SB 891
Department of Legislative Services
Maryland General Assembly
2021 Session
FISCAL AND POLICY NOTE
First Reader
Senate Bill 891 (Senator Carozza)
Finance
Public Health - Maternal and Child Mortality - Review and Perinatal Hospice
Services
This bill authorizes both the State Child Fatality Review Team (State Team) and the
Maternal Mortality Review Program to enter into a written agreement, as specified, with
an entity to provide the secure storage of data based on information and records collected
by either the State Team or program, including data that contains personal or incident
identifiers. The bill also authorizes a physician or nurse practitioner who makes a diagnosis
of a “lethal fetal anomaly” to refer a woman to or provide information regarding “perinatal
hospice” services. Within 90 days of the bill becoming effective, the Maryland Department
of Health (MDH) must (1) develop and publish on its website a list of perinatal hospice
programs available in the State and nationally that is organized geographically and
(2) publish on its website an information sheet on perinatal hospice programs, as specified.
Fiscal Summary
State Effect: MDH can likely handle the bill’s requirements with existing budgeted
resources. Revenues are not affected.
Local Effect: None.
Small Business Effect: None.
 Analysis
Bill Summary:
Data Storage Agreements
An agreement that the State Team or program enters into with an entity to provide for
secure data storage must (1) provide for the protection of the security and confidentiality
of information and (2) address issues regarding limitations to access, storage, and
destruction of information. In addition, an entity with an agreement to store data must
comply with specified confidentiality requirements.
Perinatal Hospice Services
“Perinatal hospice” means comprehensive support to a pregnant woman and her family that
includes support from the time of diagnosis through the time of birth and the death of the
infant, and through the postpartum period. “Perinatal hospice” may include counseling and
medical care by maternal-fetal medical specialists, obstetricians, neonatologists, anesthesia
specialists, clergy, social workers, and specialty nurses focused on alleviating fear and
ensuring that the woman and her family experience the life and death of their child in a
comfortable and supportive environment.
A physician or nurse practitioner who diagnoses an unborn child as having a “lethal fetal
anomaly” (a fetal condition diagnosed before birth that will, with reasonable certainty,
result in the death of the unborn child within three months after birth) may (1) inform the
pregnant woman, orally and in person, that perinatal hospice services are available;
(2) offer or refer the pregnant woman for perinatal hospice services; and (3) provide the
pregnant woman a specified information sheet as published by MDH.
MDH’s information sheet on perinatal hospice programs must include (1) a statement
indicating that perinatal hospice is an innovative and compassionate model of support for
a pregnant woman who is informed that her unborn child has a lethal fetal anomaly and
who chooses to continue her pregnancy; (2) a general description of the health care services
available from perinatal hospice programs; and (3) appropriate contact information for
perinatal hospice services, including 24-hour perinatal hospice services. MDH must make
the information sheet available in both English and Spanish and in a format that can be
printed and provided to a pregnant woman.
A perinatal hospice program may request that MDH include the program’s informational
material and contact information on the MDH website, and MDH may add the information
as requested.
SB 891/ Page 2
Current Law: Chapter 74 of 2000 established Maryland’s Maternal Mortality Review
Program. The purpose of the program is to (1) identify maternal death cases; (2) review
medical records and other relevant data; (3) determine preventability of death; (4) develop
recommendations for the prevention of maternal deaths; and (5) disseminate findings and
recommendations to policymakers, health care providers, health care facilities, and the
public. Maternal mortality reviews are conducted by a committee of clinical experts from
across the State, the Maternal Mortality Review Committee. The program must submit an
annual report on findings, recommendations, and program actions to the Governor and the
General Assembly.
Chapters 355 and 356 of 1999 established the State Child Fatality Review Team with the
purpose of preventing child deaths by (1) developing an understanding of the causes and
incidence of child deaths; (2) developing plans for and implementing changes within the
agencies on the team to prevent child deaths; and (3) advising the Governor, the General
Assembly, and the public on changes to law, policy, and practice to prevent child deaths.
State Team members and staff may not disclose to any person or government official any
identifying information about any child protection case.
Additional Information
Prior Introductions: None.
Designated Cross File: HB 1112 (Delegate Wivell) - Health and Government Operations.
Information Source(s): Department of Legislative Services
Fiscal Note History: First Reader - March 9, 2021
rh/jc
Analysis by: Amber R. Gundlach Direct Inquiries to:
(410) 946-5510
(301) 970-5510
SB 891/ Page 3


Statutes affected:
Text - First - Public Health - Maternal and Child Mortality - Review and Perinatal Hospice Services: 5-701 Health General, 5-709 Health General, 13-1204 Health General, 20-2001 Health General