EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0705*
HOUSE BILL 705
J1 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 3lr0493
HB 1171/22 – HGO CF SB 798
By: Delegates A. Jones, Acevero, Addison, Allen, Alston, Atterbeary, Bagnall,
B. Barnes, Barve, Boafo, Boyce, Bridges, Chang, Charkoudian, Charles,
Clippinger, Crutchfield, Cullison, Ebersole, Embry, Fair, Feldmark, Foley,
Forbes, Fraser–Hidalgo, Grossman, Guyton, Guzzone, Harris, Harrison,
Henson, Holmes, A. Johnson, S. Johnson, D. Jones, Kaiser, Kaufman, Kelly,
Kerr, Korman, Lehman, J. Lewis, R. Lewis, J. Long, Lopez, Love, McCaskill,
Mireku–North, Moon, Palakovich Carr, Pasteur, Patterson, Pena–Melnyk,
Phillips, Pruski, Qi, Queen, Reznik, Rosenberg, Ruth, Sample –Hughes,
Shetty, Simmons, Simpson, Smith, Solomon, Stein, Stewart, Taveras,
Terrasa, Toles, Turner, Valderrama, Vogel, Watson, Wells, White, Wilkins,
Williams, Wilson, and Ziegler
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2023
Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 2, 2023
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Declaration of Rights – Right to Reproductive Freedom 2
FOR the purpose of establishing that every person, as a central component of an 3
individual’s rights to liberty and equality, has the fundamental right to reproductive 4
freedom; and prohibiting the State from, directly or indirectly, denying, burdening, 5
or abridging the right unless justified by a compelling State interest achieved by the 6
least restrictive means. 7
BY proposing an addition to the Maryland Constitution 8
Declaration of Rights 9
Article 48 10
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 11
(Three–fifths of all the members elected to each of the two Houses concurring), That it be 12
proposed that the Maryland Constitution read as follows: 13 2 HOUSE BILL 705
Declaration of Rights 1
ARTICLE 48. 2
THAT EVERY PE RSON, AS A CENTRAL COMPONE NT OF AN INDIVIDUAL ’S 3
RIGHTS TO LIBERTY AN D EQUALITY , HAS THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO 4
REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM , INCLUDING BUT NOT LI MITED TO THE ABILITY TO MAKE 5
AND EFFECTUATE DECIS IONS TO PREVENT , CONTINUE, OR END ONE’S OWN 6
PREGNANCY . THE STATE MAY NOT , DIRECTLY OR INDIRECT LY, DENY, BURDEN, OR 7
ABRIDGE THE RIGHT UN LESS JUSTIFIED BY A COMPELLING STATE INTEREST 8
ACHIEVED BY THE LEAS T RESTRICTIVE MEANS . 9
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the General Assembly 10
determines that the amendment to the Maryland Constitution proposed by Section 1 of this 11
Act affects multiple jurisdictions and that the provisions of Article XIV, § 1 of the Maryland 12
Constitution concerning local approval of constitutional amendments do not apply. 13
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That : 14
(a) The amendment to the Maryland Constitution proposed by Section 1 of this 15
Act shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the State at the next general election to be 16
held in November 2024 for adoption or rejection pursuant to Article XIV of the Maryland 17
Constitution. 18
(b) (1) At that general election, the vote on the proposed amendment to the 19
Constitution shall be by ballot, and on each ballot there shall be printed the words “For the 20
Constitutional Amendment” and “Against the Constitutional Amendment”, as now 21
provided by law. 22
(2) At that general election, a question substantially similar to the 23
following shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the State: 24
“Question ____ Constitutional Amendment 25
The proposed amendment confirms an individual’s fundamental right to an individual’s 26
own reproductive liberty and provides the State may not, directly or indirectly, deny, 27
burden, or abridge the right unless justified by a compelling State interest achieved by the 28
least restrictive means.”. 29
(c) Immediately after the election, all returns shall be made to the Governor of 30
the vote for and against the proposed amendment, as directed by Article XIV of the 31
Maryland Constitution, and further proceedings had in accordance with Article XIV. 32