Key Points on the Bills:
- This is one of Governor Wes Moore's legislative priorities this year.
- Requires the Maryland secretary of health to issue recommendations on vaccines for all ages, "that follow the generally accepted consensus within the scientific community and sound clinical guidance."
- It also gives pharmacists the authority to order and administer a vaccine to anyone over the age of 6 if it is recommended by the Secretary of Health.
- The House version of the bill is HB637, and does not yet have a hearing scheduled in the Senate Finance Committee.
- The Senate version of this bill, SB385, is scheduled to be heard in the House Health Committee on Thursday, April 2, at 1 p.m.
How'd they vote?
The Senate version of the bill, SB385, passed on a party-line vote.
You can look through those individual votes here:
In the House, four Republicans voted with Democrats to pass the House version, HB637.
You can find out how your delegate(s) voted here:
Several organizations and groups testified in favor of the bills on both the House and Senate sides, including:
- Planned Parenthood of Maryland
- Maryland Department of Disabilities
- Public Policy Partners
- Health Care for the Homeless
- Maryland Insurance Administration
- Secular Maryland
- University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
- Maryland Department of Health
- League of Women Voters Maryland
- Children's National Hospital
- The Horizon Foundation
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- Office of the Attorney General
A few organizations testified against the bill before both the House and Senate committees:
- Moms for Liberty
- Love Maryland PAC
- Health Choice Maryland.org
Full Text of the Bills:
Full text of the Senate version:
Full text of the House version: