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HB1271 would amend Maryland’s abortion laws to create a new ultrasound-based waiting period before a qualified provider may perform or induce an abortion. Under the bill, a patient would generally have to wait 24 hours after receiving transabdominal ultrasound imaging before the procedure, but if the patient lives at least 100 miles from the facility, the waiting period would be 2 hours. The bill also sets out detailed requirements for how the ultrasound must be performed, including who may perform it, what information should be documented if visible, and what options must be verbally offered to the patient.
The bill requires the medical professional to offer the patient the opportunity to view the image, receive a printed copy, and hear the fetal heartbeat if consistent with the standard of care, while also requiring written certification that those offers were made and, if applicable, that the patient lives at least 100 miles away. It further requires the facility to retain a printed copy of the ultrasound image for at least seven years and imposes a civil penalty of up to $2,500 for violations. The bill states that a woman is not required to accept any of the offers made during the ultrasound process, and it preserves a provider’s ability to use medically appropriate ultrasound imaging consistent with the standard of care.
In terms of state law, HB1271 would add a new Section 20-210 to the Health-General Article and modify existing abortion provisions in Section 20-209 to make them subject to the new ultrasound and waiting-period requirements. It would create a new layer of procedural regulation for abortion providers and facilities, particularly affecting clinics that perform abortions and the qualified providers who supervise or conduct the required imaging. The bill also includes an exception for women seeking an abortion after rape or incest if the incident was reported to law enforcement.
The general sentiment reflected in the available context is limited because there are no recorded votes or committee transcript excerpts, but the bill’s subject matter and sponsor list suggest it is a politically charged abortion-regulation measure likely supported by anti-abortion legislators and opposed by abortion-rights advocates. The bill appears designed to increase informed-consent procedures and delay access to abortion, which typically draws strong support from proponents of additional abortion restrictions and strong criticism from opponents who view such requirements as burdensome or coercive.
The main points of contention are the mandatory waiting period, the required ultrasound procedures, the requirement to offer fetal heartbeat audio and printed images, and the 100-mile exception that creates different timing rules based on distance from the facility. Another likely point of dispute is the rape/incest exception, which is conditioned on reporting to law enforcement, and the bill’s enforcement mechanism, including the monetary penalty and record-retention requirements. These provisions would likely be debated as either patient-protection measures or as barriers to abortion access, depending on the perspective of the stakeholder.
HB1271 would amend Maryland’s Health-General Article by revising existing abortion law and adding a new section that imposes mandatory transabdominal ultrasound procedures and a post-ultrasound waiting period before an abortion may be performed. It would directly affect qualified providers, abortion facilities, and pregnant patients seeking abortion care, while also creating documentation, retention, and penalty requirements for providers and facilities. The bill would take effect October 1, 2025, if enacted.
No vote totals or committee testimony are provided, so the formal legislative sentiment cannot be measured from the record here. Based on the bill’s content and sponsor list, the measure appears to be supported by legislators favoring tighter abortion regulation and likely opposed by those supporting abortion access and reproductive rights. The bill’s structure suggests an intent to add procedural safeguards and delay requirements, which are commonly framed by supporters as informed-consent protections and by opponents as access barriers.
The most notable contention points are the 24-hour waiting period, the shorter 2-hour waiting period for patients living 100 miles or more from the facility, and the required ultrasound-related disclosures and documentation. Opponents would likely object to the mandated viewing/offer provisions, fetal heartbeat offer, and the law-enforcement reporting condition for the rape/incest exception, while supporters would likely argue these provisions promote informed consent and patient awareness. The civil penalty and recordkeeping mandate may also be controversial because they increase provider compliance burdens and enforcement exposure.