EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1186*
HOUSE BILL 1186
E1 5lr3113
CF SB 933
By: Delegates Miller, Hornberger, McComas, Rose, Tomlinson, Valentine, and
Wivell
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2025
Assigned to: Judiciary
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Criminal Law – Causing Ingestion of an Abortion–Inducing Drug – Prohibition 2
(Women’s Freedom From Coercion Act) 3
FOR the purpose of prohibiting a person from knowingly and willfully causing another to 4
ingest an abortion–inducing drug when the person knows or believes that the other 5
person is pregnant and without consent, through fraud or coercion, or through force 6
or threat of force; and generally relating to causing ingestion of abortion–inducing 7
drugs. 8
BY adding to 9
Article – Criminal Law 10
Section 3–216 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
Article – Criminal Law 16
3–216. 17
(A) IN THIS SECTION , “ABORTION–INDUCING DRUG ” MEANS A DRUG , 18
MEDICINE, OR A MEDICINAL OR CHEMICAL PREPARATION FOR INTERNAL HUMAN 19
CONSUMPTION THAT IS DESIGNED TO INDUCE AN ABORTION . 20
(B) A PERSON MAY NOT KNOWI NGLY AND WILLFULLY CAUSE ANOTHER TO 21
INGEST AN ABORTION–INDUCING DRUG : 22
2 HOUSE BILL 1186
(1) WHEN THE PERSON KNOW S OR BELIEVES THAT T HE OTHER 1
PERSON IS PREGNANT ; AND 2
(2) (I) WITHOUT CONSENT ; 3
(II) THROUGH FRAUD OR COERCION ; OR 4
(III) BY FORCE OR THREAT O F FORCE. 5
(C) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS GUIL TY OF A FELONY AND 6
ON CONVICTION IS SUB JECT TO IMPRISONMENT NOT EXCEEDING 25 YEARS. 7
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 8
October 1, 2025. 9