Read the full stored bill text
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0166*
HOUSE BILL 166
J1 6lr1223
(PRE–FILED)
By: Delegate Metzgar Delegates Metzgar, Crutchfield, Fair, Kerr, Lehman, Ruth,
Sample–Hughes, Schmidt, Solomon, Terrasa, Wells, Wilson, and Wu
Requested: October 16, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Government, Labor, and Elections
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 3, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Health State Government – Henrietta Lacks Commission – Establishment 2
(Henrietta Lacks Commission of Maryland Act of 2026) 3
FOR the purpose of establishing the Henrietta Lacks Commission to take certain actions 4
related to the legacy of Henrietta Lacks and the use of HeLa cells; and generally 5
relating to the Henrietta Lacks Commission. 6
BY adding to 7
Article – Health – General 8
Section 24–2801 and 24 –2802 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 28. Henriet ta 9
Lacks Commission” 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12
BY adding to 13
Article – State Government 14
Section 9–4201 and 9–4202 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 42. Henrietta 15
Lacks Commission” 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 18
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
2 HOUSE BILL 166
Article – Health – General State Government 1
SUBTITLE 28. 42. HENRIETTA LACKS COMMISSION. 2
24–2801. 9–4201. 3
IN THIS SUBTITLE , “COMMISSION” MEANS THE HENRIETTA LACKS 4
COMMISSION. 5
24–2802. 9–4202. 6
(A) THERE IS A HENRIETTA LACKS COMMISSION. 7
(B) THE COMMISSION CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS: 8
(1) ONE ONE MEMBER OF THE SENATE OF MARYLAND, APPOINTED 9
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE; 10
(2) ONE ONE MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES, APPOINTED BY 11
THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE; 12
(3) THE THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC 13
MOBILITY, OR THE SECRETARY’S DESIGNEE; 14
(4) THE THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE, OR THE SECRETARY’S 15
DESIGNEE; 16
(5) THE THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION, OR THE 17
SUPERINTENDENT’S DESIGNEE; AND 18
(6) THE CHAIR OF THE STATE ANATOMY BOARD, OR THE CHAIR’S 19
DESIGNEE; AND 20
(7) THE THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS, APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR: 21
(I) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STATE ETHICS 22
COMMISSION; 23
(II) ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LIFE SCIENCES ADVISORY 24
BOARD; 25
(III) ONE ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MARYLAND ECONOMIC 26
DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION; 27
HOUSE BILL 166 3
(IV) (II) ONE ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF TH E MARYLAND 1
BOARD OF TOURISM; AND 2
(V) (III) ONE ONE REPRESENTATIVE OF TH E MARYLAND 3
STATE ARCHIVES. 4
(C) THE GOVERNOR SECRETARY OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY 5
SHALL DESIGNATE THE CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION. 6
(D) THE TERM OF A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION IS 2 YEARS. 7
(E) THE STATE AGENCIES REPRES ENTED ON THE COMMISSION JOINTLY 8
SHALL PROVIDE STAFF FOR THE COMMISSION. 9
(F) A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION: 10
(1) MAY MAY NOT RECEIVE COMPENSA TION AS A MEMBER OF THE 11
COMMISSION; BUT 12
(2) IS IS ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES UNDER THE 13
STANDARD STATE TRAVEL REGULATIONS, AS PROVIDED IN THE STATE BUDGET. 14
(G) THE COMMISSION SHALL: 15
(1) IN CONSULTATION WITH THE O’NEILL INSTITUTE OF NATIONAL 16
AND GLOBAL HEALTH LAW, CONDUCT BIOETHICAL OVERSIGHT OF LIFE SCIENCES 17
ACTIVITIES IN THE STATE THAT INVOLVE HU MAN RESEARCH AND BOD Y, ORGAN, 18
AND TISSUE DONATION FOR MEDICAL TRAINING; 19
(2) PROMOTE PROMOTE EDUCATION OF THE LIF E OF HENRIETTA 20
LACKS AND HELA SCIENCE AS DEVELOP ED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF 21
HEALTH; 22
(3) (2) CURATE CURATE A REGISTRY OF SIGNIFICANT TRIBUTES TO 23
HENRIETTA LACKS; 24
(4) (3) WORK WORK WITH APPROPRIATE STATE AGENCIES TO 25
INCLUDE TRIBUTES TO HENRIETTA LACKS IN STATE TOURISM CAMPAIGNS; 26
(5) (4) PROMOTE PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE 27
TURNER STATION COMMUNITY OF DUNDALK; AND 28
4 HOUSE BILL 166
(6) (5) MAKE MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON I MPLEMENTING THE 1
GOALS OF THE COMMISSION. 2
(H) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1 EACH YEAR , BEGINNING IN 2027, THE 3
COMMISSION SHALL REPO RT ON ITS ACTIVITIES TO THE GOVERNOR AND , IN 4
ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE THIS ARTICLE, 5
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 6
SECTION 2 . AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 7
October 1, 2026. 8
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.