2015 Legislation – Final Report (Click to download the report as a PDF file: 2015 MLAW Agenda Final)

HB 9/SB 105   Maryland Licensure of Direct-Entry Midwives Act (originally the Maryland Home Birth Safety Act)
This bill established a licensing and regulatory system for the practice of direct-entry midwifery under the State Board of Nursing.
Outcome:  PASSED the House and Senate.

HB 225/SB 269   Domestic Violence – Additional Relief
The bill expands the relief available in a final protective order by authorizing a judge to order “any other relief that a judge determines is necessary to protect a person eligible for relief from abuse.”
Outcome:  PASSED the House and Senate.

HB 606/SB 477   Domestic Violence – Persons Eligible for Relief   
This bill expands the “persons eligible for relief” in the protective order statute to include “an individual who has had a sexual relationship with the respondent within 1 year before filing of the petition.”
Outcome:  PASSED the House and Senate.

HB 564   State Personnel – Limits on Use of Leave for Birth, Adoption, Foster Placement, or Care of Child
This bill enables state employees who are spouses to each use their accrued sick leave and family leave benefits for the birth or adoption of their child and prohibits the limit on combined family leave.
Outcome:  PASSED the House and Senate.

HB 385/SB 40   Labor and Employment – Maryland Healthy Working Families Act
This bill required employers to allow employees a certain number of annual paid sick and safe days, including earning one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of seven days per year. The safe time component required employers to allow survivors of domestic abuse or sexual assault to use paid sick leave to care for their health after these incidents or seek legal protections or new housing.
Outcome:  No action in the Senate Finance Committee or the House Economic Matters Committee.

HB 503/SB 78   Rape Survivor Family Protection Act (Akin’s Law)
This bill allowed rape victims who become pregnant as a result of the rape to ask the family law court to end the parental rights of the rapist.
Outcome:  No action in the House Judiciary Committee or the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. 

HB 985   Labor and Employment – Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program – Establishment
This bill would have a established a Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program in Maryland and included conducting a feasibility study to evaluate potential economic impact, best program design and implementation.
Outcome:  Unfavorable report in the House Economic Matters Committee; withdrawn.