# Maryland SB 0891: Health, Health Insurance, and Health Occupations - Perinatal Behavioral Health Conditions

Maryland SB 0891, Health, Health Insurance, and Health Occupations - Perinatal Behavioral Health Conditions, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Dawn Gile (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 636); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0891-2026RS
- 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 0891
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Health, Health Insurance, and Health Occupations - Perinatal Behavioral Health Conditions
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-02-06
- Last action: 2026-05-26, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 636
- Sponsor: Dawn Gile (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 4
- Subjects: Health - Insurance, Health Occupations, Public Health, Health Maintenance Organizations, Applicants and Applications, Certifications, Committees and Commissions, Continuing Education, Counselors and Therapists, Evaluations and Reviews, Health -see also- COVID19; EnvHlth; MedCon; etc., Health Care Commission, Health, Department of, Health Insurance -see also- ACA; HMOs; MCOs, Health Maintenance Organizations -see also- Manage Care Orgs, Health Occupations -see also- (specific health occupations), Hospitals -see also- Clinics; State Hospitals, Job Training -see also- Continuing Ed; Vocational Rehab, Language -see also- Communications; Literacy, Licenses -see also- AB Lic; Certifications; DrLic; Permits, Medical Assistance, Medical Conditions -see also- AIDS; COVID-19; rabies, Medical Testing and Diagnosis, Mental and Behavioral Health -see also- Aut; Cogn; Dev; etc., Nonprofit Organizations, Notices, Nurses -see also- Nurse Practitioners; Nursing Assistants, Parents and Guardians, Patients, Physicians -see also- MedExmnrs; Pediatr; Psychiatrists etc., Pregnancy, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Reports, Rules and Regulations, Social Workers, Standards and Best Practices, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Time
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 2 (171 yes, 8 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 6

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Mental health screening at baby visits covered: benefit, medium. The law makes perinatal mental health screening part of baby well‑child visits in the first year, when your provider thinks it is needed. Private health plans in Maryland must cover these screenings for plans issued, delivered, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027. Maryland Medicaid covers these…
- Standing referral for pregnancy mental health care: benefit, medium. If you are pregnant, you must get a standing referral to a behavioral health provider. It lasts through pregnancy and for 1 year after the pregnancy ends. It applies to licensed providers and services recognized as preventive by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
- Broader pregnancy and postpartum condition definition: benefit, low. The law expands the definition of a perinatal behavioral health condition. It covers conditions during pregnancy and for 1 year after it ends. It includes pregnancies that do not result in a live birth and names postpartum depression.
- Pregnancy and postpartum mental health info shared: benefit, low. The Maryland Department of Health provides expert‑reviewed, culturally and linguistically appropriate information about perinatal mental health. Providers must give this information to patients at least once each trimester. Birthing hospitals must give it to birthing parents at discharge. The Depar…
- Clinician training and double CE credit: benefit, low. The Maryland Department of Health sets up training to help clinicians spot perinatal mental health issues early, including accredited CME. Boards must give at least 2 hours of board credit for every 1 hour of approved perinatal training. This credit rule applies at a clinician’s first license or ce…
- When these pregnancy coverage rules start: mixed, low. Most of the law takes effect July 1, 2026. Sections 1 and 2 take effect January 1, 2027. The plan rules in Section 1 apply to policies issued, delivered, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Dawn Gile (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Pamela Beidle (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Katie Fry Hester (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Shelly Hettleman (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Nancy J. King (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-13 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 129 | 8 | 3 |
| 2026-04-08 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 42 | 0 | 2 |

## Actions (13)

- 2026-05-26: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 636
- 2026-04-13: Returned Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (129-8) (House)
- 2026-04-13: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (House)
- 2026-04-13: Favorable Report by Health (House)
- 2026-04-09: Rereferred to Health (House)
- 2026-04-09: Referred Rules and Executive Nominations (House)
- 2026-04-08: Third Reading Passed (42-0) (Senate)
- 2026-04-08: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-04-08: Favorable with Amendments {323822/1 Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-04-08: Favorable with Amendments Report by Finance (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Hearing 2/27 at 1:00 p.m. (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: First Reading Finance (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-05-26: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_636_sb0891t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-04-08: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0891t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-02-06: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0891f.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_636_sb0891t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0891t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/sb/sb0891f.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-SB0891-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).