# Maryland SB 0385: Public Health - Recommendations for Immunizations, Screenings, and Preventive Services - Pharmacist Administration and Required Health Insurance Coverage (The Vax Act)

Maryland SB 0385, Public Health - Recommendations for Immunizations, Screenings, and Preventive Services - Pharmacist Administration and Required Health Insurance Coverage (The Vax Act), is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Malcolm Augustine (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-14 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 8); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0385-2026RS
- As of: 2026-10-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland SB 0385
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Public Health - Recommendations for Immunizations, Screenings, and Preventive Services - Pharmacist Administration and Required Health Insurance Coverage (The Vax Act)
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-27
- Last action: 2026-04-14, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 8
- Sponsor: Malcolm Augustine (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 9
- Subjects: Health Care Facilities and Regulation, Health - Insurance, Health Occupations, Children (4-12), Electronic Government, Health -see also- COVID19; EnvHlth; MedCon; etc., Health Care Commission, Health, Department of, Health Insurance -see also- ACA; HMOs; MCOs, Immunization, Infants and Toddlers (0-3), Internet -see also- Internet Access, Notices, Pharmacists and Pharmacies -see also- Drugs, Public Information, Standards and Best Practices, Studies -see also- Commitees & Commissions; Reports, Time
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 2 (137 yes, 44 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 5

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- No-cost preventive care in Maryland plans: benefit, medium. Insurers must cover recommended preventive care without copays, coinsurance, or deductibles. This follows the State’s list of services. The rule applies for plan years that start one year after the State issues its recommendations. It also applies to plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2…
- Plans must cover child vaccines and visits: benefit, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, the child wellness package includes all childhood and teen shots the CDC recommended by December 31, 2024. The Secretary of Health can update this list. For plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027, your plan must pay for the vaccines and the visits when a child i…
- Pharmacists can give more vaccines: benefit, low. Starting July 1, 2026, trained pharmacists can give more vaccines. Flu, COVID-19, or public health emergency vaccines are for people age 3 and up. Other recommended vaccines are for people age 7 and up. Pharmacists must complete vaccine training, have CPR, use written protocols, report to ImmuNet,…
- State sets vaccine and screening list: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, the Health Department sets vaccine, screening, and preventive care recommendations for infants, children, and adults. The Department posts them online and sends them to licensed health professionals and the Maryland Insurance Administration.
- Old pertussis rules repealed: mixed, low. Starting July 1, 2026, the State repeals the old pertussis sections of health law. Those sections no longer apply to agencies or providers.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Malcolm Augustine (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Pamela Beidle (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Kevin M. Harris (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Shelly Hettleman (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Cheryl C. Kagan (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Nancy J. King (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Clarence K. Lam (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Karen Lewis Young (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Sara Love (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Craig J. Zucker (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-07 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 105 | 32 | 1 |
| 2026-03-23 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 32 | 12 |   |

## Actions (13)

- 2026-04-14: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 8
- 2026-04-08: Returned Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-07: Third Reading Passed (105-32) (House)
- 2026-04-03: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2026-04-03: Favorable Report by Health (House)
- 2026-03-25: Hearing 4/02 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-03-23: Referred Health (House)
- 2026-03-23: Third Reading Passed (32-12) (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Favorable with Amendments {583921/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Favorable with Amendments Report by Finance (Senate)
- 2026-01-27: Hearing 2/10 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate)
- 2026-01-27: First Reading Finance (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-04-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_8_sb0385t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-20: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0385t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-01-27: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0385f.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_8_sb0385t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0385t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0385f.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0385-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).