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Bill would tie hospital obstetric licensure to Maryland perinatal standards; MDH seeks time to include birthing centers
Summary
Delegate Pena-Melnik’s bill would require hospitals and freestanding birthing centers offering obstetrical services to meet Maryland perinatal system standards as a condition of licensure; MDH told the committee it has revised the standards and asked for time to adapt standards for birthing centers.
Delegate Jocelyn Pena-Melnick presented House Bill 13 80 to the House Health and Government Operations Committee, proposing that all hospitals providing obstetrical services and freestanding birthing centers meet or exceed the Maryland Perinatal System Standards as a condition of licensure.
In her opening remarks, the sponsor said Maryland currently lacks uniform perinatal care requirements across the state’s 24 jurisdictions and that aligning licensure with standards based on evidence-based practice would improve maternal and infant outcomes while addressing disparities.
Maryland Department of Health officials joined the hearing. Deputy Secretary for Public Health Nilesh Kalyanaraman introduced Dr. Shelly Chu, Director of the Bureau of Maternal and Child Health. Dr. Chu told the committee the department revised the Maryland Perinatal System Standards in 2025 after an ad hoc advisory committee, and that the current standards are modeled on guidance from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Dr. Chu said the department’s proposed amendments would allow additional time to incorporate birthing centers into the standards, noting that Maryland currently has no operating birthing centers since one closed in 2023 and that level 1 and level 2 birthing hospital standards are not currently regulated. She said MDH would work jointly with the Office of Health Care Quality (OHCQ) on regulations for level 1 and level 2 birthing hospitals and asked the committee for a favorable report.
Committee members asked whether the sponsor and MDH had outcome data to show birthing centers perform worse than hospitals; Dr. Chu said there have been no birthing centers in Maryland since 2023, so the department had not compared outcomes locally and would align any birthing center standards with national guidance.
No formal committee action or vote appears in the hearing transcript. The department said it supports the bill with the proposed amendments to allow coordination with OHCQ and more time to develop standards that include birthing centers.
The sponsor asked the committee to return a favorable report so the state will have consistent standards across jurisdictions.
