# Maryland HB 1002: Nursing Facilities - Involuntary Discharge or Transfer Maryland HB 1002, Nursing Facilities - Involuntary Discharge or Transfer, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Lesley J. Lopez (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-14 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 24) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB1002-2026RS - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maryland HB 1002 - State: Maryland - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Nursing Facilities - Involuntary Discharge or Transfer - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-02-06 - Last action: 2026-04-14, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 24 - Sponsor: Lesley J. Lopez (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 20 - Subjects: Health Care Facilities and Regulation, Addresses, Civil Rights and Social Equity, Cognitive Disabilities, Developmental Disabilities, Disabilities, Forms, Health, Department of, Hearings, Long-Term Care -see also- Continuing Care; Nursing Homes, Mental and Behavioral Health -see also- Aut; Cogn; Dev; etc., Names, Notices, Nursing Homes -see also- AsstLiving; ContinCare; LTCare, Ombudsmen, Rules and Regulations, Telephones, Termination of Services, Time, Vulnerable Adults -see also- DevDisab; EldPers; PhysDisab - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (171 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - 30-day nursing home move notice rules: benefit, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, facilities must use a state notice form and give at least 30 days’ written notice before an involuntary move, except in emergencies. The notice goes to you, your family or guardian, the Long‑Term Care Ombudsman, and the Department. It must list the reason, the destination… - Medicaid residents can't be forced out or private-pay: benefit, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, Medicaid‑certified nursing homes cannot make you pay as a private‑pay resident during any time you are eligible for Medicaid. They also cannot discharge you just because you are on Medicaid. The law presumes a violation if a facility tries to move someone who is or become… - Safe discharge plan and no hotel transfers: benefit, medium. Beginning October 1, 2026, a facility cannot involuntarily move you to a hotel, shelter, or other place not listed in the written notice. It cannot move you until the receiving facility confirms it will accept you. Before any move, the facility must create a post‑discharge care plan that names the… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Lesley J. Lopez (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Tiffany T. Alston (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Heather Bagnall (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Bonnie Cullison (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Linda Foley (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Pam Lanman Guzzone (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Terri L. Hill (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Thomas S. Hutchinson (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Aaron M. Kaufman (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Nicholaus R. Kipke (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Matthew Morgan (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Ashanti Martinez (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Teresa E. Reilly (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Samuel I. Rosenberg (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kim Ross (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Steve Johnson (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kathy Szeliga (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Deni Taveras (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jennifer White Holland (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Greg Wims (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Teresa Woorman (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-06 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 46 | 0 | | | 2026-03-21 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 125 | 0 | 8 | ## Actions (12) - 2026-04-14: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 24 - 2026-04-07: Returned Passed (House) - 2026-04-06: Third Reading Passed (46-0) (Senate) - 2026-03-31: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (Senate) - 2026-03-30: Favorable Report by Finance (Senate) - 2026-03-23: Referred Finance (Senate) - 2026-03-21: Third Reading Passed (125-0) (House) - 2026-03-20: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House) - 2026-03-20: Favorable with Amendments {193327/1 Adopted (House) - 2026-03-20: Favorable with Amendments Report by Health (House) - 2026-02-09: Hearing 2/25 at 1:00 p.m. (House) - 2026-02-06: First Reading Health (House) ## Bill text - Enacted, 2026-04-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_24_hb1002t.pdf) - Third Reading, 2026-03-20: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1002t.pdf) - First Reading, 2026-02-06: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1002f.pdf) ## Related bills - SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - Authorization (became law) - SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishment (became law) - SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law) - SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-1 Specialists Act) (became law) - SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits (became law) - HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law) ## Sources - [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_24_hb1002t.pdf) - [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1002t.pdf) - [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1002f.pdf) ## Related - [SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - A…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0496-2026RS) - [SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishm…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0366-2026RS) - [SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0244-2026RS) - [SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0148-2026RS) - [SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0016-2026RS) - [HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0529-2026RS) - [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-HB1002-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).