Maryland § 19-2602

§ 19-2602.

    (a)    A hospital shall adopt and provide evidence to the Department that the hospital has:

        (1)    A doula policy that allows every birthing parent to have at least one doula present during birth in addition to authorized guests;

        (2)    An informed consent policy for significant medical intervention for the birthing parent; and

        (3)    A transfer acceptance policy that includes the hospital’s process for receiving:

            (i)    A patient from a health care practitioner regulated under Title 8 of the Health Occupations Article who had provided services to a birthing parent in a home birth setting;

            (ii)    A birthing parent’s or newborn’s medical information from the home birth provider; and

            (iii)    A transfer from a licensed direct–entry midwife that is consistent with the requirements of § 8–6C–08 of the Health Occupations Article.

    (b)    A hospital shall provide evidence to the Department that the hospital has adopted a policy under subsection (a) of this section:

        (1)    (i)    On or before January 1, 2026; or

            (ii)    If the hospital is established after January 1, 2026, on the establishment of the hospital; and

        (2)    Whenever the policy is updated.

    (c)    The Department shall adopt regulations to carry out this section, including regulations that establish the form and manner in which a hospital may prove to the Department that the hospital has adopted a policy in compliance with this section.

    (d)    The Department shall make the policies provided by a hospital under this section available to the public on request and in a manner determined by the Department.

    (e)    This section does not prohibit a hospital from setting a policy that restricts the number of doulas or authorized guests.