HB 1323

Did not advance

Health Care Decisions Act - Surrogate Decision Making - Hospital Surrogate Committee

Sponsor: Samuel I. Rosenberg (District 41)Committee: HealthSubject: Public HealthStatus: Hearing 3/11 at 3:10 p.m. (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring hospitals to establish a surrogate committee to provide surrogate decision making for an unrepresented patient; authorizing the surrogate committee to make treatment decisions for unrepresented patients under certain circumstances; and establishing requirements for the composition, training, and procedures of a surrogate committee.

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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 (21)

MGA witness list

FAV 11FavorableFWA 2Favorable with amendmentsUNF 5UnfavorableINFO 3Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Westrick, Saralobbyist	AARP Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Balan, Sandy	Disability Rights Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Rosenberg, Samuel	House of Delegates	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Amick, Genna	Maryland Legal Aid	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Proctor, Karessa	NASW Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Grant, Marian	State Advisory Council on Serious Illness Care	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hoffmann, Diane	University of Maryland Carey School of Law	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Kaplowitz, Richard KAP	Year	Written (PDF)
FAV	Brauer, Jeffrey	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Rosenberg, Delegate Rosenberglegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Unguru, Yoram	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Marsh, Meghan	Disability Rights Maryland	Written (PDF)
UNF	Bogley, Laura	Maryland Right to Life	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Kolp, Ande	The Arc Maryland	Written (PDF)
UNF	Brocato, Deborah	Individual	Position only
UNF	Davis, Stacey	Individual	Position only
FWA	Mehu, Natashalobbyist	Maryland Hospital Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Pope, Thaddeus	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
INFO	Brown-Burnett, Gloria	Department of Human Services	Written (PDF)
INFO	Nunez, Andrea	Legislative Director, Maryland Department of Aging	Written (PDF)
INFO	Blackfield, Anne	Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD)	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

AARP MarylandFAV 1

Department of Human ServicesINFO 1

Disability Rights MarylandFAV 1UNF 1

House of DelegatesFAV 1

Legislative Director, Maryland Department of AgingINFO 1

Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD)INFO 1

Maryland Hospital AssociationFWA 1

Maryland Legal AidFAV 1

Maryland Right to LifeUNF 1

NASW MarylandFAV 1

State Advisory Council on Serious Illness CareFAV 1

The Arc MarylandUNF 1

University of Maryland Carey School of LawFAV 1

YearFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVWestrick, SaraAARP MarylandRegistered for: AARP Maryland

FWAMehu, NatashaMaryland Hospital AssociationRegistered for: Maryland Hospital Association; Maryland Patient Care and Access Coalition; Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants; Maryland Academy of Advanced Practice Clinicians; Baltimore Washington Rapid Rail, LLC; Maryland Works, Inc.…