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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
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*hb1481*
HOUSE BILL 1481
J1, J3 6lr2388
By: Delegates Reilly, Arentz, Beauchamp, Hornberger, McComas, and Rose
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Health
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Tissue Banks and Hospitals – Autologous and Directed Blood Donations 2
FOR the purpose of prohibiting tissue bank s and hospitals from denying a patient a 3
physician–ordered autologous or directed blood donation under certain 4
circumstances; authorizing a patient or an individual authorized to make medical 5
decisions on a patient’s behalf to request an autologous or directed blood dona tion; 6
authorizing tissue banks and hospitals to decline a request for a physician–ordered 7
autologous or directed blood donation only under certain circumstances; and 8
generally relating to autologous and directed blood donations. 9
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10
Article – Health – General 11
Section 17–301 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14
BY adding to 15
Article – Health – General 16
Section 17–315, 19–301(d–1) and (d–2), and 19–310(c) 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 19
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 20
Article – Health – General 21
Section 19–301(a) and 19–310(b) 22
Annotated Code of Maryland 23
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 24
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 25
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 26
2 HOUSE BILL 1481
Article – Health – General 1
17–301. 2
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 3
(B) “AUTOLOGOUS BLOOD DONA TION” MEANS A BLOO D DONATION 4
COLLECTED FROM THE PATIENT FOR THE PATIENT’S OWN FUTURE USE DURING OR 5
AFTER A MEDICAL PROCEDURE. 6
(C) “DIRECTED BLOOD DONATION” MEANS A BLOOD DONATION COLLECTED 7
FROM AN INDIVIDUAL O THER THAN THE PATIEN T WHO IS SPECIFICALLY 8
DESIGNATED BY THE PATIENT OR THE PATIENT ’S PHYSICIAN FOR USE BY THE 9
PATIENT DURING OR AFTER A MEDICAL PROCEDURE. 10
[(b)] (D) “Permit” means a permit issued by the Secretary: 11
(1) To operate a tissue bank in this State; or 12
(2) To represent or service in this State a tissue bank that is outside this 13
State. 14
[(c)] (E) (1) “Tissue bank” means an establishment that obtains, stores, 15
processes, distributes, or sells human blood or other human tissue for use in the human 16
body. 17
(2) “Tissue bank” includes a blood bank. 18
17–315. 19
(A) THIS SECTION MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO: 20
(1) REQUIRE A TISSUE BANK TO ESTABLISH A NEW D ONATION 21
PROGRAM; 22
(2) REQUIRE ACCEPTANCE OF BLOOD THAT DOES NOT MEET SAFETY 23
OR REGULATORY STANDARDS; 24
(3) INTERFERE WITH EMERGENCY TRANSFUSION PROTOCOLS; OR 25
(4) ALTER EXISTING SCOPE –OF–PRACTICE LAWS , FEDERAL BLOOD 26
SAFETY REGULATIONS, OR TISSUE BANK LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS. 27
(B) A TISSUE BANK MAY NOT DENY OR PROHIBIT A P HYSICIAN–ORDERED 28
AUTOLOGOUS BLOOD DONATION OR DIRECTED BLOOD DO NATION SOLELY ON THE 29
HOUSE BILL 1481 3
BASIS OF INTERNAL POL ICY IF ALL APPLICABLE SAFET Y, TESTING, AND 1
REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS ARE MET. 2
(C) A TISSUE BANK MAY DECLINE A REQUEST FOR A PHYSICIAN–ORDERED 3
AUTOLOGOUS BLOOD DONATION OR DIRECTED BLOOD DO NATION ONLY IF 4
COMPLIANCE IS NOT FE ASIBLE DUE TO MEDICA L, LOGISTICAL, OR REGULATORY 5
CONSTRAINTS. 6
(D) DECISIONS REGARDING T HE MEDICAL APPROPRIA TENESS OF 7
AUTOLOGOUS BLOOD DONATION OR DIRECTED BLOOD DO NATION SHALL BE MADE 8
BY THE TREATING PHYSICIAN IN CONSULTATION WITH THE PATIENT. 9
(E) EACH TISSUE BANK SHALL PROVIDE EACH P ATIENT CLEAR 10
INFORMATION REGARDIN G AVAILABLE BLOOD DO NATION OPTIONS CONSI STENT 11
WITH INFORMED CONSENT STANDARDS. 12
19–301. 13
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 14
(D–1) “AUTOLOGOUS BLOOD DONA TION” MEANS A BLOOD DONATI ON 15
COLLECTED FROM THE PATIENT FOR THE PATIENT’S OWN FUTURE USE DURING OR 16
AFTER A MEDICAL PROCEDURE. 17
(D–2) “DIRECTED BLOOD DONATION” MEANS A BLOOD DONATION COLLECTED 18
FROM AN INDIVIDUAL O THER THAN THE PATIEN T WHO IS SPECIFICALLY 19
DESIGNATED BY THE PATIENT OR THE PATIENT ’S PHYSICIAN , FOR USE BY THE 20
PATIENT DURING OR AFTER A MEDICAL PROCEDURE. 21
19–310. 22
(b) (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection and notwithstanding any 23
other provision of law, a hospital offering bone marrow transplant services shall allow an 24
individual to donate bone marrow to any individual. 25
(2) An individual may donate bone marrow to another individual if a 26
licensed physician determines, based on the physician’s medical judgment, that the 27
donation of the bone marrow is in the best interests of the donee and there is no substantial 28
risk of medical injury to the donor. 29
(C) (1) THIS SUBSECTION MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO: 30
(I) REQUIRE A HOSPITAL TO ESTABLISH A NEW DONA TION 31
PROGRAM; 32
4 HOUSE BILL 1481
(II) REQUIRE ACCEPTANCE OF BLOOD THAT DOES NOT MEET 1
SAFETY OR REGULATORY STANDARDS; 2
(III) INTERFERE WITH EMERGENCY TRANSFUSION PROTOCOLS; 3
OR 4
(IV) ALTER EXISTING SCOPE –OF–PRACTICE LAWS , FEDERAL 5
BLOOD SAFETY REGULATIONS, OR HOSPITAL LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS. 6
(2) A PATIENT RECEIVING A MEDICAL PROCEDURE, OR AN 7
INDIVIDUAL AUTHORIZED BY THE PATIENT TO MAKE MEDICAL DECISIONS ON THE 8
PATIENT’S BEHALF, MAY REQUEST AUTOLOGOUS BLOOD DONATION OR DIRECTED 9
BLOOD DONATION FOR A PLANNED MEDICAL PROC EDURE IF AN AUTOLOGOUS 10
BLOOD DONATION OR DIRECTED BLOOD DONATION IS ORDERED BY THE PATIENT’S 11
TREATING PHYSICIAN AND IS MEDICALLY APPROPRIATE. 12
(3) A HOSPITAL MAY NOT DENY OR PROHIBIT A PHYSICIAN–ORDERED 13
AUTOLOGOUS BLOOD DONATION OR DIRECTED BLOOD DO NATION SOLELY ON THE 14
BASIS OF INTERNAL PO LICY IF ALL APPLICABLE SAFET Y, TESTING, AND 15
REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS ARE MET. 16
(4) A HOSPITAL MAY DECLINE A REQUES T FOR A 17
PHYSICIAN–ORDERED AUTOLOGOUS O R DIRECTED BLOOD DON ATION ONLY IF 18
COMPLIANCE IS NOT FE ASIBLE DUE TO MEDICA L, LOGISTICAL, OR REGULATORY 19
CONSTRAINTS. 20
(5) DECISIONS REGARDING T HE MEDICAL APPROPRIA TENESS OF 21
AUTOLOGOUS OR DIRECTED BLOOD DONATION SH ALL BE MADE BY THE TREATING 22
PHYSICIAN IN CONSULTATION WITH THE PATIENT. 23
(6) EACH HOSPITAL SHALL P ROVIDE EACH P ATIENT CLEAR 24
INFORMATION REGARDIN G AVAILABLE BLOOD DO NATION OPTIONS CONSI STENT 25
WITH INFORMED CONSENT STANDARDS. 26
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, Tha t this Act shall take effect 27
October 1, 2026. 28