# Maryland HB 1109: Public Health Reform Act

Maryland HB 1109, Public Health Reform Act, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Bonnie Cullison (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-28 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 190) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB1109-2026RS
- 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 1109
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Public Health Reform Act
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-02-11
- Last action: 2026-04-28, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 190
- Sponsor: Bonnie Cullison (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 14
- Subjects: Public Health, Budget and Management, Department of, Budgets -see also- Capital Budgets, Classifications and Designations, Committee Changes, Committees and Commissions, Community Facilities and Services, Comptroller, Contracts -see also- Procurement, Counties -see also- Chartered Counties; Code Counties; etc., Cybersecurity, Demographics -see also- Census; Data, Disparity, Education -see also- ContEd; DrvEd; HigherEd; etc., Electronic Documents, Emergency Medical Services -see also- Ambul; RescSqd, Ethics, Evaluations and Reviews, Governor, Health -see also- COVID19; EnvHlth; MedCon; etc., Health, Department of, Health Occupations -see also- (specific health occupations), Health Services Cost Review Commission, Hospitals -see also- Clinics; State Hospitals, Information Technology, Information Technology, Department of, Interest, Job Training -see also- Continuing Ed; Vocational Rehab, Legislation -see also- Correct Leg; Cur Leg; Emerg Bills, Legislative Services, Department of, Medical Conditions -see also- AIDS; COVID-19; rabies, Patients, Procurement, Public Benefits -see also- Housing; MedAsst; SupplNutrAsstP, Public Officials -see also- Atty Gen; Compt; Coun Admin; etc, Records -see also- Land Records; Vital Records, Recruitment and Hiring, Reports, Revenue and Taxes -see also- (specific tax), Salaries and Compensation -see also- Overtime; Reimb. Rates, Standards and Best Practices, Storage, Studies -see also- Commitees & Commissions; Reports, Sunset, Time, Treasurers, Volunteers, Work, Labor, and Employment -see also- JobTrn; Leave; etc.
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 3 (233 yes, 56 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 7

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Counties Can Join State EHR Purchases: benefit, low. The Health Department must consult county health departments before buying an electronic health records system. If the State buys a system, it must tell each county health officer. Each county is offered a chance to join the State’s purchase. This improves system alignment and can reduce duplicate…
- Faster Contract Approvals for Local Health: benefit, low. The Secretary of Health can delegate contract approval to the Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services, who can then delegate to local health officers. If the Secretary does not respond to a county’s written request within 7 days, the county health officer may sign the contract. This speeds loca…
- New Funds To Build Public Health Workforce: benefit, low. The law creates the Population Health Improvement Fund on 2023-06-14 through 2028-06-30. Money in this fund supports statewide health projects that follow the State health equity plan and AHEAD targets, and it may be transferred to the workforce fund. The law also creates a Public Health Workforce…
- Review Of Hospital Community Benefit Spending: benefit, low. Starting 2026-07-01, the Commission creates a subcommittee to review hospital community benefit rules and spending. The group checks federal and State rules, looks at other states, and finds gaps with State and local health priorities. It must recommend how to modernize spending standards, policies…
- Statewide Medical Reserve Corps for Emergencies: benefit, low. The law creates a statewide Medical Reserve Corps. It includes clinical and nonclinical volunteers. The Health Department keeps an electronic sign‑up and tracking system. A surge coordinator plans and improves how volunteers are used. Volunteers support local response during outbreaks, disasters, a…
- Stronger Public Health Commission And Oversight: benefit, low. The Commission adds seats for budget and IT leaders and the CRISP CEO, plus more local and academic public health experts. The chair must provide staff support or be replaced; the Commission may form workgroups and include public members. The Department of Health reports quarterly on how it carries…
- No Pay For Health Officers On Hospital Boards: cost, low. A county health officer may serve on a hospital’s board only as an unpaid representative of the local health department. Paid service is not allowed. This keeps representation while preventing pay that could pose a conflict.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Bonnie Cullison (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Andre V. Johnson (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Tiffany T. Alston (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Pam Lanman Guzzone (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Terri L. Hill (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Aaron M. Kaufman (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kenneth Kerr (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Lesley J. Lopez (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Ashanti Martinez (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Samuel I. Rosenberg (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kim Ross (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Steve Johnson (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Deni Taveras (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jennifer White Holland (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Teresa Woorman (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-13 | Senate | Third Readings Passed with Amendments | pass | 33 | 13 | 1 |
| 2026-04-13 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 95 | 18 | 27 |
| 2026-03-21 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 105 | 25 | 5 |

## Actions (18)

- 2026-04-28: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 190
- 2026-04-13: Passed Enrolled (House)
- 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (95-18) (House)
- 2026-04-13: House Concurs Senate Amendments (House)
- 2026-04-13: Third Readings Passed with Amendments (33-13) (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: Floor Amendment {393122/1 (Senator Beidle) Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Favorable with Amendments {823022/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Favorable with Amendments Report by Finance (Senate)
- 2026-03-23: Referred Finance Budget and Taxation (Senate)
- 2026-03-21: Third Reading Passed (105-25) (House)
- 2026-03-20: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House)
- 2026-03-20: Favorable with Amendments {153025/1 Adopted (House)
- 2026-03-20: Favorable with Amendments Report by Health (House)
- 2026-02-13: Hearing 3/03 at 1:00 p.m. (Health) (House)
- 2026-02-13: Hearing canceled (Health) (House)
- 2026-02-13: Hearing 2/24 at 1:00 p.m. (Health) (House)
- 2026-02-11: First Reading Health and Appropriations (House)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-04-28: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_190_hb1109e.pdf)
- Enrolled, 2026-04-13: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1109e.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-20: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1109t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-02-11: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1109f.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_190_hb1109e.pdf)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1109e.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1109t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1109f.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB1109-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).