and programs to small employers and nonprofit employers and their employees for a certain purpose. | |
Trans Health Equity | HB0283 | SB0460 | Delegate Kaiser | Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Gender-Affirming Treatment (Trans Health Equity Act) | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 253 | Governor | X | Support | Requiring, beginning on January 1, 2024, the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide gender-affirming treatment in a nondiscriminatory manner; requiring that the gender-affirming treatment be assessed according to nondiscriminatory criteria that are consistent with current clinical standards; prohibiting the issuance of an adverse benefit determination related to gender-affirming treatment unless a certain experienced health care provider has reviewed and confirmed the appropriateness of the determination; etc. | |
Trans Health Equity | SB0460 | HB0283 | Senator Washington, M. | Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Gender-Affirming Treatment (Trans Health Equity Act) | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 252 | Governor | X | Support | Requiring, beginning on January 1, 2023, the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide gender-affirming treatment in a nondiscriminatory manner; requiring that the gender-affirming treatment be assessed according to nondiscriminatory criteria that are consistent with current clinical standards; prohibiting the issuance of an adverse benefit determination related to gender-affirming treatment unless a certain experienced health care provider has reviewed and confirmed the appropriateness of the determination; etc. | |
Young Adult Health Subsidies-Sunset Repeal | HB0814 | SB0601 | Delegate Kerr | Maryland Health Benefit Exchange - State-Based Young Adult Health Insurance Subsidies Pilot Program - Sunset Extension | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 257 | Governor | X | Support | Extending the termination date of certain provisions of law that establish and govern the funding for the State-Based Young Adult Health Insurance Subsidies Pilot Program; and requiring the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, in consultation with the Maryland Insurance Administration, to conduct a study on available federal and State subsidies and report its findings and recommendations to certain committees of the General Assembly on or before December 1, 2024. | |
Young Adult Health Subsidies-Sunset Repeal | SB0601 | HB0814 | Senator Feldman | Maryland Health Benefit Exchange - State-Based Young Adult Health Insurance Subsidies Pilot Program - Sunset Extension | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 256 | Governor | X | Support | Extending the termination date of certain provisions of law that establish and govern the funding for the State-Based Young Adult Health Insurance Subsidies Pilot Program; and requiring the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, in consultation with the Maryland Insurance Administration, to conduct a study on available federal and State subsidies and report its findings and recommendations to certain committees of the General Assembly on or before December 1, 2024. |