HB 705

EnactedConstitutional amendmentCrossfile SB 798

Declaration of Rights - Right to Reproductive Freedom

Sponsor: Adrienne A. Jones (District 10)Committee: Health and Government OperationsSubject: Public HealthStatus: Approved by the Governor, assigned a chapter number, enactment subject to constitutional referendum - Chapter 245 (as of Nov 9, 2023)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Establishing that every person, as a central component of an individual's rights to liberty and equality, has the fundamental right to reproductive freedom; and prohibiting the State from, directly or indirectly, denying, burdening, or abridging the right unless justified by a compelling State interest achieved by the least restrictive means.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (140)

MGA witness list

FAV 50FavorableUNF 90Unfavorable

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Dumais, Brige	1199SEIU UHE	Written (PDF)
FAV	Pittman, Steuart	Anne Arundel County Executive	Written (PDF)
FAV	Greenberg, Joshua	Baltimore County	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Grossman, Rabbi Susan	Beth Shalom Congregation, Columbia, MD	Written (PDF)
FAV	Leaphart, Krystal	Black Girls Vote	Written (PDF)
FAV	Drayton, Morganlobbyist	Common Cause MD	Written (PDF)
FAV	Pullias, Charlene	Garrett County Democratic Club	Written (PDF)
FAV	Mullen, Katherine	If/When/How - University of Baltimore Law School	Written (PDF)
FAV	Jordan, Lisae Clobbyist	Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Phelps, Jr., Kenneth	Maryland Episcopal Public Policy Network	Position only
FAV	Morgan, Jessica	Maryland Legislative Agenda for Women (MLAW)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Position only
FAV	Shapiro, Melanielobbyist	Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence	Written (PDF)
FAV	Edwards, Donna	Maryland State & DC AFL-CIO	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bost, Cheryl	Maryland State Education Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	Koravos, JoAnne	Montgomery County Women's Democratic Club	Written (PDF)
FAV	Richards, Elizabeth	Montgomery County's Commission for Women	Written (PDF)
FAV	Richards, Lori	Mountain Maryland Alliance for Reproductive Freedom	Written (PDF)
FAV	Fitzwater, Jessica	Office of Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater	Written (PDF)
FAV	Nelson, Karen	Planned Parenthood of Maryland	Oral
FAV	Hay-Chatterjee, Priya	Pro-Choice Maryland	Oral
FAV	Goldstein, Mathew	Secular Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Emerson, Jessica	The Human Trafficking Prevention Project	Written (PDF)
FAV	Siri, Michellelobbyist	The Women's Law Center of Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Egan, Ashleylobbyist	UULM-MD	Written (PDF)
FAV	Stone, Judy	n/a	Written (PDF)
FAV	Alexander, Kimberly	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Jones, A., Delegate Jones, A.legislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Elliott, Robynlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Elliott, Robynlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Enagonio, Liz	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Esposito, Ashley	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Finkelstein, Jodi	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Herdering, Linda	Individual	Position only
FAV	Hodge-Williams, Sam	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Jacobi, Laura	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Jasen, Debi	Individual	Position only
FAV	Johnson, Jakeya	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Kasemeyer, Pam	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kowalski, Cresta	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Murphy, Melissa	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Price, Christine	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Rubinson, Harriet	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Schweiss, Nancy	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Skinner, Mark	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Spear, Bob	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Strohl, Rahula	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Sullivan, Shannon	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Tupper, Janet	Individual	Position only
FAV	Walker, Keegan	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Walton, James	40 Days for Life-Lutherville	Oral
UNF	American Center for Law & Justice, American Center for Law & Justice	American Center for Law & Justice	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	New, Michael	Charlotte Lozier Institute	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Nash, Daniel	Christ Reformed Evangelical Church	Oral
UNF	Ryan, Wendy	Citizen	Position only
UNF	Duffy, Suzanne	Concerned Citizen	Position only
UNF	Quinn, Kathryn	DFLA Education Fund	Written (PDF)
UNF	Day, Kristen	Democrats For Life	Oral
UNF	Quinn, Johnlobbyist	Democrats for Life of America	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Kelly, Kathy	Democrats for Life of Maryland	Written (PDF)

Showing 60 of 140

Organizations on record

1199SEIU UHEFAV 1

40 Days for Life-LuthervilleUNF 1

American Center for Law & JusticeUNF 1

Anne Arundel County ExecutiveFAV 1

Baltimore CountyFAV 1

Beth Shalom Congregation, Columbia, MDFAV 1

Black Girls VoteFAV 1

Charlotte Lozier InstituteUNF 1

Christ Reformed Evangelical ChurchUNF 1

CitizenUNF 1

Common Cause MDFAV 1

Concerned CitizenUNF 1

Democrats For LifeUNF 1

Democrats for Life of AmericaUNF 1

Democrats for Life of MarylandUNF 1

DFLA Education FundUNF 1

FaceTheTruth.lifeUNF 1

Family Heritage MattersUNF 1

Forest Hill Presbyterian ChurchUNF 1

Garrett County Democratic ClubFAV 1

If/When/How - University of Baltimore Law SchoolFAV 1

Maryland Catholic ConferenceUNF 1

Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)FAV 1

Maryland Episcopal Public Policy NetworkFAV 1

Maryland Family InstituteUNF 1

Maryland Legislative Agenda for Women (MLAW)FAV 1

Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 1

Maryland Legislative Lobby for Life, Inc.UNF 1

Maryland Network Against Domestic ViolenceFAV 1

Maryland Right to LifeUNF 1

Maryland State & DC AFL-CIOFAV 1

Maryland State Education AssociationFAV 1

MDRTL Caroline CountyUNF 1

Montgomery County Women's Democratic ClubFAV 1

Montgomery County's Commission for WomenFAV 1

Mountain Maryland Alliance for Reproductive FreedomFAV 1

n/aFAV 1

National Association of Pro-Life NursesUNF 1

NONEUNF 1

Office of Frederick County Executive Jessica FitzwaterFAV 1

Planned Parenthood of MarylandFAV 1

Prince George's County Right to LifeUNF 1

Pro-Black Pro-LifeUNF 2

Pro-Choice MarylandFAV 1

Secular MarylandFAV 1

selfUNF 1

Sidewalk Advocates for LifeUNF 1

Students for LifeUNF 1

The Hope movementUNF 1

The Hope MovementUNF 1

The Human Trafficking Prevention ProjectFAV 1

The Women's Law Center of MarylandFAV 1

UULM-MDFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVDrayton, MorganCommon Cause MDRegistered for: Common Cause Maryland

FAVJordan, Lisae CMaryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)Registered for: Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault

FAVShapiro, MelanieMaryland Network Against Domestic ViolenceRegistered for: Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence

FAVSiri, MichelleThe Women's Law Center of MarylandRegistered for: Maryland Legal Services Corporation; Women's Law Center of Maryland, Inc.

FAVEgan, AshleyUULM-MDRegistered for: UULM-MD

FAVElliott, RobynRegistered for: American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists; Amica Center for Immigrant Rights; CareForth; Chase Brexton Health System; Coordinating Center, The; Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition…

UNFQuinn, JohnDemocrats for Life of AmericaRegistered for: Baltimore Gas and Electric Company

UNFBarnwell, BrianMaryland Catholic ConferenceRegistered for: Maryland Catholic Conference

UNFAlexandre, JonathanMaryland Family InstituteRegistered for: Maryland Family Institute

UNFBrocato, DeborahRegistered for: Maryland Right to Life, Inc.

UNFRak, AlexandraRegistered for: State Freedom Caucus Network