Bill > HB1323

This bill mandates that hospitals establish a "Surrogate Committee" to make healthcare decisions for "unrepresented patients," which are defined as patients in a hospital who are unable to make informed decisions, have no advance directive, and for whom no identifiable surrogate decision-maker is available. The Surrogate Committee will be composed of various healthcare professionals, patient advocates, and individuals with lived experience in healthcare or caregiving, all of whom must undergo specific training in bioethics, patient rights, and bias awareness. The committee's proceedings will be confidential, and they will have access to patient medical records to make decisions based on the patient's wishes or best interests, with specific limitations on their authority, such as not being able to authorize a patient's discharge from the hospital. Hospitals will be required to report annually on the committee's activities, and these reports will be made public.

Health and Social Services

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB1323?ys=2026RS