Public Health - Expedited Partner Therapy - Bacterial Vaginosis and Licensed Certified Midwives, the official text

WES MOORE, Governor                                      Ch. 193

Chapter 193

                   (Senate Bill 394)

AN ACT concerning

Public Health – Expedited Partner Therapy – Bacterial Vaginosis and Licensed
                                               Certified Midwives

FOR the purpose of adding bacterial vaginosis to the list of diagnoses for which certain
         health care providers practitioners may prescribe, dispense, or otherwise provide
         antibiotic therapy to a sexual partner of a diagnosed patient without making a
         certain assessment of the sexual partner; adding licensed certified midwives to the
         list of health care practitioners who may prescribe, dispense, or otherwise provide
         antibiotic therapy to a sexual partner of a diagnosed patient without making a
         certain assessment of the sexual partner; and generally relating to expedited partner
         therapy.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
         Article – Health – General
         Section 18–214.1
         Annotated Code of Maryland
         (2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)

         SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

                   Article – Health – General

18–214.1.

         (a) The purpose of expedited partner therapy is to provide antibiotic therapy to
any partner of a patient diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection AN INFECTION
TRANSMITTED THROUGH SEXUAL ACTIVITY identified in subsection (b) of this section in
order to:

             (1) Contain and stop the further spread of the infection; and

             (2) Reduce the likelihood of reinfection in the diagnosed patient.

         (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the following health care
providers may prescribe, dispense, or otherwise provide antibiotic therapy to [any] A sexual
partner of a patient diagnosed with chlamydia, gonorrhea, [or] trichomoniasis, OR
BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS without making a personal physical assessment of the patient’s
partner:

                   –1–
Ch. 193       2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND

              (1) A physician licensed under Title 14 of the Health Occupations Article;

                  (2) An advanced practice registered nurse with prescriptive authority
licensed under Title 8 of the Health Occupations Article acting in accordance with § 8–508
of the Health Occupations Article;

                  (3) An authorized physician assistant licensed under Title 15 of the Health
Occupations Article acting in accordance with § 15–302.2 of the Health Occupations Article;
and

              (4) A registered nurse employed by a local health department who complies

with:

              (i) The formulary developed and approved under § 3–403(b) of this

article; and

                           (ii) The requirements established under § 8–512 of the Health
Occupations Article; AND

                (5) A CERTIFIED MIDWIFE LICENSED UNDER TITLE 8, SUBTITLE 6D
OF THE HEALTH OCCUPATIONS ARTICLE.

         (c) This section may not be construed to otherwise expand the prescribing or
dispensing authority of an advanced practice registered nurse with prescriptive authority
or a physician assistant.

         (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a pharmacist licensed under Title
12 of the Health Occupations Article may dispense antibiotic therapy prescribed in
accordance with subsection (b) of this section.

         (e) The Secretary shall adopt regulations to implement the requirements of this
section in public and private health care settings in the State.

         SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 2026.

Approved by the Governor, April 28, 2026.

              –2–