{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-health-general-19-2602","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Health - General § 19–2602","heading":"","body":"(a) A hospital shall adopt and provide evidence to the Department that the hospital has:\n(1) A doula policy that allows every birthing parent to have at least one doula present during birth in addition to authorized guests;\n(2) An informed consent policy for significant medical intervention for the birthing parent; and\n(3) A transfer acceptance policy that includes the hospital’s process for receiving:\n(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;\n(ii) A birthing parent’s or newborn’s medical information from the home birth provider; and\n(iii) A transfer from a licensed direct–entry midwife that is consistent with the requirements of § 8–6C–08 of the Health Occupations Article.\n(b) A hospital shall provide evidence to the Department that the hospital has adopted a policy under subsection (a) of this section:\n(1) (i) On or before January 1, 2026; or\n(ii) If the hospital is established after January 1, 2026, on the establishment of the hospital; and\n(2) Whenever the policy is updated.\n(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.\n(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.\n(e) This section does not prohibit a hospital from setting a policy that restricts the number of doulas or authorized guests.","path":["Article - Health - General"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=ghg\u0026section=19-2602","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T19:58:48Z","sha256":"9c33d08beac89d56242b44f763feee03f91becf44009156a67fe5b21d64a3b55","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-health-general-19-2601","next":"us-md/md.-code-health-general-20-101"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}