Maryland 2023 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB1043 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	4	[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5	5	hb1043
6	6
7	7	HOUSE BILL 1043
8	8	J1 3lr2261
9	9	CF SB 832
10	10	By: Delegates McComas and Wivell
11	11	Introduced and read first time: February 10, 2023
12	12	Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
13	13
14	14	A BILL ENTITLED
15	15
16	16	AN ACT concerning 1
17	17
18	18	Public Health – Pregnancy – Coercion 2
19	19	(Coercive Abuse Against Mothers Prevention Act) 3
20	20
21	21	FOR the purpose of prohibiting an individual from committing or threatening certain 4
22	22	actions with the intent of coercing a pregnant woman to have an abortion; providing 5
23	23	that a pregnant minor is considered an emancipated minor for purposes of eligibility 6
24	24	for public assistance if the minor is denied financial support from a parent or 7
25	25	guardian due to the minor’s refusal to have an abortion; requiring a health care 8
26	26	facility that performs abortions to post certain signs in certain rooms of the facility; 9
27	27	requiring employees and volunteers of a health care facility that performs abortions 10
28	28	to make a certain report under certain circumstances; requiring health care 11
29	29	providers to comply with a certain waiting period before performing an abortion if 12
30	30	an employee or a volunteer suspects that a pregnant woman is being coerced into 13
31	31	having an abortion; and generally relating to abortion. 14
32	32
33	33	BY adding to 15
34	34	Article – Health – General 16
35	35	Section 20–217 through 20–224 to be under the new part “Part V. Coercive Actions” 17
36	36	Annotated Code of Maryland 18
37	37	(2019 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 19
38	38
39	39	Preamble 20
40	40
41	41	WHEREAS, Research indicates that violence against pregnant women is a serious 21
42	42	problem; and 22
43	43
44	44	WHEREAS, Many women report that they were coerced into abortions and have 23
45	45	suffered grievous physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual harm as a result; and 24
46	46
47	47	WHEREAS, Victims of sex trafficking are often coerced into abortions due to the 25
48	48	circumstances of sex trafficking; and 26 2 HOUSE BILL 1043
49	49
50	50
51	51
52	52	WHEREAS, More cases of coerced or attempted coerced abortions are reported if 1
53	53	women are informed of their rights and provided information concerning treatment and 2
54	54	protection options; and 3
55	55
56	56	WHEREAS, More women and victims of sex trafficking can receive treatment for 4
57	57	coercive abuse if they are informed of their rights and given information concerning 5
58	58	treatment and protection options; and 6
59	59
60	60	WHEREAS, Coercive abuse is a serious women’s health issue because it violates a 7
61	61	woman’s right to physical and emotional health, freedom of conscience, and freedom to 8
62	62	choose whether to continue her pregnancy or have an abortion; now, therefore, 9
63	63
64	64	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 10
65	65	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 11
66	66
67	67	Article – Health – General 12
68	68
69	69	20–215. RESERVED. 13
70	70
71	71	20–216. RESERVED. 14
72	72
73	73	PART V. COERCIVE ACTIONS. 15
74	74
75	75	20–217. 16
76	76
77	77	(A) IN THIS PART THE FOLL OWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 17
78	78	INDICATED. 18
79	79
80	80	(B) (1) “ABORTION” MEANS THE ACT OF USI NG OR PRESCRIBING AN 19
81	81	INSTRUMENT , A MEDICINE, A DRUG, OR ANY OTHER SUBSTAN CE, DEVICE, OR MEANS 20
82	82	WITH THE INTENT TO T ERMINATE THE CLINICA LLY DIAGNOSABLE PREG NANCY OF A 21
83	83	WOMAN, WITH KNOWLEDGE THAT THE TERMINATION BY T HOSE MEANS WILL WITH 22
84	84	REASONABLE LIKELIHOOD CAUSE THE DEATH OF T HE UNBORN CHILD . 23
85	85
86	86	(2) “ABORTION” DOES NOT INCLUDE THE USE OR PRESCRIPTION OF 24
87	87	AN INSTRUMENT , A MEDICINE, A DRUG, OR ANY OTHER SUBSTAN CE, DEVICE, OR 25
88	88	MEANS IF USED OR PRE SCRIBED TO: 26
89	89
90	90	(I) SAVE THE LIFE OR PRES ERVE THE HEALTH OF AN UNBO RN 27
91	91	CHILD; 28
92	92
93	93	(II) REMOVE A DEAD UNBORN CHILD RESULTING FROM 29
94	94	SPONTANEOUS PREGNANC Y LOSS; 30
95	95	HOUSE BILL 1043 3
96	96
97	97
98	98	(III) REMOVE AN ECTOPIC PRE GNANCY; OR 1
99	99
100	100	(IV) TREAT A MATERNAL DISE ASE OR ILLNESS FOR W HICH THE 2
101	101	PRESCRIBED DRUG IS I NDICATED. 3
102	102
103	103	(C) “HEALTH CARE FACILITY” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 19–114 OF 4
104	104	THIS ARTICLE. 5
105	105
106	106	(D) “SEX TRAFFICKING ” MEANS THE RECRUITMEN T, HARBORING, 6
107	107	TRANSPORTATION , PROVISION, OBTAINING, PATRONIZING, OR SOLICITING OF AN 7
108	108	INDIVIDUAL FOR THE P URPOSE OF A COMMERCI AL SEX ACT THAT IS: 8
109	109
110	110	(1) INDUCED BY FORCE , FRAUD, OR COERCION ; OR 9
111	111
112	112	(2) PERFORMED BY A MINOR . 10
113	113
114	114	(E) “VICTIM OF SEX TRAFFIC KING” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL SUBJECTED TO 11
115	115	AN ACT OR THE PRACTI CE OF SEX TRAFFICKIN G. 12
116	116
117	117	20–218. 13
118	118
119	119	(A) AN INDIVIDUAL WHO KNO WS OR SUSPECTS THAT A WOMAN IS PREGNANT 14
120	120	MAY NOT ENGAGE , OR CONSPIRE WITH ANO THER INDIVIDUAL TO E NGAGE, IN THE 15
121	121	FOLLOWING CONDUCT WI TH THE INTENT OF DIR ECTING THE PREGNANT WOMAN TO 16
122	122	HAVE AN ABORTION , BASED ON THE PREGNAN T WOMAN DISREGARDING OR 17
123	123	REFUSING THE INDIVID UAL’S DEMAND THAT SHE SE EK AN ABORTION: 18
124	124
125	125	(1) COMMITTING, ATTEMPTING TO COMMIT , OR THREATENING TO 19
126	126	COMMIT PHYSICAL HARM TO THE PREGNANT WOMA N, UNBORN CHILD , OR ANOTHER 20
127	127	INDIVIDUAL; 21
128	128
129	129	(2) COMMITTING, ATTEMPTING TO COMMIT , OR THREATENING TO 22
130	130	COMMIT A VIOLATION O F THE CRIMINAL LAW ARTICLE; 23
131	131
132	132	(3) REVOKING, ATTEMPTING TO REVOKE , OR THREATENING TO 24
133	133	REVOKE A SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO THE PREGN ANT WOMAN BY AN INST ITUTION 25
134	134	OF HIGHER EDUCATION ; 26
135	135
136	136	(4) DISCHARGING, ATTEMPTING TO DISCHA RGE, OR THREATENING 27
137	137	TO DISCHARGE THE PRE GNANT WOMAN OR ANOTH ER INDIVIDUAL FROM 28
138	138	EMPLOYMENT ; 29
139	139
140	140	(5) CHANGING, ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE , OR THREATENING TO 30 4 HOUSE BILL 1043
141	141
142	142
143	143	CHANGE THE COMPENSAT ION, TERMS, CONDITIONS, OR PRIVILEGES OF 1
144	144	EMPLOYMENT OF THE PR EGNANT WOMAN OR ANOT HER INDIVIDUAL ; 2
145	145
146	146	(6) DENYING, ATTEMPTING TO DENY , OR THREATENING TO D ENY ANY 3
147	147	SOCIAL ASSISTANCE TH AT A PREGNANT WOMAN HAS APPLIED FOR , HAS BEEN 4
148	148	RECEIVING, OR IS ELIGIBLE FOR; 5
149	149
150	150	(7) DENYING, REMOVING, OR THREATENING TO DE NY OR REMOVE 6
151	151	FINANCIAL SUPPORT OR HOUSING FROM A DEPEN DENT OF THE PREGNANT WOMAN; 7
152	152
153	153	(8) SELLING, ATTEMPTING TO SELL , OR THREATENING TO SE LL THE 8
154	154	PREGNANT WOMAN INTO SEX TRAFFICKING ; 9
155	155
156	156	(9) FORCING, ATTEMPTING TO FORCE , OR THREATENING TO FO RCE 10
157	157	THE PREGNANT WOMAN T O CONTINUE TO ENGAGE IN SEX TRAFFICKING ; 11
158	158
159	159	(10) SELLING, ATTEMPTING TO SELL , OR THREATENIN G TO SELL THE 12
160	160	PREGNANT WOMAN TO AN OTHER INDIVIDUAL FOR THE PURPOSE OF SEX 13
161	161	TRAFFICKING; 14
162	162
163	163	(11) FORCING, ATTEMPTING TO FORCE , OR THREATENING TO FO RCE 15
164	164	THE PREGNANT WOMAN T O MOVE TO ANOTHER CI TY, STATE, OR COUNTRY, AGAINST 16
165	165	HER WILL; 17
166	166
167	167	(12) SELLING, ATTEMPTIN G TO SELL, OR THREATENING TO SE LL THE 18
168	168	UNBORN BABY OF THE P REGNANT WOMAN INTO S EX TRAFFICKING ONCE THE 19
169	169	UNBORN BABY IS BORN ; OR 20
170	170
171	171	(13) SEPARATING, ATTEMPTING TO SEPARA TE, OR THREATENING TO 21
172	172	SEPARATE THE PREGNAN T WOMAN FROM THE UNB ORN BABY ONCE THE UN BORN 22
173	173	BABY IS BORN. 23
174	174
175	175	(B) AN INDIVIDUAL WHO VIO LATES THIS SECTION I S GUILTY OF A 24
176	176	MISDEMEANOR AND ON C ONVICTION IS SUBJECT TO A FINE NOT EXCEED ING $1,000. 25
177	177
178	178	(C) THE SENTENCE IMPOSED FOR A VIOLATION OF T HIS SECTION SHALL BE 26
179	179	CONSECUTIVE TO AND N OT CONCURRENT WITH A NY OTHER SENTENCE IMPOS ED 27
180	180	FOR ANY CRIME BASED ON THE ACT ESTABLISH ING THE VIOLATION OF THIS 28
181	181	SECTION. 29
182	182
183	183	20–219. 30
184	184
185	185	(A) (1) A WOMAN WHO IS A VICTI M OF A VIOLATION OF § 20–218 OF THIS 31 HOUSE BILL 1043 5
186	186
187	187
188	188	SUBTITLE MAY BRING A CIVIL ACTION FOR MON EY DAMAGES AGAINST T HE 1
189	189	PERPETRATOR , INCLUDING AN ACTION FO R WRONGFUL DEATH UND ER TITLE 3, 2
190	190	SUBTITLE 9 OF THE COURTS ARTICLE IF APPLICABLE . 3
191	191
192	192	(2) AN ACTION MAY BE BROU GHT UNDER THIS SECTI ON WITHOUT 4
193	193	REGARD TO: 5
194	194
195	195	(I) WHETHER AN ABORTION W AS ACTUALLY PERFORME D; 6
196	196
197	197	(II) WHETHER THE DEFENDANT WAS CRIMINALLY 7
198	198	PROSECUTED ; OR 8
199	199
200	200	(III) THE OUTCOME OF ANY CR IMINAL PROSECUTION . 9
201	201
202	202	(3) A WOMAN WHO IS SUCCESS FUL IN A CIVIL ACTIO N UNDER THIS 10
203	203	SUBSECTION IS ENTITL ED TO REASONABLE ATT ORNEY’S FEES. 11
204	204
205	205	(B) (1) A PREGNANT WOMAN WHO I S THE VICTIM OF A VI OLATION OF § 12
206	206	20–218 OF THIS SUBTITLE MAY BRING AN ACTION IN C IRCUIT COURT SEEKING TO 13
207	207	PREVENT THE PERPETRA TOR FROM COMMITTING A SUBSEQUENT VIOLATI ON OR 14
208	208	CEASE AN ONGOING VIO LATION OF § 20–218 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 15
209	209
210	210	(2) IN AN ACTION BROUGHT UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 16
211	211	SUBSECTION, THE COURT SHALL : 17
212	212
213	213	(I) PROVIDE THE PREGNANT WOMAN WITH COUNSEL I F 18
214	214	REQUESTED ; AND 19
215	215
216	216	(II) GRANT ANY RELIEF NECE SSARY TO PREVENT FUR THER 20
217	217	VIOLATION OR CEASE A N ONGOING VIOLATION OF § 20–218 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 21
218	218
219	219	20–220. 22
220	220
221	221	(A) IF A MINOR IS DENIED FINANCIAL SUPPORT FR OM A PARENT , 23
222	222	GUARDIAN, OR CUSTODIAN DUE TO THE MINOR’S REFUSAL TO HAVE AN ABORTION, 24
223	223	THE MINOR SHALL BE C ONSIDERED AN EMANCIP ATED MINOR FOR PURPO SES OF 25
224	224	ELIGIBILITY FOR PUBL IC ASSISTANCE BENEFITS. 26
225	225
226	226	(B) ANY PUBLIC ASSISTANCE BENEFITS PROVIDED TO A MINOR 27
227	227	EMANCIPATED UNDER TH IS SECTION MAY NOT B E USED TO OBTAIN AN ABORTION. 28
228	228
229	229	20–221. 29
230	230	6 HOUSE BILL 1043
231	231
232	232
233	233	AS A CONDITION OF LIC ENSURE, A HEALTH CARE FACILI TY THAT PERFORMS 1
234	234	ABORTIONS SHALL : 2
235	235
236	236	(1) POST SIGNS CONSPICUOUSLY IN A W AITING ROOM , 3
237	237	CONSULTATION ROOM , AND PROCEDURE ROOM S TATING THE FOLLOWING : 4
238	238
239	239	“IT IS AGAINST THE LAW FOR ANYONE , REGARDLESS OF HIS OR HER 5
240	240	RELATIONSHIP TO YOU , TO FORCE YOU TO HAVE AN ABORTION . YOU HAVE THE 6
241	241	RIGHT TO CONTACT ANY STATE OR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OR SOCIAL SERVICE 7
242	242	AGENCY TO RECEIVE PR OTECTION FROM ANY AC TUAL OR THREATENED P HYSICAL, 8
243	243	EMOTIONAL, OR PSYCHOLOGICAL ABU SE. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO PERFORM , 9
244	244	INDUCE, PRESCRIBE FOR , OR PROVIDE YOU WITH THE MEANS FOR AN ABO RTION 10
245	245	WITHOUT YOU R VOLUNTARY CONSENT .”; AND 11
246	246
247	247	(2) POST CONSPICUOUS SIGN S IN A WAITING ROOM , CONSULTATION 12
248	248	ROOM, AND PROCEDURE ROOM T HAT INCLUDE: 13
249	249
250	250	(I) INFORMATION ON HOW TO REPORT SEX TRAFFICKI NG AND 14
251	251	A STATEMENT THAT VIC TIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFI CKING ARE PROTECTED UNDER 15
252	252	INTERNATIONAL , FEDERAL, AND STATE LAW; AND 16
253	253
254	254	(II) INFORMATION AND VISUA L REPRESENTATION ON HOW TO 17
255	255	USE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE TO INDICATE THAT THE PREGNANT WO MAN IS 18
256	256	BEING SEX TRAFFICKED . 19
257	257
258	258	20–222. 20
259	259
260	260	(A) BEFORE PERFORMING AN ABORTION OR DISPENSI NG AN 21
261	261	ABORTION–INDUCING DRUG , A HEALTH CARE PROVID ER SHALL, IN A PRIVATE 22
262	262	ROOM: 23
263	263
264	264	(1) ASK THE PREGNANT WOMA N IF SHE IS BEING CO ERCED, 24
265	265	THREATENED , OR FORCED TO HAVE AN ABORTION; 25
266	266
267	267	(2) ASK THE PREGNANT WOMA N IF SHE IS BEING SEX TRAFFICKED; 26
268	268
269	269	(3) OFFER TO PROVIDE THE PREGNANT WOMAN WITH INFORMATION 27
270	270	ABOUT ASSISTANCE , COUNSELING , AND PROTECTIVE SERVI CES OFFERED BY SOCIA L 28
271	271	SERVICES AND LAW ENF ORCEMENT AGENCIES ; 29
272	272
273	273	(4) PROVIDE THE PREGNANT WOMAN WITH A TELEPHO NE THAT SHE 30
274	274	MAY USE TO MAKE A PR IVATE PHONE CALL ; AND 31
275	275	HOUSE BILL 1043 7
276	276
277	277
278	278	(5) PROVIDE THE PREGNANT W OMAN WITH AN ALTERNA TIVE EXIT 1
279	279	FROM THE FACILITY . 2
280	280
281	281	(B) (1) AN EMPLOYEE OR A VOLU NTEER OF A HEALTH CA RE FACILITY 3
282	282	WHO KNOWS , ALLEGES, OR SUSPECTS A PREGNA NT WOMAN TO BE A VIC TIM OF A 4
283	283	VIOLATION OF § 20–218 OF THIS SUBTITLE PER SONALLY SHAL L MAKE A REPORT TO 5
284	284	A LOCAL LAW ENFORCEM ENT AGENCY WITHIN 48 HOURS AFTER THE DISC OVERY OF 6
285	285	THE KNOWLEDGE , ALLEGATION, OR SUSPICION. 7
286	286
287	287	(2) THE REPORT REQUIRED U NDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 8
288	288	SUBSECTION SHALL CON TAIN: 9
289	289
290	290	(I) THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE PREGNANT WOMAN; 10
291	291
292	292	(II) IF THE PREGNANT WOMAN IS A MINOR, THE NAME AND 11
293	293	ADDRESS OF A PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF THE M INOR; AND 12
294	294
295	295	(III) ANY RELEVANT INFORMAT ION THE EMPLOYEE OR 13
296	296	VOLUNTEER HAS RELATI NG TO THE KNOWN , ALLEGED, OR SUSPECTED COERCIO N. 14
297	297
298	298	(3) IF AN EMPLOYEE OR A V OLUNTEER KNOWS , ALLEGES, OR 15
299	299	SUSPECTS THAT A PREG NANT WOMAN IS A VICT IM OF A VIOLATION OF § 20–218 OF 16
300	300	THIS SUBTITLE, A HEALTH CARE PROVID ER SHALL ORALLY INFO RM THE PREGNANT 17
301	301	WOMAN THAT : 18
302	302
303	303	(I) COERCION IS PROHIBITE D UNDER § 20–218 OF THIS 19
304	304	SUBTITLE; 20
305	305
306	306	(II) THE PREGNANT WOMAN MA Y HAVE LEGAL REMEDIE S; AND 21
307	307
308	308	(III) A REQUEST OR DEMAND FO R AN ABORTION MADE B Y THE 22
309	309	FATHER OF THE UNBORN CHILD DOES NOT RELIE VE THE FATHER OF HIS FINANCIAL 23
310	310	SUPPORT RESPONSIBILI TIES. 24
311	311
312	312	(C) (1) EXCEPT AS PROVID ED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , A 25
313	313	HEALTH CARE PROVIDER MAY NOT PERFORM AN A BORTION ON A PREGNAN T WOMAN 26
314	314	WHO IS KNOWN , ALLEGED, OR SUSPECTED TO BE A VICTIM OF A VIOLATIO N OF § 27
315	315	20–218 OF THIS SUBTITLE WIT HIN 24 HOURS AFTER THE LATE R OF: 28
316	316
317	317	(I) THE DISCOVERY OF THE KNOW LEDGE, ALLEGATION, OR 29
318	318	SUSPICION; OR 30
319	319
320	320	(II) INFORMING THE PREGNAN T WOMAN OF HER RIGHT S UNDER 31 8 HOUSE BILL 1043
321	321
322	322
323	323	SUBSECTIONS (A) AND (B)(3) OF THIS SECTION. 1
324	324
325	325	(2) THE 24–HOUR WAITING PERIOD REQUIRED UNDER PARAG RAPH 2
326	326	(1) OF THIS SUBSECTION M AY BE WAIVED I F, IN A PHYSICIAN’S BEST MEDICAL 3
327	327	JUDGMENT, AN ABORTION IS NECES SARY TO PREVENT THE DEATH OF THE 4
328	328	PREGNANT WOMAN OR SU BSTANTIAL AND IRREVE RSIBLE INJURY TO ONE OF THE 5
329	329	PREGNANT WOMAN ’S MAJOR BODILY FUNCT IONS. 6
330	330
331	331	(D) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS GUIL TY OF A MISDEMEANOR 7
332	332	AND ON CONVICTION IS SUBJECT TO A FINE NO T EXCEEDING $500. 8
333	333
334	334	(E) A HEALTH CARE FACILITY MAY NOT EMPLOY AN IN DIVIDUAL OR ALLOW 9
335	335	AN INDIVIDUAL TO VOL UNTEER IF THE INDIVI DUAL HAS COMMITTED A VIOLATION 10
336	336	OF THIS SECTION. 11
337	337
338	338	20–223. 12
339	339
340	340	ON THE REQUE ST OF THE INDIVIDUAL REPORTING AN ALLEGED VIOLATION 13
341	341	OF § 20–218 OR § 20–222 OF THIS SUBTITLE , A LAW ENFORCEMENT AG ENCY SHALL 14
342	342	NOTIFY THE INDIVIDUA L MAKING THE REPORT AT LEAST 12 HOURS BEFORE THE 15
343	343	LAW ENFORCEMENT AGEN CY’S INITIAL CONTACT WI TH THE ALLEGED VIOL ATOR. 16
344	344
345	345	20–224. 17
346	346
347	347	THIS PART MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO ALTER EXISTING CR IMINAL LAW 18
348	348	REGARDING CRIMES ARI SING FROM SEX TRAFFI CKING. 19
349	349
350	350	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 20
351	351	October 1, 2023. 21