# Maryland HB 0039: Public Health - Repeal of Prohibition on Transfer of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Carlton R. Smith Act)

Maryland HB 0039, Public Health - Repeal of Prohibition on Transfer of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Carlton R. Smith Act), is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Kris Fair (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-05-20 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 651) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0039-2025RS
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland HB 0039
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Public Health - Repeal of Prohibition on Transfer of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Carlton R. Smith Act)
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2024-06-25
- Last action: 2025-05-20, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 651
- Sponsor: Kris Fair (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 24
- Subjects: Public Health, AIDS, Crimes and Punishments -see also- Penalties and Sentnc; etc., Health -see also- COVID19; EnvHlth; MedCon; etc., Penalties and Sentences -see also- Death Penalty
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (135 yes, 47 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Maryland ends HIV-specific criminal penalties: benefit, low. Beginning October 1, 2025, Maryland repeals the specific crime of knowingly transferring or attempting to transfer HIV to another person. This removes the misdemeanor penalty for people with HIV: up to $2,500 in fines, three years in prison, or both.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Kris Fair (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: J. Sandy Bartlett (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Christopher Eric Bouchat (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Jon S. Cardin (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Luke Clippinger (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Frank M. Conaway (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Charlotte Crutchfield (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Dana Jones (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Elizabeth Embry (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jessica Feldmark (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Aaron M. Kaufman (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Mary A. Lehman (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Bernice Mireku-North (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: David Moon (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Cheryl E. Pasteur (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: N. Scott Phillips (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Andrew C. Pruski (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Sheila Ruth (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Gary Simmons (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Karen Simpson (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Vaughn Stewart (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kym Taylor (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jen Terrasa (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Karen Toles (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Nicole A. Williams (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-02 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 35 | 11 | 1 |
| 2025-02-20 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 100 | 36 | 2 |

## Actions (14)

- 2025-05-20: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 651
- 2025-04-02: Returned Passed (House)
- 2025-04-02: Third Reading Passed (35-11) (Senate)
- 2025-03-26: Second Reading Passed (Senate)
- 2025-03-26: Favorable Adopted (Senate)
- 2025-03-26: Favorable Report by Judicial Proceedings (Senate)
- 2025-02-21: Referred Judicial Proceedings (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: Third Reading Passed (100-36) (House)
- 2025-02-18: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House)
- 2025-02-18: Favorable with Amendments {943728/1 Adopted (House)
- 2025-02-17: Favorable with Amendments Report by Judiciary (House)
- 2025-01-10: Hearing 1/28 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2025-01-08: First Reading Judiciary (House)
- 2024-06-25: Pre-filed (House)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2025-05-20: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/Chapters_noln/CH_651_hb0039t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2025-02-18: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb0039t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2025-01-08: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb0039f.pdf)

## Related bills

- SB 0227: Workers' Compensation - Payment From Uninsured Employers' Fund - Revisions (vetoed)
- HB 0482: Occupational Licensing and Certification - Criminal History - Predetermination Review Process (vetoed)
- HB 0384: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established (vetoed)
- SB 0157: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established (vetoed)
- HB 1294: Commercial Law - Credit Regulation - Earned Wage Access and Credit Modernization (became law)
- HB 0228: Maryland Veterans Trust – Assistance to Members of the Maryland National Guard (signed)

## Sources
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/Chapters_noln/CH_651_hb0039t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb0039t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb0039f.pdf)

## Related
- [SB 0227: Workers' Compensation - Payment From Uninsured Employers' Fund - Revisions](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0227-2025RS)
- [HB 0482: Occupational Licensing and Certification - Criminal History - Predetermination…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0482-2025RS)
- [HB 0384: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0384-2025RS)
- [SB 0157: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0157-2025RS)
- [HB 1294: Commercial Law - Credit Regulation - Earned Wage Access and Credit Modernization](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB1294-2025RS)
- [HB 0228: Maryland Veterans Trust – Assistance to Members of the Maryland National Guard](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0228-2025RS)
- [Maryland bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland/bills)
- [Maryland state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0039-2025RS (as of 2026-10-17).