Legislative Priorities

Our 2026 Care Agenda

  • Safe Staffing Act of 2026 (HB 624 / SB 411)

    Sponsors: Delegate Jennifer White Holland and Senator Malcolm Augustine

    Maryland hospitals face critical staffing shortages that lead to worker burnout, long ER wait times, and compromised patient care. The Safe Staffing Act requires Maryland hospitals to establish safe staffing committees to drive solutions to staffing and safety issues. Direct care workers and patients will sit on committees and create annual staffing plans.

  • Nursing Home Staffing Crisis Funding Act of 2026

    Sponsor: Delegate Ashanti Martinez and Senator Benjamin Kramer

    This bill improves nursing homes’ financial transparency and ensures that 75% of nursing home revenue is spent on resident care and wages and benefits for direct care workers. By directing resources toward frontline care, this legislation will improve safety, quality of care, and quality of life for residents.

  • Dementia Services and Brain Health Program and Clinical Toolkit (HB 446)

    Sponsors: Delegate Ashanti Martinez and Senator Hayes

    Dementia is one of Maryland's fastest-growing public health challenges, impacting thousands and straining our healthcare system. This legislation will equip healthcare providers with resources on early detection, diagnosis, and care planning, and build sustainable statewide risk reduction infrastructure.

  • Office of Health Care Quality Stakeholder Advisory Council (SB 240)

    Sponsors: Delegate Teresa Woorman and Senator Karen Lewis Young

    Maryland faces significant healthcare quality challenges, including the longest ER wait times in the country, gaps in annual nursing home inspections, and an alarming increase in medical errors. This bill will establish a Stakeholder Advisory Council for the Office of Health Care Quality (OHCQ) to provide constructive feedback and advice.

  • Minimum Home Care Wage and Paid Sick Leave

    Sponsors: Delegate Heather Bagnall

    This bill would take a graduated approach to create a $20 wage floor for all personal care aides employed by Medicaid-funded residential service agencies (RSAs). This bill also extends paid sick leave to all personal care aides, regardless of the size of their RSA, with 24 hours available upfront, and the ability to accrue additional time in line with Maryland’s Earned Safe and Sick Leave law.