2008 Legislative Action - Senate Bills

Here you will find a running list of bills considered by MedChi's Legislative Committee, with positions taken by the committee and status of each. It is updated weekly during the legislative session (January 9-April 7, 2008) and derived from Legislative Committee Agendas.  Go to Legislative Action to sign up for up-to-the-minute e-mail alerts,  find and contact your legislators, write a letter to the media, or find biographical information on your legislators.

Full text and status of each bill is available by clicking on the bill number listed in the following chart. (You will need to be able to view RTF documents.)

There is also a wealth of knowledge about the Maryland General Assembly available at their homepage. To send an e-mail to a delegate or senator, click here. To determine which delegate or senator serves a particular district, click here.

Contact MedChi's Annapolis Office for more information.

2008 Bill Signing Dates
Tuesday, April 24  10:00 am
Tuesday, May 13  10:00 am
Thursday, May 22 10:00 am
 
Please note the above dates and times for the Governor's Bill Signings.  All signings are held in the Governor's Reception area on the second floor of the State House.  If you are interested in a particular bill, and when it will be signed, please call the Med Chi Legislative Office.
 
A final newsletter will be distributed following the May 22 signing.

SENATE BILLS - 2008 SESSION  
April 8, 2008 FINAL  

The action indicated is the action of the Legislative Committee and not necessarily 
the final position of MedChi.  All information is accurate as of publication date. Hearing dates are subject to change, call to confirm.

Key to Abbreviations:
SWA: Support with Amendments (legislative committee took no action on these bills)
NP: No Position
HB: House Bill
SB: Senate Bill
POS: Position

2008 Senate Bills

Bill No. Title Position Status
SB 2 Vehicle Laws - Use of Wireless Communication Devices While Driving - Prohibitions , Senator Lenett Support - Bill failed
SB 23 Teenage Protection Pilot Program , Senator Simonaire, Senator Greenip Oppose - Bill failed
SB 28 All-Terrain Vehicles - Protective Headgear , Senator Forehand Support - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 65 Health Insurance - Small Group Market - Coverage of Child Dependents , Senator Brochin No position - Bill failed
SB 97 Lead-Containing Products - Prohibition , Senators Pugh, Conway, Della, Exum, Gladden, Jones, Kelley, Lenett, Madaleno, McFadden, Raskin, and Stone FYI - Bill failed
SB 98 Prosthetic Parity Act , Senators Pugh, Conway, Della, Exum, Jones, Kelley, Lenett, Madaleno, McFadden, and Raskin No position - Bill failed
SB 102 Hospitals and Nursing Facilities - Health Care-Associated Infections Prevention and Control Program , Senator Gladden FYI - Bill failed
SB 110 Creation of a State Debt - Suburban Hospital , Senators Frosh, Forehand, Garagiola, King, Kramer, Lenett, Madaleno, and Raskin FYI - Bill failed
SB 127 Hospitals and Nursing Facilities - Staphylococcus Infections - Reporting, Senator Gladden Support with amendments - Bill failed
SB 135 Creation of a State Debt - Civista Medical Center, Inc., Senators Middleton and Dyson FYI - Bill failed
SB 171 Creation of a State Debt - Sinai Hospital of Baltimore , Senator Pugh FYI - Bill failed
SB 192 Maryland Health Insurance Plan - Application of Insurance Fraud Law , Chair, Finance Committee No position - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 215 Maryland False Health Claims Act, Chair, Judicial Proceedings Committee Oppose - Bill failed
SB 225 Local Correctional Facilities - Inmate Health Care Expenses - Payment Rates to Health Care Providers, Senator Middleton Oppose - Bill failed
SB 243 Child Abuse and Neglect - Additional Professions and Failure to Report - Penalty, Senators Kelley, Conway, Currie, Della, Exum, Forehand, Gladden, Jacobs, Jones, Lenett, Middleton, and Stone Oppose unless amended - Bill failed
SB 286 Public Health - Antibiotic-Resistant Infection Prevention Campaign, Senator Gladden Support - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 304 Consumer Products Safety - Lead and Mercury Reduction Act, Senator Middleton Oppose - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 345 Vehicle Laws - Minor Holding Provisional Driver's License - Passenger Restrictions, Senator Dyson No position - Bill failed
SB 355 Health Care Facilities - Disclosures - Use of Life-Sustaining Procedures, Senator Lenett No position - Bill failed
SB 440 Creation of a State Debt - Maryland General Hospital, Senator Jones FYI - Bill failed
SB 443 State Board of Physicians - Subpoenas - Medical Records for Mental Health Services, Senators Frosh, Conway, and Dyson Support - Bill failed
SB 459 Task Force to Review Physician Shortages in Rural Areas, Senators Middleton, Colburn, Dyson, Edwards, Glassman, and Munson Support with amendments - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 461 Vehicle Laws - Use of Wireless Communication Devices by Young Drivers - Enforcement, Senators Middleton and Dyson FYI - Bill failed
SB 469 Health Insurance - Special Services, Procedures, or Reports - Reimbursement, Senator Della Support - Bill failed
SB 473 Public Schools - Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System - Passive Parental Consent, Senators Garagiola, Forehand, Lenett, Madaleno, Pinsky, Pugh, and Robey Support - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 476 Department of Budget and Management - Health and Welfare Benefits Program - Information from and Liability of Health Insurance Carriers, Senator Madaleno FYI - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 513 Cigarette Restitution Fund - Tobacco Prevention - Funding, Senators McFadden, Forehand, Garagiola, Jones, King, Lenett, Madaleno, Muse, Pinsky, Raskin, Robey, and Rosapepe FYI - Bill failed
SB 531 Courts - Immunity from Liability - Leaving Unharmed Newborn - Time Period, Senators Muse and Forehand FYI - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 543 Creation of a State Debt - Union Hospital of Cecil County, Senators Jacobs and Pipkin FYI - Bill failed
SB 545 Maryland Health Care Provider Rate Stabilization Account - Transfer of Funds, Chair, Budget and Taxation Committee Support with amendment - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 550 Health Care Malpractice - Death - Noneconomic Damages, Senator Gladden Oppose - Bill failed
SB 566 Health Care Facility Visitation and Medical Decisions - Domestic Partners, Senator Garagiola No position - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 578 Vehicle Laws - Medical Advisory Board - Confidentiality, Senator Forehand FYI - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 580 Radiation Oncology/ Therapy Technologists, Medical Radiation Technologists, Radiologist Assistants, and Nuclear Medicine Technologists - Licensure, Senators Conway, Colburn, Lenett, and Stoltzfus Support - Bill failed
SB 595 Health Insurance - Carrier Credentialing - Reimbursement of Providers of Health Care Services, Senators Astle, Della, and Klausmeier Support - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 598 Creation of a State Debt - Montgomery General Hospital, Senators Kramer, Frosh, Lenett, Madaleno, and Raskin FYI - Bill failed
SB 600 Schools - Early Intervention - Hearing and Vision Screenings, Senators Conway, Della, Dyson, Exum, Frosh, Garagiola, Gladden, Kelley, Middleton, Muse, and Stone Support - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 602 Direct Billing of Anatomic Pathology Services, Senator Pinsky No position - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 611 Health Insurance - Provider Contracts - Conditions of Participation with Carriers, Senator Pipkin Support - Bill failed
SB 631 Department of Health and Mental Hygiene - Umbilical Cord Blood Banking - Educational Publication, Senators Jacobs and Kittleman Oppose - Bill failed
SB 660 Family Support Act, Senator Kelley FYI - Bill failed
SB 661 Vehicle Laws - Prohibition Against Minors with Provisional License Transporting Minors - Enforcement, Senators Middleton and Dyson FYI - Bill failed
SB 686 Task Force to Study the Procurement of Health and Social Services by State Agencies, Senators Rosapepe, Conway, and Lenett No position - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 707 Creation of a State Debt - Washington County - Community Free Clinic, Senator Munson FYI - Bill failed
SB 708 Patient Referrals - Imaging and Radiation Therapy Services - Accreditation, Senators Dyson, Colburn, Lenett, Middleton, and Zirkin No position - Bill failed
SB 709 Health Occupations - Optometrists - Therapeutic Contact Lenses, Senator Lenett Oppose - Bill failed
SB 717 Pharmacists - Administration of Vaccinations - Expanded Authority, Senator Klausmeier Oppose - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 719 Health Insurance - Carrier Provider Panels - Standards for Availability of Health Care Providers, Senator Klausmeier Support with amendment - Bill failed
SB 723 Pharmacy Benefits Managers - Prescription Drug Substitution, Senators Klausmeier, Della, and Pugh No position - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 730 Task Force on Administrative Compensation for Birth-Related Neurological Injury, Senator Harris Support - Bill failed
SB 731 Creation of a State Debt - Franklin Square Hospital Center, Senator Harris FYI - Bill failed
SB 744 Task Force on Health Care Access and Reimbursement - Additional Duties, Senator Pugh Support with amendment - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 747 Creation of a State Debt - St. Joseph Medical Center, Senator Brochin FYI - Bill failed
SB 764 State Board of Dental Examiners Nomination and Disciplinary Processes - Task Force on the Discipline of Health Care Professionals and Improved Patient Care , Senator Conway Oppose unless amended - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 766 Maryland Revised Anatomical Gift Act, Senator Conway FYI - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 774 Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Managed Care Organization - Hospital Ancillary Services, Senator Pugh FYI - Bill failed
SB 775 Maryland Medbank Program - Funding, Senator Pugh FYI - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 785 Health - Prohibition Against Smoking in Vehicle Containing Minor Passenger, Senators Lenett, Jones, Madaleno, McFadden, and Muse Support with amendment - Bill failed
SB 789 Vehicle Laws - Child Safety Seats - Age and Weight Requirements, Senator Forehand FYI - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 802 Creation of a State Debt - Queen Anne's County - Hospice Center, Senator Pipkin FYI - Bill failed
SB 811 Health Insurance - Health Care Provider Panels - Provider Contracts, Senator Pipkin Support - Bill failed
SB 815 Health Care Facilities - Individuals with Mental Disorders - Patient Rights, Senators Exum and Kelley FYI - Bill failed
SB 818 Public Health Dental Hygiene Act, Senators Middleton, Astle, Colburn, Conway, Currie, DeGrange, Della, Dyson, Edwards, Forehand, Garagiola, Glassman, Jones, Kasemeyer, Kelley, King, Klausmeier, Kramer, Madaleno, McFadden, Muse, Peters, Pinsky, Pugh, Raskin, Robey, Rosapepe, and Simonaire FYI - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 826 HIV Testing - Informed Consent and Treatment - Pregnant Women, Senator Conway Support - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 828 Department of Health and Mental Hygiene - Birth Defects Research - Medical Information , Senator Conway FYI - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 845 Maryland False Claims Act, Senator Lenett Oppose - Bill failed
SB 852 Health Insurance - Public-Private Health Care Programs, Senators Kasemeyer, Kittleman, and Robey No position - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 857 Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act, Senator Lenett FYI - Bill failed
SB 861 Task Force to Study Abuse of Performance-Enhancing Substances, Senators Conway and Exum Support - Bill failed
SB 865 Vehicle Laws - Drivers' Licenses and Learners' Instructional Permits - Minors, Senator Dyson FYI - Bill failed
SB 884 Health Occupations - Complementary Alternative Medicine Health Care Providers - Scope of Practice , Senators Garagiola and McFadden Oppose - Bill failed
SB 889 Nurse Practitioners - Authority to Certify, Senator Dyson Oppose - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 897 Workers' Compensation Commission - Medical Fee Guide Committee - Membership, Senators Exum and Kittleman No position - Bill failed
SB 899 Public Health - Task Force on Childhood Obesity, Senator Rosapepe Support - Bill failed
SB 916 Maryland Trauma Physician Services Fund - Reimbursement and Grants, Senator Middleton Oppose unless amended - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 917 Catastrophic Health Emergencies - Quarantine Orders - Arrest Without Warrant and Citations, Senator Forehand FYI - Bill failed
SB 955 Brian Moore Student Health and Fitness Act of Maryland, Senator Harrington Support - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 965 Comptroller - Eligibility for the Maryland Medical Assistance Program or the Maryland Children's Health Program , Senators Conway, Dyson, and Gladden No position - Bill failed
SB 974 Health Services Cost Review Commission - Averted Uncompensated Care - Assessment, Senator Middleton No position - Bill passed; awaiting Governor’s action
SB 1007 Prince George's County Hospital Authority, Senators Currie, Exum, Harrington, Muse, Peters, Pinsky, and Rosapepe FYI - Bill failed
SJ 3 Establishing Nurse Anesthetists Week , Senators Klausmeier, Brochin, and Kittleman FYI - Bill failed


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