HOUSE OF DELEGATES

STANDING COMMITTEES

HEALTH COMMITTEE

ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

[photo, House Office Building, 6 Bladen St. (from College Ave.), Annapolis, Maryland] The Health Committee originated in January 2003 as the Health and Government Operations Committee.

From 2003 through 2025, the Committee considered legislation relating to health facilities, equipment, and products; health insurance; health occupations and professions; public health, including Medicaid; and long-term care. It also wass concerned with laws relating to estates and trusts; human relations; procurement; and State government organization, procedures, and operations.


House Office Building, 6 Bladen St. (from College Ave.), Annapolis, Maryland, December 2003. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

In January 2026, the House Speaker separated functions of the Health and Government Operations Committee into two separate standing committees: Health; and Labor, Elections and Government.

The Health Committee considers legislation relating to health facilities, equipment, and products; health insurance; health occupations and professions; public health, including Medicaid; and long-term care.

Twenty-four members constitute the Committee (House Rules 17, 18; Code State Government Article, secs. 2-1102 through 2-1105).

SUBCOMMITTEES

The Health and Govwernment Operations Committee formally oversaw four subcommittees: Government Operations and Health Facilities; Health Occupations and Long-Term Care; Insurance and Pharmaceuticals; and Public Health and Minority Health Disparities. Since it reformed as the Health Committee in January 2026, seven subcommittees review proposed legislation: Elder and Long-Term Care; Health Facilities; Health Occupations; Insurance; Maternal, Infant and Child Health; Pharmaceuticals; and Public Health and Minority Health Disparities.

ELDER & LONG-TERM CARE SUBCOMMITTEE
Origins of the Elder and Long-Term Care Subcommittee trace to the Government Operations and Long-Term Care Subcommittee, which started in January 2015 under the Health and Government Opertions Committee. In February 2017, functions of that subcommittee were assigned to the Health Occupations and Long-Term Care Subcommittee. In January 2026, its duties were transferred to the Elder and Long-Term Care Subcommittee under the newly formed Health Committee.

HEALTH OCCUPATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
Functions of the Health Occupations Subcommittee trace to the Health Facilities and Occupations Subcommittee organized in November 2005 under the Health and Government Opertions Committee. They also stem from the Government Operations and Long-Term Care Subcommittee, which started in January 2015 under the Health and Government Opertions Committee. In February 2017, duties of the two subcommittees were merged to form the Health Occupations and Long-Term Care Subcommittee. Thereafter, in January 2026, functions again were divided, when two separate subcommittees were created under the newly formed Health Committee: one focuswed on health occupations and the other responsible for elder and long-term care.

INSURANCE SUBCOMMITTEE
Under the Health and Government Operations Committee, the Insurance Subcommittee was created in January 2003 as the Health Insurance Subcommittee. It reformed in November 2004 as the Insurance Subcommittee and, in January 2019, as the Insurance and Pharmaceuticals Subcommittee, when it assumed responsibilities formerly overseen by the Health Facilities and Pharmaceuticals Subcommittee. In January 2026, under the Health Committee, the Insurance and Pharmaceuticals Subcommittee divided into two separate subcommittees.

PHARMACEUTICALS SUBCOMMITTEE
The Pharmaceuticals Subcommittee began under the Health and Government Operations Committee. In January 2026, under the Health Committee, the Insurance and Pharmaceuticals Subcommittee divided into two separate subcommittees.

PUBLIC HEALTH & MINORITY HEALTH DISPARITIES SUBCOMMITTEE
In January 2003, the Public Health Subcommittee and Long-Term Care Subcommittee organized. In November 2005, they reformed as the Public Health and Long-Term Care Subcommittee. In January 2015, the Long-Term Care component moved to the Government Operations Subcommittee and became the Government Operations and Long-Term Care Subcommittee. The Minority Health Disparities Subcommittee, which was created in September 2004, merged with what remained of the Public Health and Long-Term Care Subcommittee to form the Public Health and Minority Health Disparities Subcommittee, also in January 2015. The Subcommittee was made part of the Health Committee in January 2026.

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