In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. “Doula” means a nonmedical professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the birthing parent throughout the prenatal, labor, and postpartum periods. “Hospital” means a hospital, as defined in § 19–301 of this title, that provides obstetric care. “Significant medical intervention” means a cesarean section, induction of labor, augmentation of labor, operative vaginal delivery, or episiotomy.

A hospital shall adopt and provide evidence to the Department that the hospital has: A doula policy that allows every birthing parent to have at least one doula present during birth in addition to authorized guests; An informed consent policy for significant medical intervention for the birthing parent; and A transfer acceptance policy that includes the hospital’s process for receiving: 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; A birthing parent’s or newborn’s medical information from the home birth provider; and A transfer from a licensed direct–entry midwife that is consistent with the requirements of § 8–6C–08 of the Health Occupations Article. A hospital shall provide evidence to the Department that the hospital has adopted a policy under subsection (a) of this section: On or before January 1, 2026; or If the hospital is established after January 1, 2026, on the establishment of the hospital; and Whenever the policy is updated. 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. 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. This section does not prohibit a hospital from setting a policy that restricts the number of doulas or authorized guests.