Maryland 2024 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB862 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	sb0862
6	6
7	7	SENATE BILL 862
8	8	J1, F2 4lr2739
9	9	SB 832/23 – FIN CF HB 884
10	10	By: Senators Carozza, Folden, Mautz, McKay, Ready, Salling, and Simonaire
11	11	Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2024
12	12	Assigned to: Finance
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	(Protecting Pregnant Women Against Coercive Abuse and Human Trafficking ) 3
20	20
21	21	FOR the purpose of prohibiting an individual from committing or threatening certain 4
22	22	actions, including certain actions related to sex trafficking, with the intent of 5
23	23	coercing a pregnant woman to have an abortion; providing that a pregnant minor is 6
24	24	considered an emancipated minor for purposes of eligibility for public assistance if 7
25	25	the minor is denied financial support from a parent or guardian due to the minor’s 8
26	26	refusal to have an abortion; requiring health care facilities that perform abortions 9
27	27	and public senior higher education institutions that provide abortion care services to 10
28	28	post certain signs in certain rooms of the facility or institution; 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	(2023 Replacement Volume) 19
38	38
39	39	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 20
40	40	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 21
41	41
42	42	Article – Health – General 22
43	43
44	44	20–215. RESERVED. 23
45	45
46	46	20–216. RESERVED. 24
47	47	2 SENATE BILL 862
48	48
49	49
50	50	PART V. COERCIVE ACTIONS. 1
51	51
52	52	20–217. 2
53	53
54	54	(A) IN THIS PART THE FOL LOWING WORDS HAVE TH E MEANINGS 3
55	55	INDICATED. 4
56	56
57	57	(B) (1) “ABORTION” MEANS THE ACT OF USI NG OR PRESCRIBING AN 5
58	58	INSTRUMENT , A MEDICINE, A DRUG, OR ANY OTHER SUBSTAN CE, DEVICE, OR MEANS 6
59	59	WITH THE INTENT TO T ERMINATE THE CLINICA LLY DIAGNOSABLE PREG NANCY OF A 7
60	60	WOMAN, WITH KNOWLEDGE THAT T HE TERMINATION BY TH OSE MEANS WILL WITH 8
61	61	REASONABLE LIKELIHOO D CAUSE THE DEATH OF THE UNBORN CHILD . 9
62	62
63	63	(2) “ABORTION” DOES NOT INCLUDE THE USE OR PRESCRIPTION OF 10
64	64	AN INSTRUMENT , A MEDICINE, A DRUG, OR ANY OTHER SUBSTAN CE, DEVICE, OR 11
65	65	MEANS IF USED OR PRESCRIBE D TO: 12
66	66
67	67	(I) SAVE THE LIFE OR PRES ERVE THE HEALTH OF A N UNBORN 13
68	68	CHILD; 14
69	69
70	70	(II) REMOVE A DEAD UNBORN CHILD RESULTING FROM 15
71	71	SPONTANEOUS PREGNANC Y LOSS; 16
72	72
73	73	(III) REMOVE AN ECTOPIC PRE GNANCY; OR 17
74	74
75	75	(IV) TREAT A MATERNAL DISE ASE OR ILLNESS FOR W HICH THE 18
76	76	PRESCRIBED DRUG IS I NDICATED. 19
77	77
78	78	(C) “HEALTH CARE FACILITY ” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 19–114 OF 20
79	79	THIS ARTICLE. 21
80	80
81	81	(D) “PUBLIC SENIOR HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIO N” HAS THE MEANING 22
82	82	STATED IN § 10–101 OF THE EDUCATION ARTICLE. 23
83	83
84	84	(E) “SEX TRAFFICKING ” MEANS THE RECRUITMEN T, HARBORING, 24
85	85	TRANSPORTATION , PROVISION, OBTAINING, PATRONIZING, OR SOLICITING OF AN 25
86	86	INDIVIDUAL FOR THE P URPOSE OF A COMMERCI AL SEX ACT THAT IS: 26
87	87
88	88	(1) INDUCED BY FORCE , FRAUD, OR COERCION ; OR 27
89	89
90	90	(2) PERFORMED BY A MINOR . 28
91	91
92	92	20–218. 29 SENATE BILL 862 3
93	93
94	94
95	95
96	96	(A) AN INDIVIDUAL WHO KNO WS OR SUSPECTS THAT A WOMAN IS PREGNANT 1
97	97	MAY NOT ENGAGE , OR CONSPIRE WITH ANO THER INDIVIDUAL TO E NGAGE, IN THE 2
98	98	FOLLOWING CONDUCT WI TH THE INTENT OF DIR ECTING THE PREGNANT WOMAN TO 3
99	99	HAVE AN ABORT ION: 4
100	100
101	101	(1) COMMITTING, ATTEMPTING TO COMMIT , OR THREATENING TO 5
102	102	COMMIT PHYSICAL HARM TO THE PREGNANT WOMA N, THE UNBORN CHILD , OR 6
103	103	ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL ; 7
104	104
105	105	(2) COMMITTING, ATTEMPTING TO COMMIT , OR THREATENING TO 8
106	106	COMMIT A VIOLATION O F THE CRIMINAL LAW ARTICLE; 9
107	107
108	108	(3) REVOKING, ATTEMPTING TO REVOKE , OR THREATENING TO 10
109	109	REVOKE A SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO THE PREGN ANT WOMAN BY AN INST ITUTION 11
110	110	OF HIGHER EDUCATION ; 12
111	111
112	112	(4) DISCHARGING, ATTEMPTING TO DISCHA RGE, OR THREATENING 13
113	113	TO DISCHARGE THE PRE GNANT WOMAN OR ANOTH ER INDIVIDUAL FROM 14
114	114	EMPLOYMENT ; 15
115	115
116	116	(5) CHANGING, ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE , OR THREATENING TO 16
117	117	CHANGE THE COMPENSAT ION, TERMS, CONDITIONS, OR PRIVILEGES OF 17
118	118	EMPLOYMENT OF THE PR EGNANT WOMAN OR ANOT HER INDIVIDUAL ; 18
119	119
120	120	(6) DENYING, ATTEMPTING TO DENY , OR THREATENING TO DENY ANY 19
121	121	SOCIAL ASSISTANCE TH AT THE PREGNANT WOMAN HAS A PPLIED FOR, HAS BEEN 20
122	122	RECEIVING, OR IS ELIGIBLE FOR; 21
123	123
124	124	(7) DENYING, REMOVING, OR THREATENING TO DE NY OR REMOVE 22
125	125	FINANCIAL SUPPORT OR HOUSING FROM A DEPEN DENT OF THE PREGNANT WOMAN; 23
126	126
127	127	(8) SELLING, ATTEMPTING TO SELL , OR THREATENING TO SE LL THE 24
128	128	PREGNANT WOMAN INTO SEX TRAFFICKING ; 25
129	129
130	130	(9) FORCING, ATTEMPTING TO FORCE , OR THREATENING TO FO RCE 26
131	131	THE PREGNANT WOMAN T O CONTINUE TO ENGAGE IN SEX TRAFFICKING ; 27
132	132
133	133	(10) SELLING, ATTEMPTING TO SELL , OR THREATENING TO SELL THE 28
134	134	PREGNANT WOMAN TO AN OTHER INDIVIDUAL FOR THE PURPOSE OF SEX 29
135	135	TRAFFICKING; 30
136	136
137	137	(11) FORCING, ATTEMPTING TO FORCE , OR THREATENING TO FO RCE 31 4 SENATE BILL 862
138	138
139	139
140	140	THE PREGNANT WOMAN T O MOVE TO ANOTHER CI TY, STATE, OR COUNTRY AGAINST 1
141	141	HER WILL; 2
142	142
143	143	(12) SELLING, ATTEMPTING T O SELL, OR THREATENING TO SE LL THE 3
144	144	UNBORN BABY OF THE P REGNANT WOMAN INTO S EX TRAFFICKING ONCE THE 4
145	145	UNBORN BABY IS BORN ; OR 5
146	146
147	147	(13) SEPARATING, ATTEMPTING TO SEPARA TE, OR THREATENING TO 6
148	148	SEPARATE THE PREGNAN T WOMAN FROM THE UNB ORN BABY ONCE THE UN BORN 7
149	149	BABY IS BORN. 8
150	150
151	151	(B) AN INDIVIDUAL WHO VIO LATES THIS SECTION I S GUILTY OF A 9
152	152	MISDEMEANOR AND ON C ONVICTION IS SUBJECT TO A FINE NOT EXCEED ING $1,000. 10
153	153
154	154	(C) THE SENTENCE IMPOSED FOR A VIOLATION OF T HIS SECTION SHALL BE 11
155	155	CONSECUTIVE TO AND N OT CONCURRENT WITH A NY OTHER SENTENCE IMPOSED 12
156	156	FOR ANY CRIME BASED ON THE ACT ESTABLISH ING THE VIOLATION OF THIS 13
157	157	SECTION. 14
158	158
159	159	20–219. 15
160	160
161	161	(A) (1) A WOMAN WHO IS A VICTI M OF A VIOLATION OF § 20–218 OF THIS 16
162	162	SUBTITLE MAY BRING A CIVIL ACTION FOR MON EY DAMAGES AGAINST T HE 17
163	163	PERPETRATOR , INCLUDING AN ACTION FOR WRONGFUL DEATH U NDER TITLE 3, 18
164	164	SUBTITLE 9 OF THE COURTS ARTICLE IF APPLICABLE . 19
165	165
166	166	(2) AN ACTION MAY BE BROUGHT UNDER THIS SECTION WITHOUT 20
167	167	REGARD TO: 21
168	168
169	169	(I) WHETHER AN ABORTION W AS ACTUALLY PERFORME D; 22
170	170
171	171	(II) WHETHER THE DEFENDANT WAS CRIMINALLY 23
172	172	PROSECUTED ; OR 24
173	173
174	174	(III) THE OUTCOME OF ANY CR IMINAL PROSECUTION . 25
175	175
176	176	(3) A WOMAN WHO IS SUCCESS FUL IN A CIVIL ACTION UNDER T HIS 26
177	177	SUBSECTION IS ENTITL ED TO REASONABLE ATT ORNEY’S FEES. 27
178	178
179	179	(B) (1) A PREGNANT WOMAN WHO I S THE VICTIM OF A VI OLATION OF § 28
180	180	20–218 OF THIS SUBTITLE MAY BRING AN ACTION IN C IRCUIT COURT SEEKING TO 29
181	181	PREVENT THE PERPETRA TOR FROM COMMITTING A SUBSEQUENT VIOLATI ON OR 30
182	182	CEASE AN ONGOING VIO LATION OF § 20–218 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 31 SENATE BILL 862 5
183	183
184	184
185	185
186	186	(2) IN AN ACTION BROUGHT UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 1
187	187	SUBSECTION, THE COURT SHALL : 2
188	188
189	189	(I) PROVIDE THE PREGNANT WOMAN WITH COUNSEL I F 3
190	190	REQUESTED ; AND 4
191	191
192	192	(II) GRANT ANY RELIEF NECE SSARY TO PREVENT FUR THER 5
193	193	VIOLATION OR CEASE A N ONGOING VIOLATION OF § 20–218 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 6
194	194
195	195	20–220. 7
196	196
197	197	(A) IF A MINOR IS DENIED FINANCIAL SUPPORT FR OM A PARENT , 8
198	198	GUARDIAN, OR CUSTODIAN DUE TO THE MINOR’S REFUSAL TO HAVE AN ABORTION, 9
199	199	THE MINOR SHALL BE C ONSIDERED AN EMANCIP ATED MINOR FOR PURPO SES OF 10
200	200	ELIGIBILITY FOR PUBL IC ASSISTANCE BENEFI TS. 11
201	201
202	202	(B) ANY PUBLIC ASSISTANCE BENEFITS PROVIDED TO A MINOR 12
203	203	EMANCIPATED UNDER TH IS SECTION MAY NOT B E USED TO OBTAIN AN ABORTION. 13
204	204
205	205	20–221. 14
206	206
207	207	EACH HEALTH CARE FACILITY THAT PERFORMS ABORTI ONS, AS A CONDITION 15
208	208	OF LICENSURE , AND EACH PUBLIC SENIOR HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIO N THAT 16
209	209	PROVIDES ABORTION CA RE SERVICES SHALL: 17
210	210
211	211	(1) POST SIGNS CONSPICUOU SLY IN A WAITING ROO M, 18
212	212	CONSULTATION ROOM , AND PROCED URE ROOM STATING THE FOLLOWING: 19
213	213
214	214	“IT IS AGAINST THE LAW FOR ANYONE , REGARDLESS OF HIS OR HER 20
215	215	RELATIONSHIP TO YOU , TO FORCE YOU TO HAVE AN ABORTION . YOU HAVE THE 21
216	216	RIGHT TO CONTACT ANY STATE OR LOCAL LAW EN FORCEMENT OR SOCIAL SERVICE 22
217	217	AGENCY TO RECEIVE PR OTECTION FROM ANY ACTUAL OR THREATENED PHYSIC AL, 23
218	218	EMOTIONAL, OR PSYCHOLOGICAL ABU SE. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO PERFORM , 24
219	219	INDUCE, PRESCRIBE FOR , OR PROVIDE YOU WITH THE MEANS FOR AN ABO RTION 25
220	220	WITHOUT YOUR VOLUNTA RY CONSENT.”; AND 26
221	221
222	222	(2) POST CONSPICUOUS SIGN S IN A WAITING ROOM , CONSULTATION 27
223	223	ROOM, AND PROCEDURE ROOM T HAT INCLUDE: 28
224	224
225	225	(I) INFORMATION ON HOW TO REPORT SEX TRAFFICKI NG AND 29
226	226	A STATEMENT THAT VIC TIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFI CKING ARE PROTECTED UNDER 30
227	227	INTERNATIONAL , FEDERAL, AND STATE LAW; AND 31 6 SENATE BILL 862
228	228
229	229
230	230
231	231	(II) INFORMATION AND VISUAL REPRESENTATIO N ON HOW TO 1
232	232	USE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE TO INDICATE THAT THE PREGNANT WO MAN IS 2
233	233	BEING SEX TRAFFICKED . 3
234	234
235	235	20–222. 4
236	236
237	237	(A) BEFORE PERFORMING AN ABORTION OR DISPENSI NG AN 5
238	238	ABORTION–INDUCING DRUG , A HEALTH CARE PROVID ER SHALL, IN A PRIVATE 6
239	239	ROOM: 7
240	240
241	241	(1) ASK THE PREGNANT WOMA N WHETHER SHE IS BEING COERCED , 8
242	242	THREATENED , OR FORCED TO HAVE AN ABORTION; 9
243	243
244	244	(2) ASK THE PREGNANT WOMA N WHETHER SHE IS BEING SEX 10
245	245	TRAFFICKED; 11
246	246
247	247	(3) OFFER TO PROVIDE THE PREGNANT WOMAN WITH INFORMATION 12
248	248	ABOUT ASSISTANCE , COUNSELING , AND PROTECTIVE SERVI CES OFFERED BY SOCIA L 13
249	249	SERVICES AND LAW ENF ORCEMENT AGENCIES ; 14
250	250
251	251	(4) PROVIDE THE PREGNANT WOMAN WITH A TELEPHO NE THAT SHE 15
252	252	MAY USE TO MAKE A PR IVATE PHONE CALL; AND 16
253	253
254	254	(5) PROVIDE THE PREGNANT WOMAN WITH AN ALTERN ATIVE EXIT 17
255	255	FROM THE FACILITY . 18
256	256
257	257	(B) (1) AN EMPLOYEE OR A VOLU NTEER OF A HEALTH CA RE FACILITY OR 19
258	258	A PUBLIC SENIOR HIGH ER EDUCATION INSTITU TION THAT PROVIDES ABORTI ON 20
259	259	CARE SERVICES UNDER § 15–136 OF THE EDUCATION ARTICLE WHO KNOWS , 21
260	260	ALLEGES, OR SUSPECTS A PREGNA NT WOMAN TO BE A VIC TIM OF A VIOLATION O F § 22
261	261	20–218 OF THIS SUBTITLE PER SONALLY SHALL MAKE A REPORT TO A LOCAL LA W 23
262	262	ENFORCEMENT AGENCY W ITHIN 48 HOURS AFTER THE DISC OVERY OF THE 24
263	263	KNOWLEDGE , ALLEGATION, OR SUSPICION. 25
264	264
265	265	(2) THE REPORT REQUIRED U NDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 26
266	266	SUBSECTION SHALL CON TAIN: 27
267	267
268	268	(I) THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE PREGNANT WOMA N; 28
269	269
270	270	(II) IF THE PREGNANT WOMAN IS A MINOR, THE NAME AND 29
271	271	ADDRESS OF A PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF THE M INOR; AND 30
272	272	SENATE BILL 862 7
273	273
274	274
275	275	(III) ANY RELEVANT INFORMAT ION THE EMPLOYEE OR 1
276	276	VOLUNTEER HAS RELATI NG TO THE KNOWN , ALLEGED, OR SUSPECTED COERCIO N. 2
277	277
278	278	(3) IF AN EMPLOYEE OR A V OLUNTEER KNOWS , ALLEGES, OR 3
279	279	SUSPECTS THAT A PREG NANT WOMAN IS A VICT IM OF A VIOLATION OF § 20–218 OF 4
280	280	THIS SUBTITLE, A HEALTH CARE PROVID ER SHALL ORALLY INFO RM THE PREGNANT 5
281	281	WOMAN THAT : 6
282	282
283	283	(I) COERCION IS PROHIBITE D UNDER § 20–218 OF THIS 7
284	284	SUBTITLE; 8
285	285
286	286	(II) THE PREGNANT WOMAN MA Y HAVE LEGAL REMEDIE S; AND 9
287	287
288	288	(III) A REQUEST OR DE MAND FOR AN ABORTION MADE BY THE 10
289	289	FATHER OF THE UNBORN CHILD DOES NOT RELIE VE THE FATHER OF HIS FINANCIAL 11
290	290	SUPPORT RESPONSIBILI TIES. 12
291	291
292	292	(C) (1) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , A 13
293	293	HEALTH CARE PROVIDER MAY NOT PERFORM AN A BORTION ON A PR EGNANT WOMAN 14
294	294	WHO IS KNOWN , ALLEGED, OR SUSPECTED TO BE A VICTIM OF A VIOLATIO N OF § 15
295	295	20–218 OF THIS SUBTITLE WIT HIN 24 HOURS AFTER THE LATE R OF: 16
296	296
297	297	(I) THE DISCOVERY OF THE KNOWLEDGE , ALLEGATION, OR 17
298	298	SUSPICION; OR 18
299	299
300	300	(II) INFORMING THE PREGNAN T WOMAN OF H ER RIGHTS UNDER 19
301	301	SUBSECTIONS (A) AND (B)(3) OF THIS SECTION. 20
302	302
303	303	(2) THE 24–HOUR WAITING PERIOD REQUIRED UNDER PARAG RAPH 21
304	304	(1) OF THIS SUBSECTION M AY BE WAIVED IF , IN A PHYSICIAN’S BEST MEDICAL 22
305	305	JUDGMENT, AN ABORTION IS NECES SARY TO PREVENT THE DEATH OF THE 23
306	306	PREGNANT WOMAN OR SUBS TANTIAL AND IRREVERS IBLE INJURY TO ONE O F THE 24
307	307	PREGNANT WOMAN ’S MAJOR BODILY FUNCT IONS. 25
308	308
309	309	(D) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS GUIL TY OF A MISDEMEANOR 26
310	310	AND ON CONVICTION IS SUBJECT TO A FINE NO T EXCEEDING $500. 27
311	311
312	312	(E) A HEALTH CARE FACILITY OR PUBLIC SENIOR HIGHER EDUCATION 28
313	313	INSTITUTION THAT PROVIDES ABORTI ON CARE SERVICES UNDER § 15–136 OF THE 29
314	314	EDUCATION ARTICLE MAY NOT EMPLOY AN IN DIVIDUAL OR ALLOW AN INDIVIDUAL 30
315	315	TO VOLUNTEER IF THE INDIVIDUAL HAS COMMI TTED A VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION. 31
316	316
317	317	20–223. 32 8 SENATE BILL 862
318	318
319	319
320	320
321	321	ON THE REQUEST OF THE INDIVIDUAL REPORTING AN ALLEGED VIOLATION 1
322	322	OF § 20–218 OR § 20–222 OF THIS SUBTITLE , A LAW ENFORC EMENT AGENCY SHALL 2
323	323	NOTIFY THE INDIVIDUA L MAKING THE REPORT AT LEAST 12 HOURS BEFORE THE 3
324	324	LAW ENFORCEMENT AGEN CY’S INITIAL CONTACT WI TH THE ALLEGED VIOLA TOR. 4
325	325
326	326	20–224. 5
327	327
328	328	THIS PART MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO ALTER EXISTING CR IMINAL LAW 6
329	329	REGARDING CRIMES ARI SING FROM SEX TRAFFICKING . 7
330	330
331	331	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 8
332	332	October 1, 2024. 9