§ 19-2602

(a) A hospital shall adopt and provide evidence to the Department that the hospital has:

(1) A doula policy that allows every birthing parent to have at least one doula present during birth in addition to authorized guests;

(2) An informed consent policy for significant medical intervention for the birthing parent; and

(3) A transfer acceptance policy that includes the hospital’s process for receiving:

(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;

(ii) A birthing parent’s or newborn’s medical information from the home birth provider; and

(iii) A transfer from a licensed direct–entry midwife that is consistent with the requirements of § 8–6C–08 of the Health Occupations Article.

(b) A hospital shall provide evidence to the Department that the hospital has adopted a policy under subsection (a) of this section:

(1) (i) On or before January 1, 2026; or

(ii) If the hospital is established after January 1, 2026, on the establishment of the hospital; and

(2) Whenever the policy is updated.

(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.

(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.

(e) This section does not prohibit a hospital from setting a policy that restricts the number of doulas or authorized guests.