Legislation / 2021 Bill Tracker

 For additional information, please contact MDRTL's Legislative Director,

Laura Bogley-Knickman, J.D. at legislation@mdrtl.org.   

2021 Maryland General Assembly Activity 

Thank you for choosing MDRTL as your source for legislative information about life issues in Maryland. Our goal is to provide you with timely, accurate information.  This page will be updated continually as the session progresses and as the status of bills change.

MDRTL is the only single-issue pro-life lobbying organization in Maryland.  We retain a Legislative Director to monitor, take action upon, and lobby on behalf of those whose lives are threatened and cannot defend themselves.  MDRTL is currently monitoring or engaged in lobbying efforts on the following bills, which may impact the right to life in Maryland.  

Please watch this page for legislative updates and action alerts.  We will provide information to help you take an active role in the legislative process, which may include contacting elected officials or providing written or oral testimony.  

If you have questions and comments, please contact our Legislative Director at legislation@mdrtl.org.

(For a summary of seminal pro-life votes in prior General Assembly sessions, please refer to the right under "Roll Call Votes".)

2021 Maryland General Assembly Session

Below are previous legislative issues MDRTL is worked on in last year's General Assembly Session.  This page will be updated as analyses on new bills are completed, so please check back regularly to get the latest information.  Hearing dates and times are subject to change.  To read and track these and other session bills, visit the Maryland General Assembly HOMEPAGE .

Defeat of Anti-Life Legislation:

SB664 Abortion Amendment (Declaration of Rights - Right to Privacy) – WITHDRAWN.  Planned Parenthood is on the defensive following recent investigations and litigation that revealed that they engage in unethical and illegal practices that put profits before the health of women and children. In an attempt to defend their actions and protect their public funding, NARAL and Planned Parenthood are lobbying states across the country to create state "constitutional rights" to abortion. - enshrining abortion on demand, through birth and with guaranteed public funding. Federal and state courts have consistently held that a constitutional right to "privacy" includes a woman's right to have an abortion. A privacy amendment therefore would invalidate all existing health and safety statutes and regulations regarding abortion and bar any future attempts to pass lifesaving legislation such as partial birth abortion or dismemberment bans. 

*UPDATE - On 3/11/20, in a stunning turn of events, SB664 was WITHDRAWN by sponsor Susan Lee(D-Montgomery) from the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee minutes before the hearing was to take place. This was a direct response to a groundswell of opposition from the pro-life community. Over one hundred advocates gathered in Annapolis to defend the Maryland Constitution and the human rights it exists to protect. Spearheaded by MDRTL, members from pro-life organizations and churches across the state worked co-operatively to register a formidable witness panel in opposition to SB664. Partner organizations included Americans United for Life, American Center for Law & Justice, Democrats for Life and many, many more.  Withdrawal of the bill represents a victory for the preborn in Maryland.

SB701 Assisted Suicide Bill – IN COMMITTEE  The Oregon-based special interest group Compassion & Choices  once again introduced legislation that would legalize physician-assisted suicide (PAS) here in Maryland.  Maryland Right to Life (MDRTL) is working closely with a coalition to prevent adoption of this dangerous legislation. We need your help to tell the legislators that our citizens need their protection from commercialized suicide and healthcare rationing.  This bill was heard by the Judicial Proceeding Committee on 2/28/20 and they never voted to move the bill to the floor. Please continue to send messages to the committee to oppose PAS.  TAKE ACTION TO DEFEAT THIS BAD BILL NOW. 

To find out who your Maryland legislators are, click here.

Roll Call Votes:

(download PDFs)

• 2016 General Assembly
• 2015 General Assembly
• 2014 General Assembly
• 2013 General Assembly
• 2012 General Assembly
• 2011 General Assembly
• 2010 General Assembly
• 2009 General Assembly
• 2008 General Assembly
• 2007 General Assembly
• 2006 General Assembly

Legislative Resources:

• Maryland‘s Abortion Law
• Search the Maryland Code Online
• Find Your Elected Officials
• Maryland General Assembly
• Federal Legislative Action Center
• State Legislative Committees (PDF)