Maryland has robust laws in place to protect the rights of patients and providers of legally protected healthcare like abortion and gender-affirming care, but there’s more we need to do to ensure anyone receiving or providing care in Maryland is protected from outside attacks.

The threats from transphobic and anti-abortion extremists are never ending. We have to keep Marylanders protected from federal overreach and hostile states by staying one step ahead and adopting safeguards that have been pressure-tested in other states.

In the 2026 legislative session, our state lawmakers should:

• Make clear that our shielding law applies regardless of the patient’s location–clarifying and strengthening protections for both Maryland telemedicine providers who wish to provide medication abortion and other legally protected care to patients in hostile states and Maryland clinic-based providers who care for patients traveling to our state.

• Protect the safety and confidentiality of patients and prescribers by limiting information on prescription labels that could be weaponized against them.

• Maximize our state rights and powers to limit cooperation with the federal government to protect Marylanders from unfounded investigations that seek to criminalize patients who access and providers who offer legally protected care.

• Replicate federal laws protecting access to emergency room care to ensure no one is denied emergency treatment if federal laws and enforcement are weakened.

Other states have taken these actions, and it’s time for Maryland to join! Send a letter to your state representatives now to urge them to do all they can to strengthen legally protected healthcare this legislative session!