MD SB447

Hospitals with emergency departments must screen patients to determine if they have an emergency pregnancy-related medical condition and provide treatment to stabilize the condition, including pregnancy termination when medically necessary

Hospitals are prohibited from transferring unstabilized patients with emergency pregnancy-related conditions unless the transfer complies with federal EMTALA requirements (42 U.S.C. § 1395dd)

Hospitals cannot take adverse employment actions against health care providers who refuse to authorize transfers of unstabilized patients or who provide treatment consistent with medical standards of care, nor against employees who report violations

Civil penalties for negligent violations range up to $50,000 per violation for hospitals with 100+ beds and up to $25,000 for smaller hospitals, with provisions to avoid double penalties if federal fines are also imposed for the same incident

Effective date: October 1, 2025