Maryland Democrats Approve Bill to Pressure Christian Hospital to Do Abortions
Following passage in the Senate and an anticipated favorable report from the House Health Committee, pro-abortion members of the Maryland General Assembly are on track to pass Senate Bill 169 and House Bill 372, legislation that represents a grave threat to conscience rights and religious freedom in Maryland.
If enacted, this legislation would force faith-based hospitals and healthcare professionals to participate in elective abortions, even when doing so violates their deeply held moral or religious beliefs.
Among the witnesses who testified against the proposal at the House of Delegates Health Committee hearing were Laura Bogley, J.D., Executive Director of Maryland Right to Life, and Dr. James Kelly, representing the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Kelly is also a member of the Maryland Right to Life Board of Directors.
To watch the full committee hearing, click here.
Under the guise of “codifying” the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), this legislation would enshrine in state law a politically driven interpretation of the 1986 law that seeks to transform hospital emergency rooms into abortion facilities. EMTALA was enacted to ensure patients are not turned away from emergency rooms due to inability to pay. It contains a duty to both a pregnant woman and her unborn child and never mentions abortion.
The legislation imposes severe civil penalties against hospitals and healthcare professionals who object to performing abortions, including fines of $50,000 for each violation and exclusion from participation in the Maryland Medical Assistance Program, which allows providers to seek Medicaid reimbursements for medical services rendered.
Instead of helping patients, the legislation puts public health at risk by penalizing Maryland’s faith-based hospitals to the point of closure and driving qualified doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals out of the state or out of the medical field altogether. This could further exacerbate existing shortages in obstetric and prenatal care for women and their children.
“This bill will result in a new government-created loss of valuable highly trained and experienced emergency department physicians, nurses, providers and staff,” stated Dr. James Kelly, representing the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons. “The legislation will increase the already existing severe shortages of qualified medical staff and will decrease access to emergency medical care, and endanger the health and safety of patients seeking emergency medical care.”
The legislation raises profound legal concerns, including violations of the First Amendment’s guarantee of the free exercise of religion and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which requires reasonable accommodation for religious beliefs.
Members of the Maryland General Assembly should note that there is broad public consensus in favor of preserving rights of conscience. A January 2026 Marist Poll found that 63% of Americans believe healthcare professionals should not be legally compelled to participate in abortions if they have moral or religious objections. Even a majority of self-identified pro-choice Americans (53%) say they support conscience protections.
Beyond the conscience and religious freedom concerns, this legislation would also enable the abortion industry and abortion drug manufacturers to be grossly negligent and endanger their female patients with little to no accountability. The burden of care would be passed to emergency room physicians to complete induced abortions or provide emergency interventions for women injured as a result of substandard care at the hands of abortionists.
“This bill makes evident that the deregulation of abortion drugs has created a medical crisis for women,” stated Laura Bogley, J.D., Executive Director of Maryland Right to Life. “The volume of women suffering from botched abortions is overwhelming emergency rooms, which in Maryland, already have the longest wait times in the nation.”
There are no laws in any state that prevent medical intervention when a mother’s life is at stake. All Maryland hospitals already comply with the federal EMTALA statute.
The fight isn’t over yet. You can still make your voice heard!
Contact your Delegates and urge them to vote against House Bill 372! It’s vitally important that elected officials hear directly from their constituents. Your calls, letters, and emails really can have an impact.
