Maryland legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Maryland SB348: Hospitals and Freestanding Birthing Centers - High-Risk Pregnancies - Communication After Discharge
Status: Passed one chamber, April 13, 2026
Altering the requirement that a hospital or freestanding birthing center contact the birth parent after the delivery of a newborn following a high-risk pregnancy to evaluate the birthing parent's status and, as necessary, provide certain information to be at least 24 hours after discharge.
What the bill says
From the chaptered text, April 11, 2026:
SB0348/873827/1 BY: Health Committee AMENDMENTS TO SENATE BILL 348 (Third Reading File Bill) AMENDMENT NO. 1 On page 1, strike beginning with "altering" in line 4 down through "call" in line 9 and substitute "requiring, under certain circumstances, a hospital or freestanding birthing center to seek to make direct contact with a birthing parent after the delivery of a newborn following a high-risk pregnancy in a certain manner". AMENDMENT NO. 2 On page 2, in lines 10 and 27, in each instance, strike "CONTACT" and substitute "Call"; after line 12, insert: "(B) (1) IF A HOSPITAL HAS NOT MADE CONTACT WITH A BIRTHING PARENT AFTER FIRST MAKING A CALL UNDER SUBSECTION (A)(3) OF THIS SECTION, THE HOSPITAL SHALL SEEK TO MAKE DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE BIRTHING PARENT (II) TEXT MESSAGE TO A DIRECT NUMBER; OR (III) ANOTHER MEANS OF DIRECT COMMUNICATION. (2) A HOSPITAL MAY NOT SATISFY THE REQUIREMENT OF PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION BY SENDING A MESSAGE THROUGH A PATIENT PORTAL."; SB0348/873827/01 Health Committee Amendments to SB 348 in lines 13 and 30, in each instance, strike "(b)" and substitute "(C)"; and after line 29, insert: "(B) (1) IF A FREESTANDING BIRTHING CENTER HAS NOT MADE CONTACT WITH A BIRTHING PARENT AFTER FIRST MAKING A CALL UNDER SUBSECTION (A)(3) OF THIS SECTION, THE FREESTANDING BIRTHING CENTER SHALL SEEK …
Sponsors
- Michael Jackson (D, SD-027) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : Third Reading Passed (100-34)
- : Second Reading Passed with Amendments
- : Favorable with Amendments {873827/1 Adopted
- : Favorable with Amendments Report by Health
- : Hearing 3/25 at 1:00 p.m.
- : Referred Health
- : Third Reading Passed (30-15)
- : Second Reading Passed with Amendments
- : Favorable with Amendments {353629/1 Adopted
- : Favorable with Amendments Report by Finance
Votes
- Third Reading Passed (100-34) (April 13, 2026): 100 yea, 34 nay, passed
- Third Reading Passed (30-15) (March 12, 2026): 30 yea, 15 nay, passed
Common questions
- What is SB348?
- SB348 is a bill in the Maryland Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Hospitals and Freestanding Birthing Centers - High-Risk Pregnancies - Communication After Discharge.
- What does SB348 do?
- Altering the requirement that a hospital or freestanding birthing center contact the birth parent after the delivery of a newborn following a high-risk pregnancy to evaluate the birthing parent's status and, as necessary, provide certain information to be at least 24 hours after discharge.
- What is the status of SB348?
- Passed one chamber as of April 13, 2026. Latest action: Third Reading Passed (100-34) (April 13, 2026).
- Who sponsored SB348?
- Michael Jackson (D, SD-027).
- Where is the official record for SB348?
- On the Maryland Legislature website: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/sb0348?ys=2026RS
Source: official Maryland record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.