Maryland legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Maryland HB1281: Health - Abortion - Ultrasound and Wait Time
Status: In committee, March 19, 2026
Prohibiting a qualified provider from performing or inducing an abortion on a pregnant woman within 24 hours after the woman receives certain ultrasound imaging; establishing certain requirements related to the performance of a certain transabdominal ultrasound; and providing that a woman is not required to accept anything offered during certain transabdominal ultrasound imaging.
What the bill says
A bill ENTITLED AN ACT concerning Health - Abortion - Ultrasound and Wait Time FOR the purpose of prohibiting a qualified provider from performing or inducing an abortion on a pregnant woman within a certain period of time after the woman receives certain ultrasound imaging; establishing certain requirements related to the performance of a certain transabdominal ultrasound; providing that a woman is not required to accept anything offered during certain transabdominal ultrasound imaging; and generally relating to an ultrasound and waiting period before the performance of an abortion…
From the introduced text, February 12, 2026:
A BILL ENTITLED AN ACT concerning Health - Abortion - Ultrasound and Wait Time FOR the purpose of prohibiting a qualified provider from performing or inducing an abortion on a pregnant woman within a certain period of time after the woman receives certain ultrasound imaging; establishing certain requirements related to the performance of a certain transabdominal ultrasound; providing that a woman is not required to accept anything offered during certain transabdominal ultrasound imaging; and generally relating to an ultrasound and waiting period before the performance of an abortion. BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, Article - Health - General Section 20-209 Annotated Code of Maryland (2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) BY adding to Article - Health - General Section 20-210 Annotated Code of Maryland (2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: Article - Health - General 20-209. (a) In this section, "viable" means that stage when, in the best clinical judgment of the qualified provider based on the particular facts of the case before the qualified EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW. [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from exist in g l aw . *hb1281* HOUSE BILL 1281 provider, there is a reasonable likelihood of the fetus's sustained survival outside …