Read the full stored bill text
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0019*
SENATE BILL 19
J1, J3 6lr1514
(PRE–FILED)
By: Senator Ellis
Requested: October 30, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Finance
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Maryland Commission on Women’s Health Advancement – Establishment 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the Maryland Commission on Women’s Health 3
Advancement to study the feasibility of establishing a State women’s hospital and a 4
statewide clinical network to advance women’s health; and generally relating to the 5
Maryland Commission on Women’s Health Advancement. 6
BY adding to 7
Article – Health – General 8
Section 13 –5901 through 13–5904 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 59. 9
Maryland Commission on Women’s Health Advancement” 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Health – General 15
SUBTITLE 59. MARYLAND COMMISSION ON WOMEN’S HEALTH ADVANCEMENT. 16
13–5901. 17
IN THIS SUBTITLE, “COMMISSION” MEANS THE MARYLAND COMMISSION ON 18
WOMEN’S HEALTH ADVANCEMENT. 19
13–5902. 20
2 SENATE BILL 19
(A) THERE IS A MARYLAND COMMISSION ON WOMEN’S HEALTH 1
ADVANCEMENT. 2
(B) THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMISSION IS TO STUD Y THE FEASIBILITY OF 3
ESTABLISHING A STATE WOMEN’S HOSPITAL IN SOUTHERN MARYLAND AND A 4
STATEWIDE CLINICAL N ETWORK TO ADVANCE WOMEN ’S HEALTH BY ENSURING A 5
FULL CONTINUUM OF CARE ADDRESSING THE UNIQUE HEALTH CHALLENGES FACED 6
BY WOMEN ACROSS THEIR LIFESPANS. 7
(C) THE COMMISSION CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS: 8
(1) ONE MEMBER OF THE SENATE OF MARYLAND, APPOINTED BY THE 9
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE; 10
(2) ONE MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES, APPOINTED BY THE 11
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE; 12
(3) THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, OR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S 13
DESIGNEE; AND 14
(4) THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS, APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR: 15
(I) ONE HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL WORKING IN EACH OF 16
THE FOLLOWING: 17
1. OBSTETRICS; 18
2. GYNECOLOGY; 19
3. UROGYNECOLOGY; 20
4. MATERNAL–FETAL HEALTH; 21
5. NURSE MIDWIFERY; 22
6. SOCIAL WORK; AND 23
7. A HOSPITAL SYSTEM; 24
(II) TWO HEALTH CARE EXPER TS FROM THE OFFICE OF THE 25
SECRETARY OF HEALTH, THE MARYLAND HEALTH CARE COMMISSION, OR THE 26
MARYLAND RURAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION; 27
SENATE BILL 19 3
(III) FIVE PATIENT ADVOCATE S WHO FOCUS ON MATER NAL 1
HEALTH AND WOMEN’S WELL–BEING, INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE ADVOCATE WHO IS 2
A MINOR; 3
(IV) ONE INDIVIDUAL WITH EXPERTISE IN RACIAL, ETHNIC, AND 4
SOCIOECONOMIC HEALTH DISPARITIES FROM EACH OF THE FOLLOWING: 5
1. BALTIMORE CITY; 6
2. CENTRAL MARYLAND (ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, 7
BALTIMORE COUNTY, AND HOWARD COUNTY); 8
3. EASTERN MARYLAND (CAROLINE COUNTY, 9
DORCHESTER COUNTY, KENT COUNTY, QUEEN ANNE’S COUNTY, SOMERSET 10
COUNTY, TALBOT COUNTY, WICOMICO COUNTY, AND WORCESTER COUNTY); 11
4. NORTHERN MARYLAND (CARROLL COUNTY, CECIL 12
COUNTY, FREDERICK COUNTY, AND HARFORD COUNTY); 13
5. SOUTHERN MARYLAND (CALVERT COUNTY, 14
CHARLES COUNTY, PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, AND ST. MARY’S COUNTY); AND 15
6. WESTERN MARYLAND (ALLEGANY COUNTY, 16
GARRETT COUNTY, AND WASHINGTON COUNTY); 17
(V) ONE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE MARYLAND CHAPTER OF 18
THE NAACP WHO HAS EXPERTISE IN RACIAL, ETHNIC, AND SOCIOECONOMIC 19
HEALTH DISPARITIES; 20
(VI) ONE REPRESENTATIVE EACH FROM: 21
1. THE MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF 22
COMMUNITY HEALTH AND POLICY; AND 23
2. THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF PUBLIC 24
HEALTH; 25
(VII) TWO INSURANCE PROFESSION ALS WHO ARE ABLE TO 26
PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO EQUITABLE FINANCING AND SUSTAINABLE SPENDING FOR 27
HOSPITAL SERVICES; 28
(VIII) ONE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EXPERT; AND 29
4 SENATE BILL 19
(IX) ONE DATA ANALYST. 1
(D) TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMISSION 2
SHALL REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF THE STATE. 3
(E) THE GOVERNOR SHALL DESIGN ATE A CHAIR FROM AMONG THE 4
MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION. 5
(F) THE DEPARTMENT AND THE MARYLAND HEALTH CARE COMMISSION 6
JOINTLY SHALL PROVIDE STAFF FOR THE COMMISSION. 7
(G) A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION: 8
(1) MAY NOT RECEIVE COMPE NSATION AS A MEMBER OF THE 9
COMMISSION; BUT 10
(2) IS ENTITLED TO REIMBU RSEMENT FOR EXPENSES UNDER THE 11
STANDARD STATE TRAVEL REGULATIONS, AS PROVIDED IN THE STATE BUDGET. 12
(H) THE TERM OF A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION IS 7 YEARS. 13
13–5903. 14
THE COMMISSION SHALL: 15
(1) ANALYZE THE NEED FOR A CENTRALIZED HOSPITAL FOR WOMEN 16
WITH OUTPATIENT CLINIC LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE; 17
(2) EXAMINE EXISTING HEAL TH CARE GAPS , INCLUDING IN 18
UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS; 19
(3) IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MARYLAND HEALTH CARE 20
COMMISSION: 21
(I) ASSESS THE FINANCIAL VIABILITY FOR A STATE WOMEN’S 22
HOSPITAL AND ASSOCIATED OUTPATIENT CLINICS; AND 23
(II) INITIATE A CERTIFICAT E OF NEED FOR A STATE WOMEN’S 24
HOSPITAL AND ASSOCIATED OUTPATIENT CLINICS; 25
(4) INVESTIGATE ALTERNATI VE APPROACHES TO A S INGLE–SITE 26
HOSPITAL, INCLUDING A HUB NETW ORK THAT COORDINATES EXISTING SERVICES 27
SENATE BILL 19 5
ACROSS MULTIPLE LOCA TIONS OR USES EXISTI NG INFRASTRUCTURE TO IMPROVE 1
WOMEN’S ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE; AND 2
(5) CONSULT WITH A BROAD RANGE OF STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING 3
HEALTH CARE PROVIDER S, PATIENT ADVOCATES , AND COMMUNITY 4
ORGANIZATIONS. 5
13–5904. 6
(A) ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2027, THE COMMISSION SHALL SUBMIT TO 7
THE GOVERNOR AND, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT 8
ARTICLE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AN INITIAL ACTION PL AN, INCLUDING A 9
TIMELINE, MILESTONES, AND SPECIFIC RESEARCH OBJECTIVES FOR THE WORK OF 10
THE COMMISSION. 11
(B) ON OR BEFORE JULY 1 EACH YEAR THROUGH 2032, THE COMMISSION 12
SHALL SUBMIT TO THE GOVERNOR AND, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE 13
STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AN INTERIM REPORT 14
SUMMARIZING THE COMMISSION’S PROGRESS, FINDINGS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS. 15
(C) ON OR BEFOR E DECEMBER 1, 2032, THE COMMISSION SHALL SUBMIT 16
TO THE GOVERNOR AND , IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE 17
GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY A REPORT ON ITS FINDINGS AND 18
RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE NEED, FUNDING, LOCATION, IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, 19
AND STRUCTURE FOR THE STATE WOMEN’S HOSPITAL AND CLINICAL NETWORK. 20
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 21
1, 2026. It shall remain effective for a period of 7 years and, at the end of June 30, 2033, 22
this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and 23
of no further force and effect. 24