Md. Code, Health - General § 20-1502
This is the official text of Md. Code, Health - General § 20-1502, part of Maryland’s Code, Health - General — covers public health regulation.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
§20–1502.
Official statutory text
(a) The Department shall identify up–to–date, evidence–based, written information about Down syndrome that:
(1) Has been reviewed by medical experts and national and local Down syndrome organizations;
(2) Is designed for use by an expectant parent who receives a prenatal test result for Down syndrome or a parent of a child who receives a diagnosis of Down syndrome;
(3) Is culturally and linguistically appropriate for potential recipients of the information; and
(4) Includes:
(i) Information addressing physical, developmental, educational, and psychosocial outcomes, life expectancy, clinical course, and intellectual and functional development and treatment options for individuals with Down syndrome; and
(ii) Contact information for national and local Down syndrome education and support programs and services, including information hotlines, resource centers, and clearinghouses.
(b) The Department shall:
(1) Provide the information identified by the Department under subsection (a) of this section to health care facilities and health care providers that provide prenatal care, postnatal care, or genetic counseling to expectant parents who receive a prenatal test result for Down syndrome and parents of a child diagnosed with Down syndrome; and
(2) Make available the information identified by the Department under subsection (a) of this section on the Department’s website.
(c) (1) On receipt of a positive test result from a test for Down syndrome, a health care facility or health care provider may provide to the expectant parent who receives a prenatal test result for Down syndrome or the parent of the child diagnosed with Down syndrome the written information provided or made available by the Department under subsection (b) of this section.
(2) The information provided under this subsection shall be culturally and linguistically appropriate for the recipient of the information.
(1) Has been reviewed by medical experts and national and local Down syndrome organizations;
(2) Is designed for use by an expectant parent who receives a prenatal test result for Down syndrome or a parent of a child who receives a diagnosis of Down syndrome;
(3) Is culturally and linguistically appropriate for potential recipients of the information; and
(4) Includes:
(i) Information addressing physical, developmental, educational, and psychosocial outcomes, life expectancy, clinical course, and intellectual and functional development and treatment options for individuals with Down syndrome; and
(ii) Contact information for national and local Down syndrome education and support programs and services, including information hotlines, resource centers, and clearinghouses.
(b) The Department shall:
(1) Provide the information identified by the Department under subsection (a) of this section to health care facilities and health care providers that provide prenatal care, postnatal care, or genetic counseling to expectant parents who receive a prenatal test result for Down syndrome and parents of a child diagnosed with Down syndrome; and
(2) Make available the information identified by the Department under subsection (a) of this section on the Department’s website.
(c) (1) On receipt of a positive test result from a test for Down syndrome, a health care facility or health care provider may provide to the expectant parent who receives a prenatal test result for Down syndrome or the parent of the child diagnosed with Down syndrome the written information provided or made available by the Department under subsection (b) of this section.
(2) The information provided under this subsection shall be culturally and linguistically appropriate for the recipient of the information.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in Maryland?
Find a Maryland lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.